Chapter 2780 Cognition <TOC> Chapter 2782 Origin of Demons
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel: 「I still have one last question…… rather than calling it a question, it would be better to call it a personal request.」
Laplace raised her brow, gazing at Angel: 「A request?」
Angel: 「Previously you once mentioned, that if a living person were to enter the Mirror World, if there were no guide, they would inevitably lose their way.」
Laplace nodded: 「Yes, I indeed said that.」
Angel: 「I am actually quite interested in the Mirror World, and in the future I might use the Mirror World as a topic to do some research. I do not know, when the time comes, whether I could invite Laplace to be my guide?」
Angel had already thought it through, that if Laplace agreed, then this would also count as a kind of request. Then, he would, by narrating the second 「answer」, take it as a return gift.
The first answer, without a doubt, is Blood Night Sanctuary; and as for the second answer, Angel had also already envisioned it, and that is…… the Wilderness of Dreams.
Laplace gave him the impression, of not being a creature with a complex mind. Moreover, the environment she lives in is cut off from the world, and she slumbers year round, perfectly fitting the conditions of the Wilderness of Dreams.
One could say, that not only would this expand the 「talent」 of the Wilderness of Dreams, it would also make it convenient for Angel, by means of the Wilderness of Dreams’ authority, to place a positioning mark on Laplace.
Angel was thinking very far ahead, but Laplace had no intention of cooperating.
Laplace said lightly: 「So this is your last question…… mm, a request?」
Angel nodded. Although in his heart he actually still had quite a few doubts, it was just that, most of the questions were like this one, purely to satisfy his personal desires.
Questions of this sort, if asked during private small talk or gatherings similar to a tea party, would be no problem. But at a time like this, to waste everyone’s time merely in order to satisfy one’s own curiosity, is really not worthwhile.
Laplace: 「No.」
Laplace did not hesitate in the slightest, and directly refused.
Angel had originally thought up his wording, but under Laplace’s indifferent gaze, he could only silently swallow it back down.
「Then I have no other questions, now, it should be my turn to say the answer, right? Do you want to hear it now?」 As the atmosphere was gradually turning stagnant, Angel forcibly pulled the topic back.
Laplace glanced at Angel, whose expression was slightly awkward, and seemed to realize that her attitude was not very considerate, after pondering for a moment, she said: 「My true body will not, for ordinary reasons, leave the Sea of Void Mirrors, and you, are unable to enter the Sea of Void Mirrors.」
In Laplace’s view, Angel’s so-called leading the way was merely a reason so ordinary it could not be more ordinary, not worth her especially doing it, and that was why she refused without the slightest hesitation.
Angel: 「I also have never thought about going to the Sea of Void Mirrors.」
Angel’s so-called invitation for Laplace to be a guide was certainly not to go to the Sea of Void Mirrors to contact her true body, he was referring to Laplace’s Time Body.
Previously, in order to give them a 「surprise」, the Sovereign of Wisdom had also contacted Laplace, and the way of making contact was certainly not to seek out her true body, but rather to find Laplace’s Time Body.
In Angel’s thinking, he might also be able to use this method to get in touch with Laplace.
Laplace also understood the meaning in the look that Angel had right now, furrowing her brows slightly, she said calmly: 「As for the Time Body…… ordinarily I will not let the Time Body leave my true body. My Time Body, only in the Sea of Void Mirrors, can continuously absorb new memories.」
After pausing for a moment, Laplace raised her eyes to look at Angel: 「I know, you want to say that the Sovereign of Wisdom has also contacted me before. But, do you know how the Sovereign of Wisdom contacted me?」
Angel: 「……Younus? The One-Eyed Family?」
Laplace nodded: 「Not that stupid.」
「It was One-Eyed Second Treasure that came to find me.」 Laplace: 「It came to the Sea of Void Mirrors and communicated with me.」
Speaking of this, Laplace added a little more: 「Compared to Big Treasure and Little Treasure, Second Treasure is more mysterious than they are. It says it can only stay above the Sea of Void Mirrors and cannot dive into the Sea of Void Mirrors, but I know it is lying.」
「Because of One-Eyed Second Treasure’s ability, it can serve as the medium for the Sovereign of Wisdom to contact me. But do you have anything like that?」
Angel…… truly did not.
Or rather, Angel himself did not even know whether he had one.
Angel had two options in his heart, one was the Mirror Wraith, and the other was the Void Traveler Haralenne. However, the Mirror Wraith has harmed too many people, and Angel could not possibly let it leave.
For Haralenne, on the surface it still looked quite suitable. Because Haralenne basically has no 「memories」, the Sea of Void Mirrors would not have too great an effect on it.
