ALL NOVEL Chapter 39: Names
After listening to Eliza-san's story, I was left speechless. And so was Kyuki.
I couldn't help but to feel bad for her and be pissed at the Creation God, Loboros.
Forcefully taken away and separated from her lover because of a God's desire. She's been living here for two hundred years since then as a lonely flower. At this point, it would be more than safe to say that Nicolas, the person whom Eliza-san loved, is no longer in this world.
Should I say something to her?
No... Considering that two hundred years had already passed for her, I doubt saying anything would do much to comfort her.
Then do I keep my mouth shut?
But that would feel wrong too.
"Eliza-san, I umm..."
"You don't need to say anything, my dear. I'm fine."
"Oh. Ok then..."
Well, if Eliza-san says so, then I guess it's fine to not say anything.
However, after hearing out her story, I got curious about some things.
"Can I ask... a question?" I politely requested for a permission.
"Of course. What is it, my dear?"
With a small pause after permission was granted, I asked: "How many gods are there... in this world?"
Even after who knows how long have passed since my reincarnation, I still know very little about the world. Which is why, the first thing I thought I should ask about is the gods and how many of them are there.
For now, there are only three whose names I have known so far.
The first is the Evil God, Dionix, who'd reincarnated me into this body. The second is the Spiritual God, Akagi, who'd sent me a variety of new clothes and hasn't been heard from since. And the third is the Creation God, Loboros, whom I had just learnt about from Eliza-san.
Besides those three, I know nothing else about the gods.
So, I had to ask. Especially since I know now that Eliza-san have some knowledge about the outside world from the humans she'd ate.
With a small huff under her breath, she then answered.
"There are six gods in this world. Three of them are whom I am sure you already know of." she said, as I quietly nodded in response and let her continue. "As for the other three gods, they are the Sage God, Alef; the Holy God, Rubelia; and the Arbiter God, Alexis."
"I see..."
Six god... huh. So I guessing that four of them are enemies.
Evil God-san did referred to them as "unwanted attention" before, if I recall correctly. And the Spiritual God, Akagi, is a comrade of his.
"Additionally, my dear..." Eliza-san then said. "There apparently was a seventh god in the past, but was killed in a conflict."
"Is that so...? Ah. But if they're dead, then... does it matter?"
"It matters. Because the person who killed that god was not another god, but a mortal. What's more, she's of the True Demon race." Eliza-san dropped that surprising fact, leaving Kyuki and I to be appalled.
Someone of the True Demon race killed a God!? Wow. This person must be incredibly strong to pull a feat like that.
"Unfortunately, that person is dead now. She was killed by another god, right after her god slaying achievement. From what I was told, she was facing multiple gods at the time." Eliza-san added on, making me respect the unknown person even more that she'd managed to accomplish something like that under such circumstances.
"Once killed, her lifeless body was then taken away and left in the hands of Loboros, who placed it at the lowest floor of his dungeon and used monsters he'd captured to guard the body, preventing anyone outside from reaching it. His companion, Dagon, was left as the final guard and overseer of this place. And I too, am one of those guards under him."
Huh...? Wait. The lowest floor of this dungeon? But there is where I...
"To be honest, I do know why that god was so keen on guarding a corpse. But, after seeing your status, I think I have a good idea for the reason."
Eliza-san continued adding on more info for my ears. And at that moment, I have a good guess on what she is trying to tell me.
"Eliza-san, is the True Demon who killed a god perhaps...?"
"Looks like you've got it. Yes... Her name is Sheila Frontier. And her body is the very one you are possessing right now. I was told all of these by Loboros when he brought me here." Eliza-san revealed the answer then and there. "My dear, have you ever wondered why you have two names displayed on your status?" she asked next, making me think.
At first, I thought it was a name given to me by Evil God-san when he reincarnated me and that the name from my previous life was simply displayed there because I retained my memories from that life. But judging by Eliza-san's question, I doubt that is the case anymore.
"If I were to make a guess... it would be something to do with my soul... and this body...?"
