We Were Once Compatriots… And Now?

Translated by AmaLynne
Edited by AmaLynne

 

“Don’t be so cautious, kid. I’m not trying to fight you here and now.”

 

“…………”

 

Titans chuckling and sneering.

 

I didn’t notice her presence until she got this close.

 

I can see it in person. This fellow… is pretty bad.

 

In addition, this is a back alley around the main gate where there are few people.

 

In such a place, I, and even Demiurge, could not notice her presence.

 

Her manipulation of signs and concealment of mana… are all first-rate.

 

And, at first glance, she looked like she just standing there, defenseless.

 

However, if I were to make a poor attempt, I would definitely be struck back.

 

I could see the future clearly.

 

Titan in front of me is clearly stronger than Phoenix, which is also one of the four powerful demons.

 

“It’s been a long time since we’ve met. I’m not going to be so tactless as to suddenly go on a rampage. Hey, sis?”

 

“Yes. It’s been a long time, Titan. I didn’t know you were able to mimic humans.”

 

“It’s the least complicated way to walk around in human society.”

 

Titan in front of me look to be in their early twenties.

 

Phoenix had taken the form of a completely young girl, but there seemed to be a big difference in mimicry.

 

I wonder if this is a matter of personal taste.

 

“I see. But you’ve come out of nowhere again… What on earth do you want?”

 

From behind me, Demiurge confronts Titan.

 

There was no emotion in her voice, unlike when she had been so angry earlier.

 

“Well, I have a little favor to ask you.”

 

“A favor? What’s that?”

 

When Demiurge throws the question, Titan narrows her eyes.

 

But I can’t help but have a bad feeling about this.

 

The first time I met Phoenix, one of the four powerful demons, she showed respect for Demiurge.

 

I could sense from Phoenix that she respected Demiurge, her birth mother, no matter how much power she lost.

 

I don’t see that kind of emotion from Titans we’re facing right now.

 

No, rather… 

 

“Oh, it’s not that hard. Sister… you have the seed of the world tree… give it to me.”

 

““―――?!””

 

At that moment, Demiurge and I opened our eyes.

 

How does this fellow know about the seed?

 

“How did you know about the seed of the World Tree? The only people who know about it are me, my husband, and Phoenix!”

 

“Oh, so Phoenix got to your sister before I did. Well, I’m late for the party. But well, I was visiting the World Tree of the Past. You can’t blame me for being late.”

 

“The first generation.. you entered【 Sephirot 】? The entrance to that place was blocked two years ago when husband and I fought!”

 

The Sephirot Demiurge is referring to is probably the temple-like space where Demiurge and I fought two years ago.

 

Demiurge once told me that the world tree of the previous generation that supports this world is located in that place.

 

“The entrance to the other space is indeed almost closed, but it is not completely closed. If I had to force my way in from the outside, I could do it.”

 

  

“I see, you forced open the dimensional rift. That’s just the family to whom I gave my power directly. You’re doing something crazy.”

 

Kuku…, Titan sneers again.

 

Looking at her expression, I can feel a nasty sweat breaking out on my back.

 

Alarms have been going off in my brain for a while now, and I can’t stop them.

 

“But why did you go to the World Tree? Why do you know about the seed? And why did you ask me to give you the seed in the first place? It’s the hope of the world.”

 

“Don’t ask so many questions at once, sister. You don’t look like you can afford it, do you?”

 

It was as if she was making fun of Demiurge.

 

Titan put her hands on her hips, brushed her hair back, and fixed her gaze firmly on Demiurge.

 

“First of all, why did I go to the World Tree for? Was it? To put it bluntly, it was『 supply 』.”

 

“Supply, you say?”

 

What do you mean, supply?

 

I tilted my head inwardly, not understanding the meaning of the words.

 

But the next moment, Titan’s words rendered Demiurge speechless.

 

“That’s right. I borrowed mana directly from the trunk of the World Tree.”

 

““―――?!””

 

Demiurge was rapt at Titan’s words, her eyes widening to the breaking point.

 

Her mouth dropped open and her fists were shaking.

 

“Titans, you… surely… didn’t damage the trunk of the world tree, did you?”

