The World Is Mine For The Taking

Chapter 1498: Chapter 212 - Lucielle Of Pride (7)

"T-Then... that means you’re going to kill everyone here, right?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady. "Including us?"

"That is correct, unfortunately," Mother replied.

The answer came so easily from her lips that it should have felt cold, yet it didn’t.

There was sadness in her voice.

A deep sadness.

It wasn’t the sadness of someone who enjoyed what they were about to do. It wasn’t even the sadness of someone who regretted their decision. It sounded more like the sadness of a person who had already spent countless years searching for another answer and had failed to find one.

It was the voice of someone who had accepted a painful conclusion.

The kind of acceptance that came after exhausting every possibility.

For some reason, that made it hurt even more.

"I-Isn’t there another way?" I asked. "Another way for you to accomplish your goal without destroying the world, Mother?"

"There is no other way..." she said quietly.

Then she stopped.

The words hung in the air.

For a moment, her expression shifted ever so slightly. It was subtle, but I noticed it.

It was as if a thought had suddenly crossed her mind.

A realization.

A possibility.

Something she had never seriously considered before.

"Or perhaps..." she murmured.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Mayhap I am not the one who should declare that there existeth no other path."

I blinked.

What?

Mother looked at me for several long seconds.

Her gaze wasn’t threatening.

It wasn’t intimidating.

It was thoughtful.

Almost curious.

"Well," she said slowly, "it shall be some time ere the others arrive at this place. Therefore, I suppose there is little harm in delaying matters for a short while."

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

Honestly, it felt less like she was speaking to me and more like she was having a conversation with herself.

I was simply unfortunate enough to be standing nearby while it happened.

"I do not believe it shall succeed," she continued. "Yet even so... I find that I still desire for this world to endure."

Her gaze drifted toward the horizon.

"I would wish for it to continue growing. To continue changing. To continue nurturing those who dwell within it."

There was something strangely gentle in her voice.

For a being feared by the entire world, she sounded almost... lonely.

"However," she continued, "I do not believe that I am capable of protecting it in my current state."

Then she looked back at me.

"Lucielle."

"M-Mother?"

"When Satania and the others arrive, they shall seek to slay me, shall they not?"

My body stiffened.

"Considering their desire to protect this world, I suppose such a conclusion is only natural," she said. "Though their motivations may stem partly from self-preservation, I cannot fault them for it."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"If the world were to perish, they would perish alongside it. Such reasoning is selfish, yet it is not without merit."

The smile remained.

"And truthfully, I find their determination somewhat admirable."

I didn’t know how to respond.

Everything about this conversation felt strange.

Mother was talking about her own death as if she were discussing tomorrow’s weather.

There wasn’t any fear in her voice.

There wasn’t any anger.

She had already accepted it.

That realization made my chest feel heavy.

"At present," she said, "I believe there may yet be a way."

"A way?"

"Aye."

She nodded slowly.

"Lucielle, when Satania and the others come to kill me, thou must stand beside them."

For a moment, I thought I had misheard her.

"H-Huh?"

I stared at her.

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean precisely what I have said."

Her tone remained calm.

"When the time cometh, thou shalt participate in my death."

My mind froze.

"W-Why would you say something like that?"

"Because it is necessary."

Necessary?

How could something like that possibly be necessary?

"It is the only means by which this world may be granted a chance to survive," she said.

I frowned.

"I don’t understand."

"I shall create a being."

"A being?"

"Aye."

Her eyes seemed to look far beyond me.

Far beyond this place.

Far beyond the present.

"A being who may one day become capable of protecting this world."

"P-Protecting it?" I asked. "Then why can’t that be you?"

That was the part I couldn’t understand.

Mother was strong.

Unbelievably strong.

Terrifyingly strong.

If there was anyone capable of protecting the world, surely it should have been her.

She possessed power beyond imagination.

Entire civilizations feared her existence.

Even the Seven Deadly Sins were preparing themselves to fight her.

So why was she talking as though she wasn’t enough?

"As I have already told thee," she said softly, "I am inadequate."

The words sounded strange coming from her.

Almost absurd.

Yet she meant them.

"I possess power that many would consider supreme within this world."

She paused.

"But this world is not all that existeth."

A chill ran through me.

"I cannot reach their level."

Her voice remained calm.

"If I were fortunate enough to stand equal to one of them, I could perhaps defeat a single foe."

Then she shook her head.

"But should a second appear, my defeat would be inevitable."

The certainty in her voice was terrifying.

She wasn’t speculating.

She wasn’t guessing.

She knew.

"As matters currently stand, I have already failed."

"B-But if you’re capable of creating someone strong enough to fight them..." I said, "then why can’t you become that person yourself?"

Mother smiled faintly.

A tired smile.

"A reasonable question."

Then she sighed.

"Because I cannot."

The answer came immediately.

"I possess many abilities, yet none are sufficient."

Her gaze lowered slightly.

"Furthermore, I have become far too entrenched in what I already am."

I frowned.

"I don’t understand."

"I carry too much history."

Her voice softened.

"Too many burdens."

She placed a hand against her chest.

"Too many expectations."

Then she laughed quietly.

A small laugh.

A sad laugh.

"And, admittedly, a reputation that maketh preparation somewhat difficult."

For some reason, that almost sounded like a joke.

A very depressing joke.

After all, it was hard to quietly prepare for anything when the entire world viewed you as the greatest threat in existence.

"I require a new slate," she said.

"A new slate?"

"A completely new slate."

Her eyes met mine.

"I must become someone new."

The words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Only then may I walk a path different from the one I have already taken."

Her expression became distant once more.

"It shall require centuries."

"Centuries...?"

"At least five hundred years."

My eyes widened.

"Perhaps more."

She said it so casually.

As if five hundred years were nothing.

Then again, for someone like her, maybe it wasn’t.

"Yet if sufficient preparation is made, then my new self may one day reach the destination I could not."

A silence followed.

Then she smiled.

"But for that to happen, I must first die."

The words hit me like a physical blow.

"And thou seven are the only ones capable of accomplishing such a feat."

"T-That’s..."

My throat tightened.

"Does it really have to be this way?"

Mother looked at me.

For a moment, I thought she might change her mind.

She didn’t.

"It is the only way."

Her voice was gentle.

"The only way for me to protect this world."

A faint sadness entered her eyes.

"Other than destroying it entirely, the sole remaining path is for me to be slain and return when the proper time arriveth."

Then she stepped closer.

"Which is why I entrust thee with a task, Lucielle."

A task.

My hands tightened.

"What task?"

"Protect the fragments that shall be born from my death."

I froze.

"The fragments...?"

"Aye."

Her smile returned.

A small one.

"Guide them."

Her voice softened.

"Watch over them."

Then she placed a hand on my head.

"And slowly lead them toward the path that may one day allow them to protect this world."

After that conversation, a very long time passed before I saw Lilith again.

Centuries seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

And when we finally met once more...

It was to kill her.

The moment she died, five fragments separated from her existence and scattered across different parts of the world.

The others were satisfied.

Lilith was dead.

The greatest threat to the world had been eliminated.

At least, that was what they believed.

But while the others celebrated their victory and moved on, I quietly searched for one of those fragments.

I found her.

Then I took her away before anyone else could.

And I raised her myself.

The name I gave her was...

Elise.