We ended up taking on the job of escorting a large-scale transport convoy.
We'd be delivering goods through Rolfis, then Galleria, then Rusworth in that order. The problem was, both countries were in a state of tension.
Annoying as it was, once we entered Galleria, we'd have to double back to Rolfis and then re-enter through to Rusworth. That was the convoluted route we'd have to follow.
As I went over the plans, I decided to send a letter of my own to Rolfis's side, informing them that the transport convoy would be passing through.
And the person I'd entrust that letter to—
"...I just got back, you know?"
In the mansion's reception room, Alette was sitting on the sofa with a tired expression. She'd headed out on a Dungeon subjugation request from the Eastern Branch and had only returned yesterday.
It wasn't a particularly large Dungeon, so the subjugation itself was done quickly. However, she'd apparently taken on some miscellaneous jobs in the surrounding area as well, since surveys showed a new village could be established there.
I put on a serious face.
"I'm asking this with full sincerity. This is our chance to enter both Galleria and Rusworth — Baim's transport convoy, well, it's an escort job for a merchant. I'd also like to scope out the situation in both countries."
Alette let out a sigh.
"An alliance or a federation, was it? If four countries cooperated, the area would certainly stabilize. Even if there were smaller nations nearby, they could be drawn in depending on the terms. But I don't think those two are going to go for it."
In Alette's impression, the bond between the two countries was remarkably tight.
Galleria was a nation led by its most powerful lord in the region. The surrounding lords were said to be sparing no effort in cooperating with Galleria to stand against Rusworth.
On the other hand, Rusworth managed its territory as a single unified state. There were no lords to speak of — they dispatched deputies instead, and lordships didn't exist.
Their control seemed rock-solid.
"Those two are constantly bickering. And every time, the Two Great War Maidens show up and it turns into a one-on-one duel. The kind of overwhelming strength that no one else can interfere with. I used to think there had to be a way to fight them, but even I would be cut down in a matter of seconds."
Alette was no weakling. If anything, she was in the upper tier of fighters. For someone like Alette to say she couldn't hold her own — those were truly extraordinary opponents.
"They have powerful Skills?"
Alette sipped her tea, set the cup on the table, and leaned forward.
"No, they're simply strong. If people are truly born to be powerhouses, I'd say they're the kind. There are people like that in the world, plain and simple. But both their direct combat and their magic are extraordinary. On top of that, their Skills are backline-type. Meaning, they're magic specialists."
The hallmark of backline-type Skills was the ability to sublimate certain spells into unique magic. Once something became unique magic, it was a real pain to deal with.
I stroked my chin.
"Any countermeasures?"
"None. I confirmed it with my own eyes, and honestly, there's no way. You know… people literally soared through the sky. Spells were fired and people were launched into the air. Columns of dust rose high off the ground. It felt like they were flaunting the gap in raw power."
Seeing how deflated Alette looked, a chill ran down my spine.
From the Jewel came the carefree voice of the Fourth Generation.
*'I'd say they're monster-class, wouldn't you? I wonder who's more troublesome — them or Ceres.'*
I'd have a real problem if monsters on Ceres's level started showing up in droves. Still, I was growing curious about those two. If I could bring them in, they'd be a powerful asset.
I'd hate to see them tear each other apart, though. I wanted to find a way to secure their cooperation somehow.
"I'll… try to make contact with them."
Alette looked right at me.
"You're going to add even more to your collection? You might as well recruit our little princess while you're at it…"
She muttered the last part under her breath, and I pretended not to hear.
As preparations continued, I was summoned and made my way into the Jewel.
For some reason, everyone had gathered in front of the door to my memory room.
Mireia looked more troubled than usual, and the Seventh Generation was clutching her head at the same time.
The Third Generation was deep in thought, the Fifth Generation was looking my way with an accusatory gaze, and the Fourth Generation fixed her eyes on me.
"Lyle, you'd better prepare yourself today."
