Before long, Eleanor and Justitia crossed the ＜Pretium＞ territory and started moving toward the royal castle.

“It’s strange.”

“yes? what?”

Eleanor frowned.

On the other hand, Justitia only tilted her head, probably because of the curse.

When I entered the ＜Pretium＞ territory, I encountered monsters periodically, but I never encountered a monster after that.

“Don’t you feel like you’re guiding? sister.”

“Um… … .”

The two know that the monster that swallowed Delade has intelligence.

That’s why, if it’s inducing the two of them, that’s a trap.

But at the same time, I couldn’t help but think about it.

“It’s too blatant. Shouldn’t this be seen as an invitation on the contrary?”

“Yes, I think so too. Maybe you want to have a conversation with us?”

“Well, the other day I cut my throat before I could speak at length.”

What lies in front of you is definitely a trap.

To make matters worse, Justitia was cursed and weakened.

However, it is also true that we do not know when the opportunity to head to the capital of Chrysos will come again.

“… … Shall we go back?”

Eleanor proposed to Justitia through the situation she was in. It’s too dangerous to push your own greed.

Of course, there may not be another opportunity next time. Usually, the space around Chrysos was tangled up.

The reason they can move without any influence like this is because the other party is attracting them.

But for that reason, I didn’t want to put others in danger.

At first, I thought there would be no problem with the [Hero’s] power, but Didn’t Justitia’s condition worsen day by day?

I can no longer be sure that I will be able to return safely.

Eleanor did not want to involve Justitia in such a gamble.

So, in the end, she had to make a decision.

“I think this has to go back. There will be another opportunity. First of all, we have to solve the sister’s curse… … .”

“Can you be sure there will be another opportunity?”

Justitia looked straight into Eleanor’s eyes and said.

Those pupils were blurry, perhaps due to the influence of the curse, but at the same time, the fire of conviction to carry out her own will was imbued.

“Noah, I really hate to say this, but I’m not sure there’ll be another opportunity, and the same goes for me. Because my curse came from a dragon.”

“No… … . I’m sure you’ll be fine. that, yes! A teacher might know how. Master is smart and knows everything… … .”

“Even if it is, I am a warrior.”

“… … .”

Justitia cut off Eleanor’s hopeful opinion with a determined voice.

“My journey must be for someone else.”

“why… … ?”

“Because I wanted to become a warrior. Because it is the path I chose.”

Justitia was actually thinking of this trip as her last.

Didn’t the light that covered the entire Vatican heal her?

Although she is not versed in magic, she knows at least how powerful the light was.

Isn’t it enough to heal all of Eleanor’s wounds?

Even that light couldn’t solve her curse.

Actually, it was what was expected.

This curse was a curse placed by the dragon himself, saying that there were only five of them in the world.

“Can you fill my last days with a journey for you?”

“… … .”

Eleanor couldn’t answer.

Justitia’s definition of sacrificing solely for the sake of others was incomprehensible to her.

But at the same time, I had a feeling that I would never be able to deny it.

Because she, too, wants to fulfill her duties as a member of the royal family.

The two are similar after all.

“Then hurry up a bit. Check Chrysos’s situation before Unni gets tired.”

“Are you okay with that? Don’t you want to save it?”

“I’m fine with that now. I had that as my goal from the beginning, and the opportunity will come again. Because I think it will definitely come.”

“Okay, then let’s hurry up. Noah.”

“Yes, Sister Youth.”

The two decided to take a step back for each other.

An ending no one wants.

However, it was achieved because each other prioritized their own goals.

And that was when the two were about to speed up.

“It’s really unfortunate.”

There was a presence that approached them completely ignoring their senses.

A rock just a few meters away. The person sitting on top of it was looking down at the two in a mocking way.

“I’m so sorry about this. Looking at it, it seems that neither of them will be able to achieve their goals.”

“father… … ?”

Eleanor was horrified.

It’s different from the monsters I’ve encountered so far. It wasn’t just that he had intelligence.

“Yes, daughter. Can I say it like this? Ha ha ha ha ha!”

“… … .”

The monster that swallowed Delade’s body completely maintained its shape without any distortion, as if it were different from other monsters. No, on the contrary, it was even stronger than Delayed during his lifetime.

“It is true that I have been waiting for you, just as the little boy over there said. I wanted to have a conversation. I have no intention of letting you live, though.”

“Conversation… … ? What conversation are you talking about? Isn’t it impossible to live without killing us anyway?”

“You seem to have derived the answer correctly from what I have shown you. I was worried about being stupid.”

“… … .”

“Well, okay. Then it’s good to talk fast.”

The monster covered in Delade’s body descended from the rock and approached the two.

“What?!”

Justitia naturally drew her sword and began to be wary of the monster’s attitude.

instinctive behavior. There was something I could tell even with a clouded mind.

The monster in front of you… … .

‘It’s stronger than the Demon Lord.’

It’s a monster in one way or another.

“Warrior… … did you say There was such a thing in our world too. As a self-professed hero, you should recognize that you have considerable power, right?”

“I do not know. I don’t know what will happen when I’m past my prime.”

Justitia bluffed.

However, that bravado was a rare word that demeaned himself.

You know what the other person’s question is about. He is trying to measure the strength of this world based on Justitia.

Then you should never belittle it. Now she is the measure of humanity’s strength.

“It’s past its prime, but would you like to check it out?”

“I wonder if that is necessary.”

The monster shrugged and avoided fighting Justitia.

It’s not because I’m embarrassed. He sincerely just didn’t feel the need.

“How can we call you?”

“Noah… … ?”

Justitia was taken aback when she saw Eleanor acting surprisingly calmly.

The other person is talking to me in the form of a parent and with a voice.

“Hmm, that’s right. I don’t have a special name, so why don’t you just call me Delay?”

