Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Odyssey (42)

The moment Basileo extracted the thought.

“Gah! Hah… Hah…”

Sergio gasped for breath.

Yet, there was a sigh of relief mixed in.

The pain had ended.

“Sergio! Are you okay?”

Prondior asked.

“Ah, I’m fine. It might have been dangerous if I had stayed a little longer.”

Sergio joked, but it was likely more than just a joke. He must have endured considerable pain.

“What do we do now?”

Basileo was still holding the thought in his right hand.

Without any idea of what he had just done.

Elodie let out a breath of astonishment upon seeing that.

“Wow, I couldn’t do that. It’s not something you can practice.”

He rotated the magic circle halfway.

The idea itself was astonishing, but what came after executing it was even more so.

“He rotated the magic circle, yet its shape is maintained.”

This magic was still functioning without any issues.

In other words, there was no disruption in the magic circle.

In the past, Basileo had surprised Elodie by moving the symbols of the spell up and down or adjusting the area size, but this time it far surpassed that level.

Changing the area or height is a concept of a plane, but rotation is a concept of three dimensions.

The moment it rotates, there comes a time when the entire magic circle is not visible to his eyes.

However, as if he had a thorough blueprint in his mind, Basileo rotated the magic circle without any problems, and it remained intact. The thought that Basileo was still holding in his hand was proof of that.

The concept or mental state referred to as ‘thought’ becomes visible only within this magic circle, and it is possible to grasp it just like Basilio does now. Once outside the magic circle, it cannot be grasped or seen.

“Give it to me.”

Lethe approached Basilio and extended her hand.

“…This?”

Basilio looked at the thought he was holding with a discontented expression.

It didn’t seem right to give it to Lethe or anyone else.

“I’m a god, you know. Handling things like this is my responsibility.”

“…Is that so?”

Basilio thought it seemed somewhat reasonable, yet also not, but nonetheless extended the hand that held the thought.

Seeing this, Frondior thought.

‘…Isn’t the reason monsters are hostile to humans because they resemble gods?’

Frondior knows how the monsters outside were created.

Monsters sent by the gods to control humans. Therefore, they possess resistance to divine power.

It is perhaps natural for such monsters to hate humans, and viewed in that light, the thoughts of monsters originally belong to the gods.

“Don’t worry, just leave it to me, kyaaah!”

Lethe, with a confident expression, reached out for the thought but suddenly screamed.

“What, what is it! It hurts!!”

Lethe, startled, withdrew her hand. Basilio, who had extended his hand, became awkward instead.

“…You said not to worry.”

“Th-that’s strange? It shouldn’t hurt…”

Lethe’s brows furrowed. The only ones who can properly touch this thought, aside from the four standing in the magic circle, are the gods. So, naturally, she should be able to touch it too.

“Of course it hurts.”

Frondior said, looking at Lethe.

“You’re not a god anymore.”

“…Ah!”

Lethe exclaimed as if realizing it for the first time.

It hasn’t been long since she stepped down from her position as a god. Moreover, it wasn’t by her own will.

Since her abilities haven’t completely vanished, she doesn’t realize it in her daily life, but moments like this bring her back to that awareness.

“So what should I do with this?”

Now Lethe, speaking the same words as Basileo. Phondior approached her.

“Give it to me.”

“To you?”

Lethe looked at Phondior with suspicion but soon extended her thought.

Phondior accepted the thought and looked at it for a moment.

During that ‘moment,’ as Lethe’s eyes widened, Phondior asked her.

“What should I do with this?”

“…Doesn’t it hurt?”

“No.”

Phondior’s straightforward answer.

Lethe opened her mouth in response but soon scratched her head with a troubled expression.

“It’s hard to explain how to erase a thought. For the gods, a thought feels like returning to the original state, but you probably don’t feel that way.”

“Right. I don’t have that feeling.”

Phondior scratched his cheek as well.

Lethe knows the method but cannot touch it, while Phondior can touch it but does not know the method.

In the midst of this brief contemplation.

“What are you doing?”

Something familiar climbed onto Phondior’s shoulder.

“Uh? Fenrir?”

A puppy that burrowed through Phondior’s hair and sat on his shoulder. It was Fenrir.

“Fenrir?!”

Of course, the fame of that name was still intact, and Lethe was startled upon hearing it.

In an instant, Lethe distanced herself. The name Fenrir is the nemesis of most gods.

Phondior asked nonchalantly.

“How did you get here?”

“I was bored being home alone. I followed the scent.”

“…The scent?”

From the Roah mansion all the way here?

This is beyond the wall, right in the middle of the western wall?

“What is that?”

Penrir shifted his gaze to the thought that Frondir was holding.

“Ah, I’m currently contemplating getting rid of this.”

Before he could explain what it was.

Thud.

Penrir walked up Frondir’s arm and bit down on the thought.

“Huh?”

Hearing Frondir’s somewhat foolish reaction,

Gulp.

Penrir lifted his head and opened his mouth wide, swallowing the thought whole.

“……”

At that sight, everyone around, including Lethe and Frondir, tensed as they looked at Penrir.

Penrir had consumed the thought that would turn him into a monster.

Then…

“What’s wrong?”

Penrir calmly surveyed his surroundings. Everything seemed normal.

Instead, he was feeling burdened by the gazes directed at him.

“You said you had to get rid of this, right?”

“……Penrir, are you okay?”

“Of course I am. It’s not like I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t.”

It was something he really shouldn’t have eaten.

Seeing Penrir with that look in his eyes, he let out a big yawn.