But also because Haralenne does not have many memories, its intelligence is very low, and Angel cannot give it complicated orders, he can only use it as a 「gofer」, whose sole function is to contact Woof Woof.
If Haralenne truly were unaffected by the Sea of Void Mirrors, perhaps he could, by relying on Woof Woof, carry out a round of operations.
However, there are too many uncontrollable factors in this process, especially since Haralenne would be entering an unfamiliar world alone, and its safety also needs to be taken into consideration.
So, all things considered, even if Haralenne had a high probability of being able to be shaped into this role, Angel would still weigh it prudently.
When she saw Angel remain silent in response, Laplace then knew the answer. She also did not mock Angel, and only said mildly: 「I remember the shadow memory inside the mask. If in the future you have a way, holding the mask and smoothly reaching the Sea of Void Mirrors, I will let the Time Body follow the aura of the shadow memory to look for you.」
With matters said to this point, Laplace did not continue.
Nor did she raise any demands, because she did not feel that Angel could possibly have a way to reach the Sea of Void Mirrors safe and sound. If he truly came to the Sea of Void Mirrors, it was estimated that in no more than a few seconds, he would be wiped of all memories by those omnipresent 「waves」, and in the end become a hollow person.
At that time, Laplace could, for the sake of today, send Angel back to reality. Only, he would probably have to start from common sense, and relearn how to be a person.
Although Laplace did not think highly of Angel, in the end she still gave him a way out, so, Angel still solemnly offered her a word of thanks.
After expressing his thanks, Angel then prepared to tell Laplace the 「answer」. However, Laplace opened her mouth one step ahead of him.
「Since you have already finished asking your questions, then, it is my turn to fulfill my promise.」 Laplace said.
Angel was stunned for a moment, and very quickly realized, that what Laplace called her promise was…… her Gift-Words.
Angel very much wanted to say 「it doesn’t matter」, but after thinking about it, he still kept silent.
Laplace’s gaze first fell upon Angel’s shoulder, where Dangros had transformed into a clenched fist, and was just standing straight there on his shoulder.
Transforming into a fist was not to show off its might, and according to Dangros’ explanation, this was for 「cultivation」.
However, in Angel’s view, once the fist was clenched, the face in the palm was wrapped tightly by the fingers, looking more like putting a blindfold over the eyes, suitable for sleeping.
Of course, this was only Angel’s teasing. Sleeping was impossible, but slacking off was quite possible.
「Its way of thinking is changing.」 Laplace said, pointing at Dangros.
「This is the Gift-Words？」
Not only was Angel puzzled, the others were also very puzzled, previously, were not Laplace’s Gift-Words a whole heap of verbose phrases, how come they had become so straightforward now.
Laplace was silent for a moment: 「……As it concerns you, not much information can be reflected.」
Everyone suddenly understood, that Dangros’ 「Gift-Words」 happened to be connected to Angel, so what Laplace could see was limited, and naturally she could neither expound at length, nor give a summarizing definition.
Angel also did not know what he ought to respond, and after racking his brains, in the end he only squeezed out one sentence: 「Uh…… just do your best.」
Perhaps Angel’s 「comfort」 was a bit too hurtful, for Laplace’s figure quivered slightly, and even her chest showed a clearly visible rise and fall.
After a long while, Laplace finally 「tidied」 her emotions into order, her gaze lowered, looking toward the second 「living thing」 on Angel’s body, the Wood Spirit.
「……It has made a choice that it believes to be right.」 After a long interval, Laplace finally forced herself to speak out the Gift-Words concerning the Wood Spirit. The Gift-Words were also very simple, and just like the previous ones about Dangros, they were all simply descriptions of the Wood Spirit’s inner voice.
With high probability this was also related to Angel, so, nothing much could be reflected, and she could only gloss it over.
By this point, Angel already had no trust at all in Laplace’s Gift-Words. This kind of Gift-Words was even more low-level than White Bear’s short staff.
However, though he thought this way in his heart, on the surface Angel still very much gave her face, after Laplace finished speaking, he also followed along by nodding slightly, putting on an expression of sudden realization.
Finally, Laplace turned her gaze to the last 「living thing」 on Angel’s body, Eremy.
As for Eremy, Laplace was also looking with great care. However, no one else had any particular expectations, and they even took advantage of the time while Laplace was observing Eremy to start chatting inside the mental link.
