Chapter 111. Absolute Command (2)

Clack.

The sound of something opening.

The sound of an inner liberation.

Or perhaps, the realization of a shackle being undone.

However, Artanis felt nothing. It was something she had never even imagined.

It was something she had never dared to hope for.

She couldn't immediately grasp what had just happened to her.

"......"

The wind blew.

She touched her lips.

She couldn't believe it.

The wide-eyed gazes of her three loyal subjects staring at her.

The astonished looks of the Four Heavenly Kings who followed Credos.

All of it.

Just like that.

It felt as though it wasn't real.

It simply didn't feel real at all.

She touched her face again.

"...Ah."

The sensation of her hand brushing her chin. Her nostrils. Her lips. And then, a stream running down her cheek.

'Tears?'

Me?

I, Artanis, the Witch of Melody?

It was the moment she realized the sensation of tears flowing down her cheek and gathering at the tip of her chin.

Only then did she understand.

"Ah ..."

The seal artifact was gone.

So suddenly.

So unbelievably.

She could now speak.

"Ahh ..."

That's it.

This is my voice.

A voice not suppressed by the seal artifact, my true voice.

I have regained it. Now, I can speak, laugh out loud, and sing.

Thanks to him.

"......"

She turned to look at Kim Jangcheol.

It was certain.

It was him.

When he had muttered something to himself, the seal artifact reacted.

It had unraveled in an instant, and disappeared.

"How ...."

She wanted to ask.

Of course, Kim Jangcheol fully understood what she was feeling.

A pleased smile gently appeared on his lips.

"Did you catch on?"

"....."

Artanis nodded at his question.

Looking at her finally revealed face, Kim Jangcheol spoke.

"Yes, I did it."

"But how ... How did you?"

"Actually, I was lucky."

Indeed.

It was true.

He was really lucky.

Why?

"....."

His gaze skimmed over the message floating before him, something only he could see.

Then, he summarized it simply.

"Thanks to you beating me at full strength when you were in rampage state, I was able to absorb a huge amount of mana."

"...Absorb? No way."

"Yes. Your mana."

"........"

Is that even possible?

Artanis was filled with doubt.

Kim Jangcheol, with a face as thick as iron, continued.

"It's possible. I have quite the appetite. I'm not picky either. Thanks to that, I absorb well."

In truth, it was thanks to a trait that had developed today.

With the power of the trait attached to his stamina stat.

While the Nutrition Focus option was on, and stamina selected, he could absorb all the mana carried by external impacts.

Thanks to that.

While Artanis was rampaging and swinging her mace, he could continuously absorb the vast mana contained in her attacks.

However, within that mana was also the power of the seal artifact. Because, even in her rampage, she had still been under the control of the seal artifact.

"Thus, the mana I absorbed contained both Lady Artanis' mana and the seal artifact's mana. Anyway, after absorbing, compressing, and refining it, I stored it in my heart."

By whom?

The Mana Seed.

It worked diligently and made it happen.

"Thanks to that, Lady Artanis' mana and the seal artifact's mana... combined with the collateral curse engraved in my heart."

"Combined?"

"Yes. They combined, and evolved."

"So... that's why this was possible?"

"Yes. The evolved collateral power seems to have exerted a stronger influence over your seal artifact. That's why this could happen."

He explained everything just as it was.

There was no reason to hide it.

"I see....."

"Yes. That's it."

"Then I now..."

"Congratulations."

"......"

"But looking at it now, you weren't a demonic scammer after all."

"....What's a demonic scammer?"

"Ah, well, it's kind of a thing?"

"......."

What was that supposed to mean?

Was it an insult?

But Artanis didn't mind.

Instead, she caressed her face again and realized once more.

The seal artifact was gone. The curse that had bound her for so long had finally been broken.

And her three loyal subjects were shedding tears as they looked at her.

"...All of you, lift your heads."

Largo, Veloce, and Andante.

The shoulders of the three loyal subjects, who knelt with heads bowed, trembled uncontrollably.

For the first time since pledging their loyalty long ago, they defied their master's command right before her.

No one lifted their head.

No — they simply couldn't.

They were too deeply ashamed.

And, at the same time, overcome with joy.

Because their lady, who had almost been forever bound by a bitter regret because of them, had finally achieved her long-cherished wish.

They were simply too grateful for that fact.

"All of you, stop crying."

She commanded once again, but even now, her three loyal subjects refused her order.

They couldn't stop their flowing tears. And it was the same for Artanis, who looked down at them.

"...So, today must be a day when my commands don't go through."

In the end, she spoke with a bitter smile.

Then, she wiped her wet eyes with effort and turned her gaze to Kim Jangcheol.