 

Demiurge shouted for the first time in a long time.

 

I hadn’t heard her scream this loudly since the battle two years ago, if I remember correctly.

 

In all the years we’ve lived together, she’s never been this angry.

 

If that’s the case, then that’s what Titan had done to her.

 

“Yeah. That’s right.”

 

“―――?! You! Do you know what you’ve done? If you harm the World Tree, it will wither and die in the blink of an eye!”

 

What?

 

The World Tree will wither?!

 

This means that the existence that provided the world with mana will disappear.

 

If that were to happen, this world that relies so heavily on magical civilization would be…!

 

“Kuku, you first, you… oh, of course. I knew it and did it. However, since I was born into this world several thousand years ago… the mana in my body has been depleted. You can’t create new demons anymore… Well, there’s no way around it.”

 

“You’re no longer in my family, as you’ve tampered with the World Tree! How foolish of you to use the mana of the World Tree to restore your lost power… Shame on you!”

 

“Well, it wasn’t easy for me to get close to the world tree because of my sister’s proximity until now. Thank God you’re gone. Thanks to you, I’ve regained my strength back to my “prime”!”

 

I see. This is the reason why I felt more she’s powerful than Phoenix.

 

Phoenix also said that the four powerful demons had been destroying this world for a long time, but over time, the mana in their bodies began to deplete.

 

We can probably guess that all four strong demons are in the same situation.

 

However, Titan in front of me had recovered the mana he lost by wounding the world tree.

 

Damn, I don’t need to be Demiurge to feel angry.

 

Knowing the role of the World Tree, the wrongdoing done by Titan is very hard to forgive.

 

“Now, the next question is how do I know about the seeds of the world tree? Because I heard it from the World Tree itself.”

 

“From the World Tree? Hey Demiurge, what did she mean by that?”

 

The part where Titans said that it was from the World Tree itself.

 

If that’s what she meant, it sounds as if the world tree and Titan communicated with each other.

 

“Perhaps Titans learned about the seed from the【 Spirit of the World Tree 】. He was asleep to conserve his strength, but he was forced to wake up!”

 

Demiurge is trembling with anger.

 

This is the first time I’ve heard the term【 Spirit of the World Tree 】, but I’m guessing it’s the will of the world tree.

 

This means that the world tree is intelligent enough to think and talk just like a human being.

 

“Kuku, when I stripped the trunk of that tree… it looked like it was in a lot of pain.”

 

“~~~, Titan, you~……!”

 

“Hahaha! In the end, he couldn’t stand the pain and vomited about his seed and even tried to save himself. He said,『 You have more mana than my dying self! 』. Well, the world tree is just a living thing, isn’t it? I couldn’t stop laughing at the idea of selling my precious self!”

 

“You lowlife…”

 

Demiurge’s expression was distorted by Titan’s outrageousness, and her clenched fist was soaked with blood from the excessive force she had exerted.

 

But I was a little uncomfortable with what Titan had said.

 

But now was not the time to point it out.

 

The last question Demiurge posed.

 

『 What do you mean, give me the seed? 』

 

Titan’s answer to this question is no longer necessary to ask, and it is bound to be ridiculous.

 

And worst of all, what kind of action will Titans take after this?

 

I know exactly what Titans will do after this.

 

“Now that I’ve said all that, I’m sure you have a pretty good idea why I want the Seed of the World Tree.”

 

“It’s not that important. You’re probably thinking of taking in the seed to gain more power, right?”

 

“Exactly! That’s my sister! You’re the one who gave birth to me! I’m glad to see that you’ve been able to grasp my thoughts so well in such a short time!”

 

“Do you have any idea what will happen to the world after that? Without the World Tree, this world will not survive!”

 

“That’s what I’m thinking. It’s very simple. I’ll kill all the people, animals, and demons in this world and return them to the earth! Then I will create a new world tree and reign as the only one in this world!”

 

This fellow is completely out of her mind.

 

You kill all the creatures in the world and think you are the ruler of the world.

 

“…Yes, I will be the new you, Demiurge, God of Creation! Now, I’m going to ask you to tell me where the seeds are. If you don’t like it, I’ll give your body a beating to get it out of you!”