Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 204

Breakthrough (3)

“……Let’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍see.”

I ran a hand down my face and organized the situation.

In truth, it was simple enough that there wasn’t much to organize.

The obstacle in front of me was undeniably daunting, but it wasn’t like this was the first time I had faced something like that.

Risking my life to deal with something difficult had, at this point, become closer to part of my daily routine.

Still, if there was one problem this time—

“……You’re saying I have to talk about my past?”

“…….”

“…….”

Right in front of Wornil’s temple, Bailey and Elisha—who had agreed beforehand to meet here—blankly stared at each other.

Well, I mean.

If you only considered the severity, it wasn’t actually that difficult of a task.

Considering everything I had been through so far, it was almost hard to understand why I was reacting like this over something like that.

“Strictly speaking, according to what we agreed on, that’s not really a necessary condition, is it?”

I said, continuing to rub my face more aggressively.

From a purely logical standpoint, what I was saying wasn’t wrong.

One of the vows I made was to get their cooperation and smash Wornil’s head into pieces.

He hadn’t fully resurrected yet, and if I made use of the nearby body parts to carry out the subjugation, it wasn’t completely impossible—so I had volunteered to do it myself.

Of course, there was still the question of why they would even agree to something like that in the first place, but that had been resolved rather quickly.

Neither the demon race nor the celestial race liked Wornil to begin with.

-……Why?

I remembered asking that in confusion when I first heard it.

After all, weren’t they the ones who had been stirring up the entire continent trying to revive him?

So for them to suddenly say they didn’t like him—it was only natural for me to be taken aback.

But their answer had been just as simple.

-It’s… a ‘threat’ embedded at the racial level. We don’t really have a choice.

I remembered Bailey saying that.

-He doesn’t consider his subordinates as his followers. To him, they’re just tools he can use and discard at will.

…Ah.

With that kind of reason, it wasn’t hard to understand.

Basically, he had such a rotten personality that he was terrible at managing those under him, so naturally he had no loyalty from them.

-Then, if I defeat him, will that cause any problems for you…?

A bastard with a personality like that wouldn’t just let things slide if those beneath him betrayed him.

That was the question I asked—but Bailey’s answer was anything but reassuring.

-From that point on… yes. That’s a secret. What’s certain is that we need your help.

-…….

-It might be more enjoyable to leave it as a secret to be revealed later.

…Hmm.

Hmmm.

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t sound pleasant, but either way, their help was essential if I wanted to take down Wornil.

So I had let it slide for the time being.

But the topic I was facing right now wasn’t something I could just brush aside.

“-We can help you break through that place as much as you want.”

Bailey said that and pointed toward the sight in front of me.

Just looking at the only path leading into the middle of Wornil’s heart—something so grotesque it felt like my brain was melting—was enough to send chills down my spine.

And yet.

Despite that horrifying sight, the problem was that both Bailey and I were speaking as if passing through it wasn’t a big deal at all.

“In order to defeat Wornil, your relationship with the body parts must become stronger.”

“…….”

“In other words, just as much as you understand them, the greatest psychological barrier between you and them must disappear.”

In truth.

There had been all sorts of speculation about the principles behind how I acted, but I had never personally explained them.

Even Bailey and Elisha here could only make guesses—they had never had any real evidence or conviction.

“……The foundation of your ability is something even we cannot fully comprehend, but fundamentally, it originates from ‘relationships.’”

“…….”

“I’m not in a position to give advice about human matters like marriage or friendships, but still, wouldn’t you say that a truly close relationship is one where even the biggest secrets can be shared?”

“…….”

I had spouted all kinds of twisted logic before.

But this time, it was a completely reasonable argument that I couldn’t refute.

▣

I wasn’t a devout believer, but I was still aware that this world had something like confession.

Even if I had never actually done it.

And yet, despite being an unfamiliar experience, the conversation we were having in front of the campfire undeniably carried that kind of atmosphere.

“……I’ve killed a member of my family before.”

“…….”

The moment I opened my mouth, the topic that fell out was unmistakably the kind that fit that setting.

The problem was that, in terms of severity, it was enough to make anyone listening drop dead from shock.

