Chapter 181: Into my hands
(TN: Thanks to “Komaragiri”, I’ve been informed that the names of the luminous crystalline life forms are German numbers 1 through 8, namely Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier, Fünf, Sechs, Sieben, and Acht. This is indeed true, and I’ll make changes through the chapters to correct the names.)
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After finishing my discussion with Aiwass, it was time for dinner, and we made our way to the dining room. However, Hectia wasn’t present today. It seemed her research had taken a significant turn, keeping her too busy to join us.
Orvo seemed to be assisting her in this endeavor. Well, he had already become a ghost, so he had no need for meals and, therefore, never visited the dining room in the first place.
“Speaking of which, do you know who turned Orvo into a ghost? He mentioned it was the work of someone else…”
After we had finished our meal and the dishes were cleared, I couldn’t help but ask Aiwass about Orvo out of curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows and his expression face turned serious.
It seemed I might have touched upon a sensitive topic, and since I didn’t wish to pry, I considered letting the matter rest. However, before I could do that, Aiwass spoke with a sigh.
“It was Hectia. Have you not heard that my great-grandchild is an expert in souls?”
“I’ve heard that from Eins. She also helped Orvo develop the technique to synthesize demons.”
“Indeed. Well, the technology used to resurrect Orvo is worthy of praise, even from my perspective…. However, when you consider the circumstances, it becomes quite a headache.”
“What do you mean?”
“…. Do you know the circumstances of Orvo’s death?”
I naturally knew this, so I nodded immediately. Orvo had been assassinated in the royal capital by Karelvo’s conspiracy… But wait. Why was Orvo’s soul, who had been assassinated in the capital, in this faraway place?
Normally, the souls of the deceased should dissipate and become one with the world. My knowledge told me that the process should start right after death unless the deceased became a vengeful spirit. So why could a soul like Orvo’s, not to mention being far away from the capital but even from the Enzo continent, be held here?
“It’s good that you have a keen intuition. Under normal circumstances, there should have been no chance of resurrecting Orvo. However, my great-grandchild and disciple accomplished it.”
“That’s… quite an achievement, isn’t it? With that technique, one could leave a stable soul in this world, no matter where they die. It sounds like a form of immortality.”
“No, it’s not quite like that. It was possible because… that girl had embedded a spell into Orvo’s soul before he died.”
According to Aiwass’s explanation, Hectia had apparently embedded a spell into the soul of Orvo, who was alive at the time when she was assisting him with the demon experiment. It was a spell that, in case Orvo died, would automatically activate his spiritual art of manipulating space and transport him to her.
In essence, the solution to the distance problem was primarily due to Orvo’s rare qualities. Moreover, it appeared that she had set things up quite meticulously to ensure that whenever Orvo’s soul came to her, the spiritual circuit to prevent his soul’s dissolution had been etched into the room. Hectia’s incredible obsession with Orvo was to an extent that it sent shivers down my spine.
“Currently, we’re conducting research on reconstructing the physical body from the information of the soul. That’s the recent development,” Aiwass explained.
“Reconstructing the physical body…? You’re not planning to fully resurrect Orvo, are you?”
“That’s right. That girl is infatuated with Orvo, you see.”
From Hectia’s perspective, she probably wished to fully resurrect the man she was infatuated with. but from mine, it would bring back to life the man I always wished to kill if I had the chance. I couldn’t say I felt good about it.
However, he had already died once, killed by his own older brother, and had his achievements stolen away from him. If I were asked whether I really wanted to kill him now, I wouldn’t be able to answer right away, and especially when considering Mika, my thoughts of vengeance had dulled down.
“Well, no need to worry. That girl is overflowing with talent much like me, but it will take her a few more years to perfect her technique. There’s no immediate resurrection in the cards. Plus, even if she does resurrect him, I’ll make sure he doesn’t get too involved with you.”
“That’s reassuring. Some might attack him on sight, consumed by anger.”
“What? There is no need for gratitude. Losing Orvo’s talent again would be a shame for me as well. Oh, that’s right. Changing the subject, Eins asked me to think of a name for you. What do you think?”
“A name…”
I thought about the name when asked. Until now, I had never felt the need for a name. I was referred to by convenient titles like “Boss” or “Big Brother”.
However, Eins had taught me the significance of a name. Well… this might be a good opportunity as well. Whether when I was a battle beast or later when I became a demon, I had always been enslaved by someone. It could be said that not having the precious possession of a name symbolized a lack of freedom.
To break away from that self and to mark a new beginning, getting a name might be a good idea. And Aiwass could certainly come up with a suitable name for me.
“If you’re willing to give me a name, I’d like one. I thought I didn’t need it, but I’ve had a change of heart.”
“Hmm, did you have something in mind? In any case, it’s a positive change. Well then…”
Aiwass put his hand on his chin and pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands as if struck by an idea. It seemed he had come up with a name that suited me.