「Her so-called reflection of the heart, is it prophecy?」 Vai asked curiously: 「I feel like, what she just said really was talking about me.」
「What now? You really take yourself to be that 『loner hidden among the crowd』?」 Daus raised an eyebrow and said: 「It was nothing more than piling up flowery phrases, you must not forget, back when we first met, for the sake of that so-and-so, how many love poems you wrote, how many days and nights you spent grieving and lamenting, I still remember you coming to me in the middle of the night, crying your eyes out as you poured out your woes. Now that you think back on it, isn’t it embarrassing?」
Vai: 「……These two things, basically have nothing to do with each other, okay?」
Vai narrowed his eyes a little, and looked toward Daus: 「You just purely want to bring these things up, right?」
It had to be said, Vai and Daus truly deserved to be long-time close friends, with just a turn of thought, he really did hit the mark.
Only, Daus showed not a trace of shame at having his thoughts spoken out loud, and instead said in an unconcerned, straightforward way: 「I remember there was once a customer in my tavern, who told me a certain theory. Embarrassment can be covered over with embarrassment.」
「Were you not previously invaded by the fungal barrier, how embarrassing that was. If I now talk about something even more embarrassing, doesn’t that cover up the earlier embarrassment?」
Vai had originally already been deliberately trying somewhat to forget this matter, but at Daus bringing it up like this, he again felt as if an arrow had struck his chest.
Moreover, how could embarrassment cover up embarrassment? This is simply wrong, this is fundamentally just double the embarrassment!
「This is simply…… twisted logic.」
Daus: 「Twisted logic? Angel, you tell me, is this twisted logic?」
If Angel at this moment answered yes, even though it would be supporting Vai, it would also, in disguise, admit that previously when Vai dispelled the mycobarrier he had been quite wretched and embarrassed. If he answered no, then it would make it seem as though he too supported this kind of line of argument. It could be said, whether Angel answered yes or answered no, he would not win in any way.
For this kind of no-win-on-either-side question, Daus deliberately asked him, clearly wanting to drag him down into the water as well.
Faced with this, Angel chose……
「Rather than discussing this kind of meaningless argument, it would be better to talk about your plans for the future. Do you want to follow me back to the Savage Grottoes, or follow me back to Phantom Island instead?」
Angel stared seriously at Daus, using his gaze to signal: Do not forget, you still owe me a debt.
Daus had originally been all smiles and easy talk, but on hearing Angel’s words, his whole person was as if struck by five bolts of lightning, and he froze on the spot…… This, these Savage Grottoes and Phantom Island, what the heck difference is there between them?
Previously, if Vai’s state had been that of being critically struck, then at this moment Daus’ state was that of having his defenses broken.
And Vai, who had been the one critically struck, had already begun to gradually recover his wits, and even had spare energy to watch Daus make a fool of himself, whereas Daus was still frozen in place……
After Angel used one sentence to put an end to the dispute in the mental link, Laplace also came back to herself from her observation.
She pondered for a moment, and said softly: 「The demon host who vainly seeks to awaken once more, whose former dust of the past has already vanished, whose guarding has turned into ruin, whose bygones have turned into flying ash, only within the chaotic cinder flames perhaps may see a faint chance of rebirth.」
This time, Laplace returned to the style of her previous Gift-Words. Perhaps because she had continuously crashed on Dangros and the Wood Spirit just now, Laplace not only provided a definition for Eremy, she even, unprecedentedly, gave out a 「suggestion」.
However, the literal meaning, Angel did understand.
But the deeper meaning hidden beneath the literal wording, Angel was still completely at a loss about.
Laplace’s way of addressing Eremy was: the demon host who vainly seeks to awaken once more.
Every single character, Angel recognized. But…… what does it mean?
Awakening, on the surface, is a good word. But in the Panic World, this is a deadly word.
There are far too many monsters and demons in the Panic World, with power levels roughly comparable to those in the Wizarding World, the strength of these monsters and demons can be imagined. Yet in the Panic World there exists no transcendent system similar to wizards, the intelligent beings living there have only one way to fight against the monsters and demons, and that is to become monsters and demons themselves.
By sealing the monsters and demons into their own bodies, they become 「demon hosts」, using the power of the monsters and demons to defeat the monsters and demons, in order to protect the safety of their own kind.
But the power of the monsters and demons, in the end, is not their own. Once the power of the monsters and demons is used beyond its limit, it will 「awaken」.
A demon host after awakening can completely be called a new monster and demon, even stronger than the monsters and demons. They have no emotions, no bonds, and even less any sense of kinship.
In the previous second the demon host is still guarding their own kind, and in the next second, once awakened, the demon host will take their own kind as food.
It can be said, that awakening, in the Panic World is a taboo word.
Awakening represents bidding farewell to humanity.
And Eremy, is precisely an awakened demon host.
For a demon host who has already awakened, how is it that in Laplace’s Gift-Words it has become…… 「a demon host who vainly seeks to awaken once more」.
How come, can a demon host still bloom a second time, and awaken twice?