"What's with the suddenness?"
Bewildered by the unusual atmosphere, I watched as Mireia approached me.
"Lyle... have you ever wanted to flip up a woman's skirt?"
What on earth was I supposed to say to that, asked so abruptly? Laughing it off with "Sure, who hasn't~" didn't seem like it would fly. A serious denial would probably invite suspicion too.
"I don't... really understand what you're trying to say."
Mireia tilted her head, pressing a hand to her cheek. She looked like she wanted to say something to me, but after a moment she lowered her hand from her face and nodded several times.
"Well, you'll understand once we meet. Shall we go?"
Hearing her say that, I recalled how Septem had vanished the last time. There had been talk of Jewel arranging a different person to appear next.
"Has someone else shown up to explain things to me? Who is it?"
I looked around at Mireia and the Successive Heads, but every one of them wore an oddly strained expression.
"...Something feels off about today, doesn't it?"
The Fifth Generation then pointed at my memory room.
"You'll know once you go in."
Realizing she was probably right, I reached for the doorknob. For a brief instant I wondered whether Ceres might be the next one to come out, but judging by the reactions of the Successive Heads, that didn't seem to be the case.
After taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
——Novem had come to visit Lyle's room.
It was evening. Preparations for dinner were well underway, and she had come to let Lyle know it was time to eat.
Lyle's study was the very room where Novem had once fought the pitiful being that the master of the manor had become after fusing with Monsters.
It was a grand room — the study or work chamber of the manor's master. When Lyle stepped inside, he found someone sprawled across the sofa.
After knocking on the door several times with no answer, she entered the room since she could sense someone inside. Finding Lyle asleep, Novem smiled and thought to drape something over him.
It was summer. A light towel would probably suffice.
Thinking that, she looked around the room and, as expected, the ever-prepared Monica had left a light blanket ready. After draping it over Lyle, Novem spotted the faintly glowing Jewel.
"It's glowing again..."
Novem knew that Lyle was projecting his consciousness into the Jewel like this. It was no mistake — she recalled how he had once, during a Dungeon subjugation, drawn the entire party inside the Jewel and had them fight there.
And she had anticipated this to some degree. She had made this prediction many times before, but what truly confirmed it was when Lyle fought Trashy aboard the ship.
In Lyle's fighting figure from behind, Novem had glimpsed the shadow of the First Generation Basil Walt.
"Lord Lyle, please send my regards to the Successive Heads."
With those words, Novem gently stroked Lyle's cheek——
The Room of Memories.
My Room of Memories was serving its purpose like never before.
It was the room where I had been held under house arrest for five years. My personal quarters and the portion of the garden visible from there — that had been the full extent of where I was permitted to go.
The room was filled with books, and I could see a figure picking from the towering piles. The boy had the same blue hair and blue eyes as me.
However, he was not me from within my memories. The boy was speaking directly to me.
"As for me, I preferred large breasts. It must have been Mother's influence, right? Mother had a large chest too. But lately, I've come to think that smaller chests have their own charm as well."
While leafing through tomes on magic, this "something" wearing the appearance of my younger self continued to speak.
"Who are you?"
I pressed my right hand against my chest and gripped my clothes tightly. As cold sweat began to trickle down, the boy turned around.
He greeted me with a smile.
"Nice to meet you. Or should I say, it's been a while? I am you, and you are me. To put it simply, I am the memories sealed within your lovely sister Ceres — and another personality altogether. Memories are one of the factors that exert a tremendous influence on personality — on character. Memories are experiences. In other words, because you lost a certain set of experiences, you were born, and I — who know those experiences — was also born. No, since I've inherited those memories, I might actually be closer to the real you than you are."
Around ten years old, in appearance my own — yet despite the boy's childish voice, his manner of speaking was strikingly mature.
"Adorable Ceres? And what's this about a personality?"
I turned my gaze toward Mireia, who was in the room, and the boy burst out laughing. Mireia simply looked at me and said, "You'll be fine."