"I owe you a great favor today."

She spoke her honest feelings.

Now, with the voice she had regained.

"I originally came here for my long-cherished wish, and to achieve that purpose, I sought to harm you. Even so, you never once showed hostility toward me, and even when I lost my reason and rampaged, you helped me."

It was the truth.

And so, she was overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Moreover, you have now even lifted the curse that had bound me for so long.

You have not only saved me, but you have also saved my most important loyal followers."

Truly, that is so.

It is a favor, from you.

"If today, you had not released my seal artifact, and I had spent the rest of my life bound by the curse, never achieving my long-cherished wish... then my loyal followers would have carried the wound of guilt throughout those years. Eventually, they would have been crushed by the guilt, and fallen apart."

Thank you, for preventing that.

Thank you, for protecting my precious ones as well.

"To lift my seal artifact, to break the curse upon me, and moreover, to protect the future of my loyal followers and my people... that is what I am even more grateful for."

How could I repay this favor?

How could I offer this return?

Looking at Kim Jangcheol with a gaze full of sincerity, she spoke.

"Thus I, Artanis, the Witch of Melody, swear upon my name and soul: I, Artanis, shall surely repay the grace I have received today from you, Credos. Someday, when the moment comes that you need me, I will stand by your side and aid you."

It was a promise made by putting everything on the line.

A pledge of repayment spanning her entire life.

She made the vow with true sincerity.

She even tied her soul to the oath.

Kim Jangcheol could feel the sincerity as he looked into her eyes.

"Uh, so ... you're saying that, on the day I need you, Lady Artanis will stay by my side and help me, right?"

"That is correct. From today, from this very moment and forevermore, your enemies shall be my enemies, and your foes shall be my foes."

"Uh, so then ... is it just once?"

"What?"

"I mean the promise you just made. Is it maybe a one-time thing...?"

"It is not."

"Then, is it guaranteed for life?"

"Indeed."

"Anytime? Regardless of time or place?"

"Naturally."

What sort of obvious questions is this person asking?

And why... why is he smiling with such an ominous look?

"That's great?"

"Of course."

Because it wasn't anyone else's, but her own promise, she who was a former Demon Queen and the Witch of Melody, sworn with everything she had.

She would keep it, no matter what.

No matter what hardships or trials came.

Even if she had to pay any price.

If it was to repay today's favor, she would surely, absolutely fulfill it.

Kim Jangcheol asked again, as if to double-check.

"You really promised like that?"

"I did."

"Everyone here is a witness?"

"Yes, of course."

"And, you're absolutely sure about all the details of that promise?"

"That too, absolutely."

"Oh, thank you very much."

It was at that moment that a shameless grin spread wide across Kim Jangcheol's face.

...Kiiiing, clack!

A menacing metallic sound rang out from both of Artanis' earlobes. And then... the seal artifact reappeared and sealed her mouth!

".....!"

Artanis' eyes widened.

Startled, she tried to open her mouth.

But... no voice came out.

She also felt her power of melody being sealed off.

Just like the days when she had lived bound by the seal artifact!

'What is this ...?'

What on earth was happening?

What was going on?

She was utterly horrified.

At the same time, she was flustered.

In her urgency, she traced words into the air.

— What are you doing? Even if you are my benefactor, such a prank is hardly welcome....

"Ah, it's not a prank."

— What?

"I didn't do this on purpose."

— What are you saying?

"Uh, so, actually, there's something I should have mentioned first... but I kind of forgot."

— Forgot?

"Yes."

— Forgot what?

"Uh, that is...."

— ....

This is bad.

Something's wrong.

Artanis' internal danger alarm blared loudly at that moment.

Kim Jangcheol, scratching the back of his head with an awkward but still ridiculously shameless smile, said:

"Well, actually, about this Absolute Command power I got? Right now, with my current ability, it seems I can only release your seal artifact once per day, and only for three minutes?"

—...What?

Boom.

A thunderclap struck her eardrums, her heart, and her prefrontal cortex all at once.

But whether that happened or not.

Kim Jangcheol kept talking cheerfully.

"Ahh, I have this habit of forgetting things sometimes. Honestly, I should have told you that before you made your promise. But, you know, Lady Artanis, you already made your oath, even pledging your soul, didn't you?"

—.....

"So, right now, today, I really, really need you."

—......

"You said it earlier, didn't you? That someday, when I needed you, you would surely stay by my side and help me."

—Well, that's true but....

"So, that's now."

—......

"Right now, could you please, just... pull out some weeds from the field?"

—.......What?

"Ah, I really need it. Like, desperately."

—.....

"You promised to keep your word, after all."

—......

At that moment, finally, she realized.

Ah, I've been tricked.