Noel coughed awkwardly, then suddenly choked and violently spat out the water she had been drinking. Katya, who got completely drenched by it, could only stand there with her mouth wide open, staring at him, unable even to muster the anger she should have shown.

From a distance, Rania—who had been quietly smoking—was so startled that she ended up flicking cigarette ash onto her own face, while Cretin, who had been poking at the campfire with a fire poker, felt the urge to press it against her thigh just to check if she was dreaming…

“……What’s with those reactions.”

“……No, no, no. You bastard.”

Katya muttered harshly without realizing it, roughly scratching her head to the point it almost looked like she might rip her hair out.

No, what was he expecting, acting dumb after throwing out something that obviously warranted that kind of reaction?

I knew his sense of normalcy was a bit off, but this was going too far.

“There’s something called order, you know. Why would you suddenly say something like that?”

“…….”

I scratched my cheek and lowered my gaze.

“……I figured it was something I’d have to say eventually.”

At those words, the already heavy shock in the air deepened even further.

No.

Out of all people, this man was voluntarily talking about himself?

At this point, it would have been more familiar for him to just do something insane without saying anything. He was the kind of man who had built a reputation where no matter what absurd thing happened, people would just say, “Aiden did it.” “Then it checks out.” And move on—so what on earth was this?

“……I thought it’d be better if we became the kind of people who could speak honestly about what we keep inside.”

“…….”

“We’re married, aren’t we.”

“…….”

How many people were included in that “we,” and how many more might be added later—that felt like a topic requiring quite an active debate. Still, it was clear he was about to confess something important.

“……Alright.”

The first to regain her composure was, as expected, Noel, who had been exposed to and grown most accustomed to this bizarre “Aiden-like” behavior.

She smacked the back of her head repeatedly as if trying to snap herself back to reality, barely managing to speak.

…Judging by the loud thudding sounds, she must have hit herself pretty hard. It was obvious the situation was shocking enough that she felt the need to do that just to steady herself.

“First of all, why are you suddenly trying to bring up something so serious—”

Noel, who had been speaking rationally, suddenly clamped her mouth shut.

After a brief moment of thought, she shook her head and spoke again.

“……No, never mind that. This is the first time we’re hearing anything about you, Aiden. I don’t care what it is, just tell us something.”

“…….”

“…….”

Hmm.

They say that if you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back at you.

Seeing her abandon all logic and common sense and simply act on her desire, everyone exchanged looks, unsure where to even begin dealing with this.

“……Anyway, whatever it is.”

Katya flapped her hands around as if trying to calm herself, barely managing to steer the conversation back.

“Just tell us. We’ve been curious about that for a while anyway.”

“……Me too.”

Cretin added hesitantly, glancing around.

She had heard a little before when he mentioned revealing a secret, but given the situation back then, she hadn’t been able to ask anything further.

“Honestly, I’m worried too.”

“……Worried?”

“…………About him?”

At the almost teasing responses from the others, she looked around in confusion.

“What? If someone suddenly starts acting unlike themselves, isn’t it normal to worry?”

“…….”

“……Why is everyone making that face?”

Ah.

Now that I thought about it, that was the normal reaction.

The moment it involved this man, they were once again forced to realize just how far removed their own reactions had become from anything resembling normal. They all fell silent at the same time.

Was it because she had spent the least time with Aiden? From their perspective, her reaction was something they couldn’t even imagine…

“……Damn it.”

“……What’s wrong?”

“……Why are you showing such a feminine reaction?”

“What?”

“I’ve already reached the point where I don’t even know if something like that is possible anymore…!”

“…….”

At this point, they couldn’t even understand what Noel was talking about.

Was spending too much time with this man going to make her turn into someone like him as well? The thought alone was terrifying…

As Cretin trembled at that realization, it seemed they had all ultimately agreed to at least hear him out.

With that conclusion, they gathered around with serious expressions.

“……Alright.”

Judging that the atmosphere had settled somewhat, I spoke again.

My eyes rolled around as I thought about where to even begin this story…

“……First of all, I had a fiancée.”

“…………Wait.”

Noel took a deep breath and stopped me.

“Please start this story in a way that allows us to react like normal people.”

“…….”

It was such a desperate plea that even I couldn’t help but fall silent.