"Honestly, it's because you always lean on women like that that people treat you like a kept man. Well, I'm a handsome boy, so it's only natural that I'd get help. But if you keep this up, she's going to get fed up with you."
The boy, chuckling softly, set down his book, walked across the room, and brought over a chair. It was the kind of dusty room that even the servants rarely bothered to clean.
Looking back now, I realized I'd been living a truly absurd life.
After I wiped the dust off the seat with a handkerchief, the boy gestured for us — me and Mireia — to sit down. He himself settled onto the edge of the bed.
Once seated, I fixed him with a serious stare and spoke.
"What exactly is it you want to tell me? What does the Jewel intend to teach me?"
The boy looked slightly upward and sat cross-legged on the bed.
"Not particularly, no. If anything, do you have questions? I'll answer as many as you like, so long as I know the answer."
When he asked about questions, I brought up what had been on my mind. There were a great many things I wanted to ask, but what stood out most was what he had just said.
"What do you mean by 'adorable Ceres'? She hated me —"
"Yes, she did hate me. But I was Ceres's older brother. So I treated her the way an older brother should. After all, Ceres was my adorable little sister. Even when she smiled, even when she thanked me, Ceres always resented me. She resented me, envied me, and carried something deep inside her heart."
Hearing that, I was struck dumb.
"...You knew?"
"Of course! Because I love my family. I always hoped that someday I could free her from those feelings, but in the end, I couldn't do it."
I shook my head, unable to believe that the sealed-memory version of me was anything like who I was now. The person before me felt like a complete stranger.
He had stopped aging, frozen in the appearance of a ten-year-old with time standing still.
(Was this what I used to be like?)
When I looked at him quizzically, the boy before me averted his gaze with a somewhat troubled expression.
"Oh, don't get the wrong idea. I'm me, not a version of myself from the past. My memories were sealed away, and I've been locked away watching you ever since. So let me say this — you and I are, in a sense, different people. Besides, I'm not the pushover that you are."
I thought to myself.
(What is it… I don't like this guy.)
He'd asked me with a smile, "Is there nothing else?" so I decided to ask the things I was curious about.
"Why did Ceres hate me? And why did she do something like that?"
The boy looked slightly pained, lowered his head, and let out a sigh.
"You were too naive. It was partly my mistake too. But it wasn't so much that Ceres was cunning — it was Agrissa, sealed inside the yellow Jewel, who was hiding things. Behind that smile, once Ceres had obtained the Jewel, she was probably already plotting when to cast me aside, don't you think? Novem would know more about that part, I imagine."
I heard Novem's name, but I was no longer surprised. I already knew that Novem had inherited the memories of either a goddess or a demon god.
So I knew she was hiding something — and that she knew something.
"I'll confirm it with Novem eventually. I intend to have a proper talk with her. Even once I know everything—"
At that, the boy gave me a bone-chilling smile. He was smiling, yet a cold sweat ran down my spine. It was the same presence as Ceres.
I stood up from the chair and found that, before I knew it, I had a weapon in my hand, pointed at the boy.
"Once you know everything? Honestly, you're saying something awfully naive. You should have been squeezing answers out of her right away. And besides, you may never be able to know everything."
Mireia stood up and stepped in front of me.
"Lyle."
The boy before me — called by the same name as me — shrugged off Mireia's remark and suppressed his distinctive aura.
"Oh my, Mireia is frightening when she's angry. But it seems your ability to attract women is superior to mine."
Something far from flattering, and I pressed further.
"Do I also carry Septem's… Septem's ability?"
But Lyle just looked at me with exasperation.
"Huh? It's because I'm a handsome boy. Not because of some goddess's power. Women come to me because I look good. Don't get that wrong. Otherwise, women wouldn't flock to a wimp like you. Besides, right now you're nothing but a squeezed-dry husk with no goddess knowledge or power left."