“… … like. Mr. Delade.”

“That’s a funny reaction.”

Delade clicked her tongue as she saw Eleanor, who was taking a calm response as if it was not the reaction she expected.

“You said you wanted to talk to us, right? Why is that? Did you need that?”

“Right… … . I just wanted to correct something.”

Delade smiled bitterly and raised her hand.

Then a monster ran towards him from afar and leaned against him.

“I’ve been watching you since the moment you got here.”

“I guess so.”

Delade said while stroking the monster leaning against him.

“How do you see me now? Does it look like a monster?”

“… … Nope. At least you look different from other monsters because you can communicate.”

“Wrong.”

Delade said.

He looked down at the hideous monster with sympathetic eyes and said as if it were unfair.

“These kids are not monsters. If I had to choose who the monster was, it would be me.”

“… … .”

“Since the last time, I’ve been raising things about you from the memory of Delay. Even though she’s his daughter, he doesn’t seem to care much about her. I don’t have as many memories as I thought.”

Delade could barely remember about Eleanor, who had been driven out of consciousness at some point.

Perhaps it was because it was a memory that had disappeared once during the disconnection, so I couldn’t recall it until I was conscious.

“There are quite a few people who died for you.”

And in the memories that came up like that, there were images of those who died for her.

They are the ones who have been swallowed up with their souls by the invaders.

“These kids are like them.”

“Is it the same? How can they devour people and exploit their form and soul… … !”

“Isn’t it just an act based on instinct, unlike me? They have no subjectivity of their own.”

“Even so, you… … !”

“These children are the ones who once refused to become monsters.”

“… … .”

The world they lived in has become a place where life can no longer live.

it’s because they’ve been abandoned.

Born imperfect, they could not maintain their sanity unless they became monsters themselves.

“I became a monster by my will. That’s why I can talk to you like this now.”

“… … !”

Eleanor could understand what Delade was saying.

Delade chose to become a monster herself, and was able to minimize the collapse of her body while possessing intelligence.

then.

So, how did that monster, which had been horribly transformed, become like that?

“They wanted to remain human.”

They wanted to be human. That is why he did not choose to extend his life by devouring others.

They thought it would be better to die as a human than to become a monster.

“Ironically, because of that, he became closer to a monster than anyone else.”

It was instinct. When their souls died, their bodies moved to live.

That’s how life was created in the first place.

Being imperfect, he had no choice but to devour others in order to become complete.

“lie. That can’t be true. yeah… … . After all, you used them as scapegoats!”

“hahahaha! Didn’t I tell you?”

Delade’s hand, which had been stroking the monster, eventually went under it and grabbed its neck.

“Kieek?!”

And just like that, he twisted the monster’s neck and pulled it out. It was just a performance without any purpose.

“The monster is me.”

ridicule.

Delade laughed as if he finally liked the two people’s empty expressions looking at him.

Delade had no pity for them. There was no reason for that.

Isn’t there any reason for him to have pity in the first place? He chose to become a monster of his own will.

In his eyes, those who lost their souls to remain human only seemed foolish idiots.

“Well, what I want to say is simple. It’s just a declaration of war against the weak.”

Delade wiped her hands as if they were dirty. And he raised his hand with a sneer.

Numerous monsters began to surround Eleanor and Justitia.

Delade spoke solemnly as if he were the king of such monsters.

“Those who are not prepared to become monsters will never be able to defeat us. It’s just a story.”

“Noah… … !”

“Yeah!”

After grasping the situation, the two immediately started running toward the delay.

There may be some lies mixed in with the other person’s words.

But one thing was certain.

That is, the opponent is a monster that is unmistakable in body and mind.

The two swung their swords at Delay, drawing out their strength as much as possible.

“I checked you guys.”

However, as if the attack was natural, the monsters rushed and blocked it.

No, he didn’t block it, but the monster itself threw down its body to protect the delay.

“The strength of the hero is strong just by itself… … . When it comes to the power you possess, even a small scratch can lead to a fatal wound.”

Delade took a step back.

he doesn’t fight

As long as there could be one in a million, there was no reason for him to fight.

He is the captain and commander of the vanguard.

“But even your strength has a weakness.”

The monsters that were gathering towards them were gradually increasing in number.

The weaknesses of the two identified by Delade.

“That power is not suitable for dealing with the majority. right?”

I don’t know if it’s a 1:1 fight, but if it’s a simple quantity war, it’s hard to respond.

“I enjoyed the conversation. Then, I want you two to die here.”

As if convinced of the deaths of the two people, Delade began to leave the place with a sneer.

The two could not pursue. I couldn’t even dare to pursue it.

“you… … . you!!”

After meeting Delade, Eleanor’s composure, which had been barely maintained all along, eventually broke.

Opponent is running away. Even though she has enough strength to deal with Eleanor and Justitia, she runs away because she is preparing for the worst.

That’s because it leaves monsters behind.

Aiming for the two is an incredible number of monsters that can be believed to have been gathered from one city.

A delay that seemed to care nothing about the number of monsters… … . No, there was no honor in the actions of the monster that swallowed the delay.

That action is only tarnishing the honor of Delade, who has lived for honor all his life.

Eleanor knows how much her father has gone to for that honor.

That’s why I couldn’t forgive him.

“Now you show the expression you like. Yeah, guess that was your backstory? hahahaha!”

Delade smiled with satisfaction as she saw Eleanor’s expression. Even so, Eleanor did not pursue such a delay.

No, I couldn’t even pursue it.

“Kuh… … .”

Because countless monsters surrounded them.

That’s why Eleanor made a resolution as she watched Delay go away.

“I’m not dying… … . will survive Because I survived… … .”

The power you fear will surely kill you someday.

Eleanor swallowed her gossip and quietly burned her will to fight.