Chapter 123
“I didn’t do it!”
At Artson’s desperate cry, Daphne hesitated. Artson took advantage of that gap and quickly continued.
“You, you’re doing this because of being created, right? No! I said I didn’t do it!”
Calamity.
A being created by three dragons gathering to push all the consequences of causality upon it.
Because of the Calamity, they could be free from causality, and thus they could act as they pleased and roam about freely like gods of this world.
However, a short while ago, the Calamity suddenly vanished.
Lani said it was impossible for the Calamity to have died. That it was sealed away somewhere.
Artson thought so too, but…….
Lani’s words were only half correct. He was certain after seeing the ‘energy of death’ that arrived before his eyes.
That Daphne is the Calamity.
The vanished Calamity was not sealed, but was inhabiting the body of that young child.
So Artson prostrated himself flat on the ground.
It was because he knew.
That the Calamity, created to accept the results of causality, inherited the power of the three dragons and was stronger than any other being.
Even if he were to attack, the result was obvious.
Artson decided to target the weak heart of the Calamity.
“Lani! Lani is the one who led it! And Kalid agreed! I only added my strength because I was scared of Lani and had no choice! I really didn’t want to do it!”
“…….”
“I-it’s true. Causality should be the responsibility of the party who caused the trouble, but to make a being to take that on! I really, really hated it! But I had no choice! Because Lani was so scary!”
“…….”
“I’ve done nothing wrong……. Right?”
Seeing Daphne, who did not interrupt his words even once, Artson was convinced that his thought was correct.
As expected, she’s a pushover.
He knew that the Calamity was a soft-hearted being. Even though it wasn’t something it had done, after living a life of being persecuted and attacked for hundreds of years, it would often become giddy with joy even if he just said reasonably nice words. Didn’t it even live in that young body while going around helping insignificant humans?
Artson began to slowly straighten his shoulders, which had been shrunken in fear.
“I, if you let me go, I’ll find out where Lani is. Hmm? Then you can get your revenge right away, can’t you? Yes?”
Daphne looked intently at Artson without saying any answer. Artson gulped down his dry saliva.
“I’ll catch Lani and bring her here! You just have to get rid of Lani! Lani trusts me! So I can bring her right away!”
Artson rubbed his hands together and his eyes sparkled. He pleaded while making an expression that looked as pitiful as possible.
“H-huh? C-calamity…… T-trust me. Yes?”
Daphne, who was staring fixedly at such an Artson, soon nodded with a subtle expression.
“Do as you wish.”
Then she lightly waved her hand.
“Go back and bring Lani or whatever.”
“……Y-yes!”
As expected, a pushover!
What an incredibly stupid thing!
If he went back like this and sided with Lani, they could win no matter how strong the Calamity was. Then they could keep it captured and use it as a trash can to take the consequences, just as they had done until now!
Thinking so, Artson hurried to turn his body.
But.
“However, there is something I am curious about.”
Daphne’s low voice immediately tied the feet of Artson, who was about to flee.
“If creating me was not your true intention, then have you lived virtuously enough that you did not need to consider the consequences during that time?”
Artson’s eyes rolled around.
There was only one reason why the dragons created the ‘Calamity.’
In order not to take responsibility for the actions they had committed.
After creating the Calamity, the dragons acted on instinct without thinking about the aftermath even more. Regardless of whether it led someone to death or led someone to ruin.
Because they wouldn’t receive punishment anyway.
Because the ‘Calamity’ would receive all the punishment.
Artson had also lived that way.
However, he could not say that fact openly here.
‘If I say it, she’ll kill me immediately.’
Gulp, Artson swallowed his dry saliva.
“O-of course! Naturally! I have lived a truly clean life!”
“Is that so.”
“Yes! I really haven’t committed any wrongs!”
Daphne’s head tilted to one side. It was at that moment that the black whip, which had been stretched straight down toward the ground, surged up.
“I intended to forgive you if you repented.”
“……Huh?”
“I intended to give you a chance just once if you spoke of your wrongs in detail and felt remorse.”
“W-what?”
“However, you are only evil to the end.”
Daphne’s skin began to be stained black. The hand stretched out into the air was no longer that of a human child. From the hand, which had bumpy scales on it, the energy of death began to flow out.
“I still remember.”
Swoosh!
The surging black whip flew toward Artson.
“You, who caused a sandstorm and buried hundreds of humans alive.”
“Agh! Ack! I-it hurts!”
“You, who cackled while watching humans burning after being hit by lightning.”
“S-save me! Save meee!”
“I had no intention of forgiving you in the first place, but nevertheless, I gave you a chance.”
Artson, pierced by the whip made like a hook, struggled while vomiting blood. Artson barely managed to hold onto his vision, which flickered occasionally, and shrieked.
“Y-you said you don’t kill! Cough! You said you don’t want to kill anything! But why kill me! Keck, ke-heck!”
A faint hope was hanging on the face of Artson, who was gushing blood.
It was because he was recalling the actions the Calamity had done until now—in other words, the actions of trying not to kill anyone and struggling to save someone.
Even if she pushes me like this, in the end, she won’t kill me.
I can live……!
“You are correct. I decided not to take life.”
“S-so you have to save me!”
“However.”
Daphne raised her scale-covered hand and covered Artson’s face.
“That only applies to those whose existence has meaning.”
“Kahak! A-it hurts!”
“There is no need to keep a useless bastard like you alive even if you are living.”
Crackle! An immense energy of death flowing from Daphne’s hand enveloped Artson’s entire body.
“I will give you the honor of becoming the first being to die by the hand of the Calamity.”
“Keck, ke-heck……!”
“Rejoice. Eternally.”
Shatter!
Artson’s body collapsed just like that.
***
“Lady Daphne!”
Shio came running through the forest that had become a ruin.
“Are you alright? Let me see!”
Shio grabbed both of Daphne’s arms and thoroughly scanned Daphne’s whole body.
“My goodness! Your hair is all burnt! Isn’t hair loss going to come at this rate? That shouldn’t happen! There is no medicine for hair loss!”
Daphne let out a hollow laugh as if it were absurd.
“What worry of hair loss for a five-year-old child. You are crazy.”
“I was joking. A joke.”
“For that, it sounded like you were serious.”
“Ayy. No way.”
Shio chuckled and let go of the hands that were holding Daphne. It was because he felt somewhat relieved since Daphne did not appear to be seriously injured.
Instead, he looked around.
The forest, so devastated that not a single blade of grass remained, was enough to tell how intense the fight had been.
Whew, Shio let out a low sigh.
“It clearly looks like you used a lot of strength. Are there no places where you are hurt?”
“There are.”
“You are hurt?! Where? Why? Should I bring Lord Teiti?”
“My heart is hurt.”
“……Pardon?”
Shio asked back, wondering if he had misheard, but Daphne replied with an expression that was still deep in thought.
“After realizing that I am such a weak and confused being, my heart hurts. It hurts so much that I feel angry.”
“…….”
Shio, who was pondering over Daphne’s words, soon bit his lower lip slightly and asked stealthily.
“Did you leave Artson alive?”
