Chapter 132: Everyday Life of Demons, (3)
Ariel, who was separated from Julius and Bolts, gazed intently at the small girl who held her hand while pulling her along…Lappy. Lappy was a cute girl with fluffy chestnut hair that leaned towards shades of orange, and her slightly droopy eyes gave her a drowsy aura.
However, beneath that appearance, Lappy was a seasoned fighter, capable of rendering their leader, Julius, unconscious with a single blow. Ariel understood this well and obediently followed the girl, yet her curiosity about the distant Julius made her sneak glances behind.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, uh, nothing.”
As Ariel tried to look back, she quickly covered up when Lappy inquired. After yesterday’s incident, Ariel was certain that Lappy still held reservations about Julius. She believed that if her concern for Julius became known, it might sour Lappy’s mood.
Perhaps satisfied with that response, Lappy continued walking while holding Ariel’s hand. Ariel breathed a sigh of relief; perhaps thinking she had successfully diverted Lappy’s attention.
(Julius and the others will execute the plan, and I will keep up the pretense. We used to do this just a few days ago; it feels a bit nostalgic.)
As Ariel was led by Lappy, memories of her past flooded back. Ariel and Julius were both street children living in the slums of the imperial capital. Among the children, Julius, who was known for his skills in fighting, emerged as the leader of a certain group, while Ariel assumed a role akin to that of a deputy leader.
The duo led a group of around twenty individuals, constituting a medium-sized faction within the slums. Their source of income relied on pickpocketing and petty theft. Julius and his companions engaged in theft, while Ariel’s responsibility lay in securing escape routes. They then offered a portion of their ill-earned gains as a tribute to the influential figures of the slums. This ensured them a modest but sheltered existence within a dilapidated yet roofed vacant house.
The group had maintained this way of life for generations. However, a turning point arrived one spring, earlier this year. Without any warning, imperial soldiers descended upon the slums. Despite their attempts to flee, all escape routes were blocked, resulting in Julius and the other children’s capture.
(Arrested and thrown into a prison cell, I thought it might be the end. But…)
Ariel’s face clouded as she recalled that moment. The slum’s inhabitants were rounded up by imperial soldiers and gathered in one location. Then, certain adults were led away into rooms inscribed with intricate spirit circuits, confined alongside an equal number of animals. In an instant, they were turned into demons.
Karelvo had developed a spiritual art that could transform multiple individuals into demons at once; it was a method devised to mass-produce demons. However, this method didn’t take into account the compatibility between the synthesized creatures. Although it enhanced the physical bodies of the individuals as demons, a drawback emerged: many of them turned berserk, possibly due to rejection reactions.
For Ariel and the other children who remained unaware of this situation, the familiar faces they knew gradually transformed into half-human, half-beast monsters. They were subjected to the horrifying spectacle of these transformed beings driven to madness, emitting beastly roars. Advising them not to lose hope in such circumstances was impossible. Not only Ariel and her friends, but even the others who hadn’t undergone the demon transformation yet, began screaming and attempting to flee.
Yet, there was no escape offered by the imperial soldiers. The people of the slums were progressively turned into demons. While Ariel and her group fought against their fear, they found themselves inexplicably led into a separate room. Inside that room, everyone gathered was a child, and the criteria for their selection seemed painfully apparent by age.
Perhaps there was still a chance for survival, they thought. This glimmer of hope was shattered when a spiritualist with blue-colored skin appeared. The unfamiliar figure proceeded to lead each child outside one by one, transforming them into demons. Ariel, too, underwent the transformation into a demon through the use of a certain creature before she lost consciousness.
(When I came to my senses, only Julius and Bolts were nearby. The other children… they were all dead.)
The formula used by Larman was Orvo’s, which Karelvo treated as a mistake. As a result, those synthesized with this formula took on dual forms: a human form and a demon form. However, Orvo’s technique relied on pre-assessing the compatibility between the synthesized organisms. Luckily, only the three of them had favorable compatibility, while the rest succumbed to fatal rejection reactions.
However, it was Larman’s “practice” to begin with, and Orvo’s technique turned them into demons. This branding of “failure” by Karelvo led the trio to be sent toward the special operations unit, which was constantly dispatched to the frontlines.
(I was able to endure because Julius was there. But Julius still hasn’t recovered. That’s why he scared the peacefully sleeping baby… even though it was a baby born on the battlefield.)
Having survived in the slums, both Julius and Ariel had matured mentally beyond their years, compared to children who had lived more sheltered lives. Yet, despite possessing such resilient spirits, the fact that their entire group had been wiped out, leaving only the two of them, left a deep scar on their hearts.
While Julius was a pillar of support for Ariel, he was still grappling with the aftermath of the shock. Ariel believed it stemmed from Julius being the leader of their group and carrying the burden of guilt for being unable to save his comrades.
However, recovery was difficult because of the very nature of the cause. Julius blamed himself, and his anguish persisted until he could forgive himself.
“Right here. Let’s begin,” Lappy said.