"…I hate you."
When I let my true feelings slip, Lyle nodded with a grin.
"I hate you too. We're the same!"
Even when I glared at him, Lyle didn't flinch. Not only that — he started explaining the very thing I'd wanted to ask about.
"It's not like I know everything either. All I know is our pasts — mine and yours. Not to be mean, but I'm smarter than you. After all, I inherited a small portion of Septem's memories — the goddess Septem's. When I say memories, it's more like knowledge, I suppose? Mana manipulation, and an understanding of what mana truly is."
"Mana? Mana is mana, isn't it?"
Lyle shook his head.
"Mana was poison for humans. No — it was poison for all living things. Ask Novem about the details; I'm not that well-versed myself. But I knew about mana. That's why I was skilled at body enhancement and knew magic inside and out. I could handle it properly because I understood it. And I had the talent for it, too."
I turned toward Mireia and pointed at Lyle.
"Mireia, I'm nothing like this guy. I shouldn't be some cocky brat like him, right?"
Mireia gave a wry smile.
"Hmm… I think so too, but…"
Then Lyle protested. Not against my opinion — he was agreeing with me while still being angry about it.
"Of course! I am me. From the moment I was born, I was Lyle Walt. But you were born as Lyle Walt after everything had been taken from you. Don't lump us together!"
I stared wide-eyed.
"You mean that I'm…"
"That's right. A fake. And the one closest to the real thing is me. So I want my body back."
The boy appeared in front of me in the blink of an eye. His speed exceeded even Ceres's.
When I tried to pull back in a hurry, Mireia stepped between us. Her eyes blazed gold, and though she simply stood there, her presence carried an overwhelming pressure.
Lyle raised both hands behind his head.
"Well, well—even Mireia's on your side now? I have to say, you really earned it with Novem. Even I couldn't get her to go for me."
From behind Mireia, I called out to Lyle.
"Huh? Novem has been into me since way back—"
"That's wrong too. Do you actually believe in Novem? Was it imprinting, perhaps? Let me set the record straight—Novem always kept her distance from me and Ceres. She barely reacted even when I reached out to her. She's no pushover. I even used to call her 'the Iron-Wall Novem' in my head."
Novem kept her distance from the old me? Why would she do that? Then... had I been wrong to think Novem was always kind to me? No—more fundamentally... was I the fake?
As I lost myself in thought, Mireia pulled me into her embrace.
"Wh—ah..."
"Steady yourself. If you don't hold firm, you'll truly be taken over."
Lyle was laughing softly. He chuckled, then settled onto the bed.
"Oh, looks like time's almost up. So, anything else you want to know? I can probably answer one more question."
I stared at the being before me, trying to get something out of him. But my mind was too muddled—nothing came. And then I began to hate the being in front of me.
And then, the being before me merged with a part of myself.
"You... when I 'grew stronger,' you tried to take over my body?!"
At that, Lyle's expression grew complicated. His eyes kept darting toward me, and yet there was something almost like pity in them... an unsettling feeling.
"I understand how you feel, but I really had nothing to do with it. Well—maybe I did, but that was undeniably you. I mean, me being in this Lyle state is a bit... sorry, I can't defend that one. I'm genuinely sorry."
"N-no, but—I'm not the same, and besides, you're the one who—"
"Listen. I'm sealed away in the form of memories. I can get a rough sense of what's happening outside, but there's no way I can leave. I can't even interfere from within the Jewel. So as much as you don't want to hear it... that was all you. I mean, I get why you'd want to blame someone else. Ah—why not just say it was my fault? Just thinking that might make you feel a little better."
Staring at Lyle, the being before me who was apologizing with complete sincerity, I thought.
"Stop it, don't apologize for real! Stop comforting me for real! And besides, I hate you!"
Lyle tilted his head with a smile on the bed.
"Me too," said Baim, sounding genuinely happy about it.
That's what he said. He really said it looking so happy.