1037: Partner of Trismegistus

Trismegistus’ castle was still covered in wreckage. However, certain parts had already been restored.

The outer walls of the castle were gradually rebuilt before our eyes.

This restoration process proved to be a very interesting scene, causing Fran to stare at it.

It was nothing like regeneration skills, where the flesh slowly rises up to fill in wounds. It wasn’t the rubble rewinding back into complete walls either.

First, a translucent hologram-like wall gets projected into the air. Then with a powerful glow of light from the hologram, the wall suddenly became solid before we knew it.

Another hologram appears next to the restored wall, again and again, fixing all the collapsed walls one after another. It was a very strange sight, even for me.

「Hmm? Something is glowing over there.」

「That where the throne room was supposed to be?」

We saw a light rising from the center of the pile of rubble. Like Izario said, this was probably the throne room.

Our group decided to head over to the light.

Making our way forward, we climbed over the piles of rubble, occasionally shoving them out of the way, or piling them up to make footholds.

After about 10 minutes of rubble climbing, the view changed drastically.

There was a very large open space in the middle of all the debris, shaped like a crater.

At the center of it all stood an intact throne. Naturally, the king we were looking for was sitting down there.

He saw us atop of the pile of rubble before immediately turning away, seemingly uninterested.

There was no ceiling, no walls, no floor, only the throne and the ground on which it rested. We were surrounded on all sides by the castle’s wreckage.

Such a pitiful sight, and one completely befitting Trismegistus. It was as if the essence of this dragonkin had taken physical form, and we all knew it.

A superficial king ruling from the center of his ruined castle.

「……How pitiful.」

「I’ve gotta be careful not to turn out like him.」

Izario and Jayne must have felt something similar to me. Both looked down at Trismegistus with varied emotions.

We descended the pile of rubble and approached Trismegistus.

「Izario, Fran, and Jayne I see. What business do you have?」

「Not much, just wanted to check on a few things.」

「Very well. I shall answer your questions.」

Call it detached or emotionless, but his attitude was the same as ever.

However, I only felt a terrible emptiness within him.

Up until now, he had always given off a similar aura.

His voice and facial expression were machine-like, devoid of any human warmth. It’s not like we’ve ever seen him get upset. I could understand why if he’s been kept alive so long that his heart was completely worn out.

But after seeing the current Trismegistus, I knew his earlier form was still better. Previously, he was still a dragonkin, though one whose mind has been worn out and turned machine-like.

The one in front of us now was nothing more than a puppet. I felt like I was standing in front of a Flesh Golem.

A mere puppet made from the body of a dragonkin, but without any heart inside. This was just a machine capable of talking to us. I’m sure all of us realized it.

How can anyone become so empty?

It wasn’t just Fran and me. Everyone else stopped dead in their tracks with an inexpressible feeling of fear and anxiety. Even Izario gulped.

『That sword is……』

（Fannabelta?）

『No. The appearance is similar, but that’s it.』

A silver falchion had been placed next to Trismegistus, but this was not the same Fannabelta. It had no aura, no power, no strange humanity, nothing. I could sense no soul in that sword.

Trismegistus must have noticed Fran’s intense gaze.

「This is the perfected form of an Intelligence Weapon. It shall utter no unnecessary words, nor take unnecessary actions. A true Intelligence Weapon that has achieved maximum rationality and convenience.」

And that’s why you’re okay with losing Fannabelta? The more rational the better?

It seems Fran was concerned about something else.

（……No.）

『Fran?』

（That can’t be the perfect Intelligence Weapon! It’s definitely not!）

Fran lowered her head and repeated the denial in her mind. Well, agreeing with Trismegistus’ argument would make me super-flawed, so there’s no way she could accept that.

（Master, you’re great not because of strength, but because we can talk. Talking makes me happy. Talking makes me feel safe. That other sword isn’t good at all.）

『Fran……』

Her intense rejection contained repulsion.

Maybe she imagined the me that was completely transformed into a sword. Since the other sword evoked that image, she developed an uncontrollable hatred toward it.

However, Fran never spoke this out loud. She knew telling Trismegistus would be pointless. Instead, she asked him a different question.

「I heard that Fannabelta managed to stay sane for a long time. How did she do that?」

「……She had a skill to prevent madness.」

There was a slight pause, unusual for this man. His golden eyes turned to the silver falchion and narrowed slightly.

But soon after, Trismegistus continued answering in his usual manner.

「Skill?」

「Indeed. An Extra Skill called “Eternal Loyalty”. This skill allows you to designate a master and swear your unwavering loyalty. In a sense, enslaving yourself. In exchange, you can become eternally unchanging for as long as your master exists.」

So the skill makes you immortal as long as your master is alive? And even more, your mind doesn’t age or morph either?

「She had that skill and still lost to Original Sin Envy?」

「Incorrect. Fannabelta had Eternal Loyalty stolen from her in exchange for Original Sin Envy.」

Oh, I see! That’s why she lost to Original Sin Envy so easily and ended up like that.

「……Where’s the guy who stole her skill?」

Fran asked again after a short hesitation. I don’t want to become Fran’s slave with that skill, but getting turned into a complete sword is even worse. Might as well get any clues we can find. Fran seemed to be thinking the same thing.

「I do not know his name, but he wielded a divine sword.」

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