-- Belphegor’s Perspective --

 

** batan **

 

I let out a sigh after Fracesca left.

I stood up and opened the curtain beside me. 

Three manikas are silently creating puppets of them. The first one is carving limbs and bodies one after the other, he then gives it to the second one. The second one would then put holes on those limbs for the strings. The last one will combine them all together. 

The finished products are stored next door, which I recently rented. As long as I paid, the clerk didn’t get suspicious at all. 

Just like the spiders and the crows, they need someone to actively control them which is a bit tedious. Since I’ve already gathered enough information about the princess and why she woke me up, thus I already disposed of those spiders. Now, I have enough leeway to control these manikas. 

As for the three crows, I was already planning to, but I put them on guard at the slave market. Everytime someone tries to buy Francesca’s cousin, the crows would snatch their purse and throw it around the market. I did the same with the rest of the slaves. 

It’ll be cloudy soon. At that time, I’ll storm the castle and look for my old puppet. It's the only option I have. When it comes to guard patrols, Francesca wasn’t able to get the information I needed, they’re secretive when it comes to it. And none of them discussed it in their homes. I almost thought they’re not organized at all or they just lack interest in it. 

 

--

 

Hours later. The moonlight slowly fades away as the clouds overwhelmed the sky.

I began to unlit the candles in the room. I look out the window.

 

“It’s time.”

 

I jumped out of the window. Seven manikas followed as I landed on one of the rooftops. Their sturdy bodies are reinforced with my magic. It should be enough to last for quite some time. We all wear the same grey robes, carrying two manikas at our disposal, wrapped in cloth.

We jump over the roofs until we safely cross the aristocrat’s residential homes, and then jump over the towering wall of the castle.

I landed on one of the castle’s balconies. 

I silently open the door. 

 

“You must be a complete fool to come back here...”

“!!”

 

A three-meter tall woman is flying above me. Looking down at my back with pure irritation. 

 

“Hm. You thought I didn’t notice you?”

“...”

“You’re lucky I was in the middle of celebration the last time you came in.”

“...”

“But now..., you’re not going anywhere!”

 

She quickly summoned her golden spear. 

 

** voooom **

 

A shockwave was generated breaking the windows around us. 

 

“Die!”

 

I made a flip as I dodge her attack. Spreading out my arms along with my strings, I ordered the manikas to storm the east side of the castle. The manikas quickly summoned their minions they carried. Two manikas appeared at their disposal, spreading their limbs like a newborn spider. 

 

** crack, shatter **

 

They infiltrated the castle. 

I safely landed on the handrail of one of the balconies.

 

“Hmph!”

“...”

“You’re the first pest to dodge my attack!”

“...”

 

She brandishes her spear and swings it against me. 

 

** swoosh, boom, crumble **

 

The spear disappears as she leaps forward. 

 

“Don’t run away, pest! Accept your fate!”

“...”

** voooom **

 

She summoned her spear again, creating another shockwave. 

I summoned the two manikas from my back, protecting me from the impact. 

 

“Tsk!”

“...”

“Why! Won’t you! Die!”

“...”

 

She glared at me with bloodlust. 

The manikas I’ve sent inside haven’t found my old puppet yet, some of them are fighting the dark knights. It’s getting difficult for me to fight all of them at once. 

She leaps at me again, stabbing me consecutively. 

 

“Die! Die! Die!”

“...”

 

The two manikas deflect the spear coming towards me.

She suddenly stops. Twitching her nose. 

 

“This smell…” 

“...”

“You! You dare use Bell-sama’s power!”

“...”

“This... Is... Unforgivable…” 

“...”

 

She gritted her teeth. Slowly, her eyes succumbed into her own madness.

 

“Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable.”

 

As she murmured, her body began to radiate light blue. 

 

“Death won’t be enough for you!”

“...”

“Aaaggghhh!”

 

She let out her battle cry before flying towards me. 

 

** voom, hyun, voom, hyun **

 

Her movements have become more agile than before and she’s now spamming her spear. 

The east side of the castle wall is trembling as she summons her spear multiple times.

The two manikas couldn’t match her speed. The other one just broke his wrist. 

 

** kachak ** 

 

She stabs the other one with her spear and raises it to the air. 

 

“Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!”

 

She looked at me with a sinister laugh. 

She swung her spear, throwing the broken manikas at the towering wall of the castle. It crashed like a ragdoll and shattered its limbs. 

 

** voom, hyun, voom, hyun **

 

She’s spamming her spear again. But this time, she's throwing her spear at me and summons it back in her hand. 

 

** swoosh **

** sha **

 

My last protection was sliced in half. 

As soon as it drops on the floor, she leaps forward.

In an instant, she’s already choking me.  

 

“Who are you!”

“...”

“Speak, pest!”

 

She glared at me. 

As the clouds moved away, the moonlight slowly came back.

I could see her face much clearer than before. 

 

“Hmph. So I was fighting a puppet all along.”

“...” 

 

She looked closer at me.

 

“I don't know who you are, but I will find you and I will kill you!”

“!!”

** crack ** 

 

She broke its neck and dropped it on the ground.