“Ah, okay. So what are we going to do?”
“Practice your demon transformation. It’s pointless if you can’t transform.”
Lappy led Ariel to the edge of the field and sat down on the ground, gesturing for Ariel to do the same. Since she grew up in the slums, Ariel had no aversion to sitting on the bare ground. She followed the younger girl’s lead and took a seat.
Once Ariel was settled, Lappy started the transformation into her demon form while saying, “Watch closely.” Suddenly, long ears sprouted from the top of her head, and her limbs grew enveloped in soft fur. The process was over in less than an instant.
“Wow…”
“Like this. Got it?”
“So cute!”
Ariel had been watching Lappy’s transformation intently, but upon seeing the adorable aspect of her in demon form, Ariel couldn’t help but embrace her. Lappy’s smaller size as a demon, along with her plush-like charm, was irresistible. Ariel simply acted on impulse.
Ariel, who impulsively embraced Lappy, realized her mistake afterward. She started to worry that she might have angered the girl. Tentatively, she fearfully glanced at Lappy’s expression; the latter seemed to be dozing off with closed eyes.
“Ah… we should train. Big Brother will scold me. Let go.”
“Yeah, sorry.”
However, Ariel’s anxiety proved unfounded. Lappy had a tendency to enjoy physical contact with her companions, so being held didn’t bother her. Yet, it was time for their training. If they slacked off, there was no doubt that the Hades scorpion demon would reprimand them. After all, he had no blind spots, and Ariel was certain he was still watching them even now.
Ariel slightly loosened her grip on Lapi, looking a bit disappointed. Freed from Ariel’s hold, Lappy stood up in her demon form and immediately began shadowboxing right there. Ariel was left speechless as she watched. Lappy’s movements were so swift that they left afterimages, and despite Ariel’s improved perception as a demon, she couldn’t fully grasp the small girl’s actions.
“You can also do such things when you’re accustomed to your demon form, although it varies depending on what you’re synthesized with. Ariel, what kind of demon are you?”
“Um, well…”
When Ariel was questioned by Lappy, she stumbled over her words, much like she had done yesterday. It seemed there was a reason she didn’t want to discuss it. While Lappy understood there must be some underlying circumstances, guiding her would be difficult without knowing. Lappy believed that if Ariel truly wanted to survive the next battle instead of dying, she should just be honest.
Lappy wasn’t particularly skilled at conveying her thoughts verbally. However, it was hard for Ariel to resist when faced with Lappy’s innocent gaze fixed upon her. With an awkward air about her, Ariel finally revealed the truth about the creature she had been synthesized with.
“… A bee.”
“Huh?”
“Like I said, I’m a bee. That … synthesis, was it? The creature I synthesized with was a large bee.”
With her head slightly lowered, Ariel disclosed her true nature as a demon. Originally, Karelvo wasn’t as meticulous about the materials as Orvo had been. Especially since the focus had shifted towards mass-producing demons, he started using easily captured creatures from livestock or the outskirts of the capital city as materials.
Ariel was also synthesized with a bee that was caught flying near the Imperial Capital. However, the reason she had been hesitant to speak about it wasn’t solely due to the strength or weakness of the material. It was the discomfort and pain associated with being synthesized with an insect, something she didn’t want to reveal.
“It’s rather repulsive, isn’t it? Sigh, I really didn’t want to say it…”
“Muu, I envy you.”
“Huh? Why…?”
“Because you’re like big brother.”
Ariel had braced herself to be called creepy, but Lappy’s response was beyond her expectations. As a bee demon, Ariel shared similarities with the Hades scorpion demon, whom Lappy held in high regard as her ‘big brother’. This fact evoked envy in Lappy.
Perplexed by Lappy’s unexpected reaction, Ariel found herself turning towards the center of the training ground, where a sudden commotion had arisen. To her surprise, several demons were smoothly soaring through the air.
It was the deed of the Hades scorpion demon. Although he declared himself a nameless person, he possessed the formidable strength required to lead and command other demons. This display served as a vivid demonstration of his capabilities to Ariel.
“See, big brother is really strong. Ariel, who’s been synthesized with an insect, will surely grow stronger too. Let’s train.”
“Y-Yes…”
Deep down, Ariel knew that no matter how much she trained, she would never attain such monstrous power. Despite this intuition, Ariel obediently started her training under Lappy’s guidance.
Up until this point, Ariel had harbored a strong aversion towards her synthesis with an insect, a bee. She believed this sentiment to be in line with the general perception. However, Lappy showed no aversion whatsoever towards the body she herself had despised. By affirming Ariel’s identity as a demon, Lappy caused the lingering unrest within Ariel’s heart to dissipate.
The Special Operations unit was often thrust into life-threatening situations, as they had to take to the battlefield. Yet, this group might just be the only place Ariel, who was now a demon, truly belonged. To gain recognition within this group, she decided to earnestly dedicate herself to training. If Julius remained rebellious, she resolved to actively persuade him. With these thoughts in mind, Ariel fully immersed herself in her training.
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