"That would be the case. Yes. Sheila Frontier is the name that was already attached to the body. Whereas your other name, which I am not sure how to pronounce exactly, is the one attached to your soul. Which is why if I had to say: You are not Sheila Frontier. But you technically are as well since you are possessing her body right now. As for why that is such a case, I believed it was because you were not given a new name upon your reincarnation, which would have overwritten those two names displayed on your status."
"I see..."
Well uh, that's a shocker. I'm not sure how I should feel right now, after hearing something like that.
So I am not Sheila Frontier, but also am technically. Yet, I have been using that name as my own that without knowing it. And I even introduced myself to Kyuki using that name, but you're telling me that it's actually not even mine!?
Also, wouldn't that mean that I'm a zombie in a sense? Why has my— Why has this body not show any signs of decay yet? I can even get hungry in this body, bleed and sweat normally as if it was never originally a corpse.
My race also doesn't say that I'm a zombie. So what the hell...?
"So then... what am I? And... who am I supposed to be...?"
If I'm not Sheila Frontier. Then, do I go back to using Rei Hoshimiya from now on? I don't want that though...
Because Rei Hoshimiya is the name of the pathetic me who was unable to change herself.
"Kyuu...."
While pondering on a dilemma that may not sound like a problem to others, I became awkwardly silent for a good minute or two and have seemed to make Kyuki and Eliza-san concerned. Which is probably why the latter decided to change the subject and call for my attention.
"Now now, my dear. You can decide who you are some other time. It's just a name after all." said Eliza-san. "For now, I believe it's time to get out of the water. You and the little fox have been in there for quite a long time already."
Huh? Oh. Right... I totally forgot I was still in the bath after listening to Eliza-san's story.
We should get out now, Kyuki.
"Kyuu!"
And so, the Kyuki and I got out of the water, dried our bodies, as I then put on a new set of clothes from the various amount of outfits that the Spiritual God had sent to me, while Kyuki became as an adorable little fluffball after drying itself.
"By the way, Eliza-san..."
"What is it, my dear?"
"I'm curious... about one more thing." I said and turned to her. "When did you get... the Demon Slayer title?" I asked.
Assuming that it was not acquired while she was living in the forest outside of the dungeon, I can only guess that it was acquired while she was here as a "guard". In other words, she met and fought against many people of the Demon race before meeting me.
While I was thinking so, Eliza-san exhaled a small sigh. "Well, I'm sure you could already tell. I did kill a lot of Demons in the past while living here. I also ate their corpses and gained their knowledge and memories. Which was how I got to know more about this world and the System especially. More than any of the Humans I had eaten in the past."
Eliza-san then smiled and chuckled a bit, as if she had remembered something funny. Then, she looked at me in the eyes once more and said.
"Did you know, my dear? The System has a function that can recycle the souls of the dead into new bodies. What's more, there is a small chance that those souls may reincarnate into their next life with their memories retained from their previous one. However, only those who have a name are allowed to have that privilege of reincarnating.
Which is why, I am grateful, my dear. For giving me a name. Because even if I were to perish here one day, I know for certain that I can have another chance at life, even though I might not remember anything from my current one.
So, from the bottom of my heart: Thank you."
Eliza-san lowered her head to me with the utmost gratitude. I stood there speechless, slowly processing the piece of information she had just relayed to me. Then, she perked up and clapped her hands together, moving on from the subject.
"Now, time for you and the little fox to go to bed. I'll have a new training course prepared when the both of you wake up, so you two better rest well then. Okay? We only have about two weeks left after all."
Oh. Right. Only two weeks left, huh? Time sure flies fast when you least expected it.
Which meant that Kyuki and I will leave this floor after those two weeks.
The moment I realised that, a thought came to my mind.
Eliza-san told me that her duty here is to prevent anyone from taking the body of Sheila Frontier out of this dungeon, and I'm possessing that body right now. Then wouldn't letting me go be a violation of her duty as a guard?
If that's the case then... what will happen to her once Kyuki and I leave this floor?
Somehow, I already know the answer to that.