 

--

 

I wasn’t able to find what I was looking for, but at least, I managed to make some progress. 

I kept on pestering Freya with the remaining manikas before I left the castle. I went to the north side while I drew her to the south side. 

 

“That was tiring.”

 

I said to myself as I walked outside of the castle. Controlling them physically is tiresome since my body isn’t used to physical labor. And it's even more exhausting with this seal wrapped in my body. I may look like I'm moving lightly, but this seal makes the same sensation as carrying shackles as heavy as an atlas stone.

I then disposed of my grey robe and switched it with my old one. 

Seeing Freya again, I can’t help but think about the old days we’ve been through. Even if I told her that it’s me, I doubt she’d believe me. Even Maya would doubt me. After all it wasn’t me who did these things, it was my old puppet, it’s me but not physically. 

If I show myself now and manage to tell them that it’s me all along, what’s the next thing I should do after that? Should I rule this Kingdom once again? Should I conquer the world just like before? And what happens after that? I’ll be repeating the same thing again and again. 

Which is why I don’t see any reason to reveal my true identity nor the reason to continue living in this new world in front of me… 

 

“Agh!”

 

My head hurts. 

I’m starting to remember my parents again. 

I-I must get back to the inn right away. 

 

-- 

 

-- Francesca’s Perspective --

 

I’m glad I followed Bell-san’s advice. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to get her back because the owner has some suspicions about me after the crows began attacking his customers. But he charged me a huge sum to buy her. The crows never followed me again after that. They stayed there pestering his customers. 

My cousin was already asleep when we reached Bell-san’s room.

 

** knock knock **

** kacha ** 

 

I opened the door.

 

“Are nyou there, Bell-san?” 

 

The room was dark when I entered his room.

We came here because I wished to thank him for helping me bring back my cousin. 

We were about to go home but I know Bell-san wouldn’t mind if I let my cousin sleep on his bed. But first.

 

“Noelle-chan… it’s time to wake up, nya.”

“Mmmm. Mama~?”

 

She murmured as she woke up. She often calls me Mama, even though I already told her several times to call me by my name. Noelle-chan is a cat person just like me, but she doesn’t speak the way we do, since her father is a human after all. 

 

“You nyeed to take a bath first before we sleep okay?”

“Mmmm~, whyyy~, I don’t want to~”

 

Will you let him see you like that? 

 

“Noooo~” 

 

She shook her head from end to end.

 

“Then let's take a bath first, nya!”

“Okayyyy~”

 

I light up the candles in the room before we take a bath. 

After we took a bath, I gave her some new clothes we bought along the way. The pajamas she wore were so relaxing she quickly went back to sleep. I caress her head while she sleeps. 

 

** kacha ** 

“Bell-san, you’re back. I’d like to...”

“Hm, hm, hm…”

 

Bell-san nodded several times as I talked to him. He looks… tired. 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were tired, we’ll just go ho…”

“...”

“...?”

 

I tilted my head sideways. 

He pulled a chair and slept at the table. He didn’t talk after that. I guess we’ll just stay for the night. 

Remembering what I did earlier, somehow, I felt bad for acting like an animal in front of him. I don’t know what his goal is, but I’ll do my best to support him. I’ll properly apologize and thank him tomorrow.  

I grabbed a blanket and put it on Bell-san. 

 

“Mother, don’t leave me…”

 

As I was about to go back to bed, Bell-san suddenly murmured something. M-mother?! Me?! A-a mother?! I walked back, and stared at him closely. Mmmm… He’s dreaming already. He must have been really tired back there. Now, I’m really curious about what he did after I left.

I silently pulled out a chair and sat next to him. Whenever I look closer at him, I always see this radiant sort of light, like he’s some kind of a divine deity or something. I couldn’t really describe it. I tried touching the aura coming out of his body and for some reason, they seem to be there and not there at the same time. Maybe it’s just my imagination. 

I sniffed his neck, he smells like wet grass. Part of me wanted to hug him, but I’m afraid I’ll wake him up if I did. When he's awake, he makes this kind of strict face, but he’s completely the opposite when he’s asleep - He’s like a baby. 

Soon after, I stood up and went back to bed next to Noelle-chan. 

 

--

 

The next morning. I woke up sleeping between Noelle-chan and Bell-san, they’re both hugging me. Bell-san must have felt uncomfortable sleeping at the table. 

I really like it when he hugs me. I want to hug her back but Noelle-chan is hugging my other arm. I slowly got out of bed and went down stairs. I bought some food for our breakfast. 

When I opened the door, Noelle-chan was already awake. She looked at Bell-san and looked at me with a teary-eyed face. 

 

“Mama ** sniff **... It’s Papa isn't it?”

“!!”

“Nyoo.. nya… It’s Bell-san…”

“Noooo… It’s him, it's Papa!”

 

She leaps over Bell-san and buried her face in his chest. 

 

“Papa, you’re back!” 

“!! Noelle-chan, you’ll wake him up.”

 

I immediately put our breakfast on the table. 

 

“Mmmm?”

“!! See, nyou woke him up.”

“...”

“I’m so sorry, Bell-san.”

“No, it’s okay.”