“I guess I’ve gotten smaller and keep forgetting, but I’m Penrir. The beast that devours the sky, the terror of the gods.”

The look in Penrir’s eyes as he said that was bored.

“I can eat anything. No matter what it is.”

“……Okay. Thank you.”

At Frondir’s words, Penrir scratched his body with his hind leg, as if he had no interest. Though he looked like a puppy, his attitude somehow reminded one of a cat.

“Are you really Penrir? For real?”

“You don’t even need to ask; you can tell just by looking.”

Lethe fell silent at Frondir’s words.

In truth, no matter how small he had become, the aura emanating from that puppy was something Lethe could easily recognize.

If I were to compare that momentum, it would be like a tidal wave pouring down from above. Even while looking down at the puppy, her spirit could not help but gaze upward with such ferocity.

“Don’t worry. Fenrir won’t try to fight first. Right?”

“Well, as long as he doesn’t pick a fight first.”

Fenrir said this and climbed back up onto Frondior’s shoulder, riding along his arm once more.

Then Fenrir settled down, comfortably preparing to sleep on Frondior’s shoulder.

“……So, what’s next?”

Frondior asked after looking at Fenrir for a moment.

Lethe swallowed once and then spoke.

“Next is the atonement for sins.”

Perhaps still tense, she stuttered slightly.

“Extracting the thoughts means eliminating the nature that arose from becoming a monster, and now we have to deal with the past actions. To become a spirit, one must resolve the sins from the time of being a monster.”

“Sins….”

At those words, Frondior looked at Sergio.

“Lord Sergio, have you harmed anyone since becoming a monster?”

“I have not done such a thing.”

A deep worry settled on Sergio’s face.

“……My subordinates, however, likely have. The soldiers who are far from me no longer heed my commands. They have simply become like any other monster.”

At that, Frondior looked at Lethe.

Lethe nodded.

“It’s the same. All those sins belong to Sergio. Since Sergio’s entire army has become monsters.”

“Then how should atonement be done?”

“In the case of a human becoming a monster, the atonement must be done by a human. Someone is needed to bear all the sins of the human who became a monster. I mentioned this last time, didn’t I?”

Frondior nodded.

And at that moment, it was already decided who would do it.

“Then I’ll do it. Taking on the sins is no problem.”

“Alright. Then for the magic circle… wait.”

Lethe nodded and then, as if suddenly realizing something, stopped before pointing her finger at the center of the magic circle.

“Thinking it over, you can’t do it.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re not human anymore.”

“……Ah.”

Lethe, echoing the words of Frondior.

As if Lethe were no longer a god, Frondior was no longer human.

It had been quite some time since that was the case.

“I told you, right? Only humans can bear sin, and only humans can atone for it. Just the fact that you can handle ‘thoughts’ without any issue means you’re already confirmed as a god. You’re not a suitable subject for atonement.”

Oh dear. Frondior was taken aback.

He had already decided that he would take on the atonement himself. It was not something to be entrusted to another.

However, to be completely excluded? There was no one in his mind who could take his place.

“That atonement…”

Then a voice was heard.

Frondior turned around in surprise. It was a voice he knew all too well.

“Who would be suitable?”

It was Aten.

Lethe widened her eyes slightly at Aten’s pure white irises, but she answered nonetheless.

“Atonement is the act of taking on the sins of the monsters. It’s being tainted by evil. If Sergio’s sins are deeper than expected, then the subject of atonement could be closer to a monster or a demon.”

“……Then the suitable person would be someone farthest from monsters or demons.”

“Exactly. A strong sense of righteousness is needed.”

Aten nodded deeply at those words and then looked at Frondior.

Frondior’s face hardened.

He already knew what Aten was going to say.

“I will do it.”

“……Aten, this is too—”

“Frondior.”

Aten smiled brightly at Frondior.

“If you are still a person of the Empire, you cannot stop my actions.”

“……!”

Aten was the princess of the Empire.

There were very few people within the Empire who were permitted to stop her.

Knowing that, Aten deliberately dropped the polite title she usually used for Frondior.

However, even if it were not Frondior, there was already someone present who could stop Aten.

“Atten.”

Philly approached her side.

“…It’s dangerous.”

However, Philly did not firmly block her either.

She looked into Atten’s eyes.

In those eyes, Atten could not be stopped even by the Emperor.

“Are you really going to be okay?”

At Philly’s words, Atten nodded.

“Of course.”

Then she looked at Sergio, who was in the center of the magic circle.

“I felt like it was something I had to do.”

Her tone was gentle, but her determination to do it herself was conveyed.

In response, Philly took a step back from Atten.

“…Well, if you’ve made up your mind, go to the center of the magic circle and stand facing Sergio.”

“Yes.”

Atten answered softly. She slowly walked into the magic circle.

Frondior watched her with concern.

“…Frondior.”

Rethe cast a glance at Frondior.

“If you’re going to stop her, do it now.”

“What?”

“‘Atonement’ is not something a pure person should do. The ‘intense goodwill’ I mentioned is different from purity.”

“…”

“If that child is truly as innocent as she appears, she will be tainted by malice in an instant. It’s better to find someone else.”

At those words, Frondior looked at Atten. Atten had walked up to Sergio and was taking a deep breath.

“…No, I can’t stop her.”

“If you’re thinking of bringing up the issue of class among humans in front of me.”

“No.”

Frondior shook his head.

“I know she is the most suitable for this, so even if I’m worried, I can’t stop her.”