“What do you think of ‘Antares’? In another world, there are constellations inspired by myths. This one is derived from the name of the brightest red star in the Scorpion constellation.”
“Myth from another world… What kind of myth is it?”
A scorpion featured in a myth is related to that star? As an origin, it’s not bad at all. However, I couldn’t help but be curious about this other world myth that served as its source. I didn’t think Aiwass would come up with a strange origin, but I couldn’t bring myself to accept the name without knowing more.
“There are various versions of its origins, but it is said that the scorpion that became that constellation has slain an arrogant hero with its poisonous stinger. Don’t you think it’s quite fitting for you, who has defeated superior opponents repeatedly?”
The scorpion from which the name was derived was far from weak; in fact, it seemed to have achieved the feat of vanquishing an evil hero. It appeared that there were remarkable kindred beings in this other world as well. It had nothing to do with me, yet I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.
If the origin of the name had been villainous or associated with defeat, I might have declined, but this was more than acceptable. No, it was a splendid name I could proudly bear. All right, from today onwards, my name will be Antares!
“I gratefully accept the name Antares.”
“Very well. It’s not a celebration, but I have something I’d like to give you. Eins, please bring the long, black box from the laboratory.”
“Yes, master.”
Aiwass instructed Eins to fetch something. Eins left the dining room, and after a while, returned with the black box of the shape that Aiwass had mentioned.
Upon receiving it, Aiwass placed the box on the table and flicked a latch with his finger to open the lid. What emerged from it were… my twin swords, sheathed in unfamiliar scabbards.
“Why are these…!?”
“These are the ones recovered from the stomach of the Sea Emperor Whale that Mr. Antares vanquished. The handles and scabbards had melted and were unusable, so Sieben had them remade.”
“That guy, he’s got a big body, but he’s the most skilled with his hands amon’ us siblings, ya know.”
While the swords themselves were the same, the scabbards had a different design and color from before. Both scabbards were painted vermilion with a black scorpion pattern. There was no doubt they were more flamboyant than they had been before.
The texture of the leather wrapped around the hilt felt different, but the sensation when I gripped them was just as good as before. They clung to my hand, and I could swing them with the same ease.
“Can I draw them right now?”
“I don’t mind, but please refrain from any practice swings here. It’s dangerous.”
“…I may be in high spirits, but I won’t go that far.”
With Aiwass’s approval, I drew the two swords from their sheaths. Both the white and black blades seemed to have remained intact, with no signs of damage or wear, just as they were when I had lost them.
It was quite a mystery how the black sword, crafted from my own exoskeleton, had survived. Even my original exoskeleton had melted away… but it seemed that the craftsmanship of Hatakeyama and the care of the Popi people played a role. Craftsmen are truly amazing.
“Also, Sieben mentioned that he’s feeling excited and has been working on some clothes for you. He said he’d have them finished before your departure tomorrow.”
“To go to such lengths… I have nothing but gratitude.”
It may be a bit late to mention, but I had never worn proper clothing before. The supplies we received were nothing more than tattered rags, and the armor we captured was unnecessary since my exoskeleton was stronger. Thus, I always wore nothing more than undergarments and a loincloth.
Up until now, I hadn’t really cared about my shabby appearance. But from now on, that wouldn’t do. In the empire, there were hardly any people as poorly dressed as us, except maybe slaves. If we had finally gained our freedom, it was only right to dress in decent attire.
However, everything was simply handed to me. While Aiwass might see it as an initial investment, it was almost agonizing for someone like me, who had hardly ever experienced receiving anything. Could I truly repay such kindness?
With such worries in mind, dinner concluded, and I received the twin swords before returning to my room. Sitting on the bed, I assumed a cross-legged position and began practicing my fighting spirit and spiritual power, all while drifting into a light sleep. Tomorrow marked the day of my departure, so I aimed to maintain composure through my daily training routine… However, things didn’t seem to go smoothly.
“I can’t help it. It seems I’m still too excited.”
My twin swords, which had been my steadfast companions in battles all along. They should have been lost, but now they were in my hands. I was elated by that fact.
It seemed that I had grown more attached to these swords than I had realized. The fact that I thought I would never see them again made the joy of their return all the greater.
“All right, let’s do this.”
I leaped off the bed, clenched the twin swords, and headed out into the quiet mansion garden. In the serene, empty garden, I sharpened my senses and summoned the phantom of an enemy that lingered in my memory.
Of course, the one I imagined was that holy knight. When I faced him barehanded, I couldn’t manage to launch a counterattack. But with these twin swords in my grasp, would the battle be different? I readied the twin swords and leaped forward.
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TN: The most well-known story of Scorpius, home to Antares, is that the Earth goddess Gaia sent him to sting arrogant Orion, who had claimed his intent to kill all animals on the planet.
Orion is a hero in Greek mythology.
Aiwass is talking about earth lol. He’s talking about greek mythology. Well, at the same time, we now know how he knows german.
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