 

Bell-san raised his upper body. 

 

“Papa, you’re back!”

“...?”

“I knew it, Mama kept saying you’ll never come back, but you’re here!”

 

Bell-san looked at me, confused. 

 

“I-I’m so sorry Bell-san, the truth is, she’s an orphan. And her parents...” 

“I understand…”

 

Bell-san raises his hand, telling me not to continue any longer.

 

“Mama, Papa’s back!”

 

I purse my lips and smile back at Noelle-chan. I felt awkward facing Bell-san. 

 

“That’s right, Papa’s back.”

“Weee, yay! Papa’s back!”

 

Bell-san raised her up while she spread her arms. I guess he'll play along with her. 

 

“Bell-san, breakfast’s ready.” 

 

We all sat at the table and ate our food. 

 

“Bell-san, about what happened yesterday…”

“We’ll talk about it later.”

“Sorry...”

 

Noelle-chan is looking at me while she slowly chews her food. 

 

“MwaMwa~” 

 

She gulps her food and continues.

 

“Why aren’t you calling him Papa?”

“!! Well… Uhmmmm...”

“Is it okay for Papa?”

 

I blushed while I looked at Bell-san. He smiled and said.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

I thought Bell-san doesn’t care at all about me and Noelle-chan, and yet, he’s acting like her father. 

 

“Can you say~ I love you to Papa, Mama?”

“!!”

 

I don’t know what I should do.

 

“Okay, I think that’s enough for now…”

 

Fortunately, Bell-san intervened. 

 

“But, Papa!”

 

Noelle-chan wagged her feet. 

 

“Mmh! mmh!”

 

Bell-san fed her with his spoon, he does it every time she talks. I already told her not to speak when eating and I’m glad she silently obeys it while Bell-san silently abuses this opportunity, just to stop her from talking. I think he has the talent when it comes to silencing stubborn children.

 

--

 

Afternoon, we’re still staying at Bell-san’s room. Noelle-chan screamed whenever I told her we’re going home because she wanted Bell-san to come along. Bell-san on the other hand, doesn’t mind at all if she wants to stay here. 

Right now, Noelle-chan is silently sleeping on the bed. Bell-san sat on the table like before and began to write something. I sat next to him. 

 

“Bell-san…”

“Yes?”

“About what happened yesterday…”

“...”

“I’m so sorry for what I did to nyou… I don’t know how I could ever repay nyou for saving my cousin.” 

“...”

“I did it because… I was afraid of losing her.”

“...”

“And… and…”

 

Tears began to show up in my eyes, my lips quivered as I tried to continue my words. I then shamefully covered my face as I remembered my actions yesterday. 

 

“** sniff **”

“...”

“... ** sniff **”

“It’s quite normal to be afraid.”

 

His serene voice echoed through my heart. I raised my head and looked at him. He didn’t stop from writing as he talked to me. 

 

“When you’re afraid, you usually think about what you value the most.”

“** sniff ** ...”

“... And we end up doing drastic actions for the sake of it.”

“...”

“Which is why I said yesterday, I slightly understand your problem.” 

“...”

“...”

“... Thank you ...”

 

Bell-san smiled and he never answered after that. 

 

--

 

Half an hour later, Bell-san made me do some small errands for him. I went to the north side, the commercial area of the Kingdom. I bought some inks and parchments for him to write on. Whenever I think about it, I wonder what he’s writing about. 

I once tried to peek at some of his writing but he would suddenly stop and slightly move his head from my side. I don’t know if he’s blind or not, but those actions aren’t coming from a blind man at all, it’s a gesture not to look at someone else's work. 

It’s already dark when I came back to his room. Noelle-chan is already awake and she’s playing with some toys Bell-san gave to her. The toys are made out of wood with different shapes and sizes, varying from rectangle, square, triangle, and circle.. They don’t have any colors to begin with, they’re just plain wooden toys. 

When it comes to toys, I thought Bell-san would give her something cooler than that. While we both looked at her play with her new toys, he then said something.

 

“Isn't it amazing how her imaginations work? You could give her the simplest of things to play with, and yet she’ll be able to make her own world out of these… It’s quite... fascinating...”

 

Noelle-chan boastfully grinned at me after Bell-san said those words. When I asked how Bell-san was able to perceive what she’s building, he said Noelle-chan described her toys to him. I thought Bell-san would be mad if she kept nagging him about it, but he wasn’t. Instead, he stopped from writing and sat beside her. 

 

 

Radiating the color of sky, Cerulean is only possessed by a specific race and this type of mana is known to be otherworldly or foreign. Wielders of it are capable of releasing a passive AOE damage upon its release, transforming them into weapons.

Cerulean mana is focused on mana efficiency, allowing its wielders to fight for months without rest but they’re still weak in terms of defense. Thus, it is highly recommended to wear full armor in the midst of battle. 

Other than lesser and greater healing, they’re the only wielders who could use supreme healing, enabling them to regenerate their lost limbs, heal severe injuries, and debuff negative status effects all at the same time. But it does not cure mental instability.

Due to its color similar to Primal Mana, they've always been mistaken to be just the same.