Entering through the entrance was a majestic hall.

(A chapel...?)

　At the back of the hall, which was lined with several pillars, there was a statue of a goddess of about five meds.

　It resembles the goddess statue in the tower....

　Is this the temple of Lord Yacour?

　Weathered by the years, the pillars of the hall were broken, the walls and ceiling were crumbling, and leaves and branches of plants were growing out of them.

　My heart was hot.

　Advancing into the light coming from the ceiling, I walked closer to the statue of the goddess.

　And.

Merle, please wait.

　Illtimina, who has been chasing me, calls out to me.　

　Kilt-san and Solstice also show up.

''Is this.......an ancient temple?''
'Ugh...'

　Mr. Kilt was stunned, staring at his surroundings, while Solstice's red eyes sparkled.

　I looked back at the three of them.

　Wong.

!

　The triangular metal plate that Kilt was holding in his hand emitted a white light.

''Mmm?''

　In her astonished hands, the brilliance hits the large goddess statue.

　Instantly.

　paan

　The goddess statue glowed bright white.

(Whoa!)

"Yikes!
Nuh-uh!
Merle..........

　I'm dizzy.

　Illtimina-san rushes over to me and hugs me to protect me.

　The light has spread throughout the hall.

　I can no longer keep my eyes open.

　For a few seconds we were in the white darkness.

　Eventually, I feel the light fading behind my eyelids.

　Finally, I was able to open my blue eyes.

'....What?

　It was a wilderness.

　Only the deserted, dry, red earth and the blue sky stretched out in front of us.

''Is this...?''

　Illtimina-san.........

　She who was hugging me was also beside me.

''........What is this place?''
What the hell happened to you?

　If you look at them, you can also see Kirt-san and Solstice a little bit farther away.

(What on earth...?)

　That's when I thought.

　Creepy.

　Feeling a horrible chill behind us, the four of us turned around at the same time.

'Huh?'

　There was a monster there.

　Could it be ten meds long?

　Two fearless pillars of flesh stood side by side, connected overhead.

　At the junction, there was a human figure.

　A girl with dark skin and black hair, who seemed to be in her teens.

　A pillar of flesh protruded from the girl's shoulders like a thick arm, reaching to the ground.

　Her bare, black legs were shaking in the air.

　And the girl was laughing - like a red crescent moon, with her mouth split open.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


(Demon fragments...?!)

　There's no mistaking the evil atmosphere it emits!

　The distance between them is about 30 meh.

　Shaoosh.

　Before I could even think about it, I had pulled out my 'Fairy Sword'.

　Illtimina-san also held her 'White-winged Spear' and Kilt-san also held her 'Great Sword of Thunder' and stepped forward to protect me.

　Solstice was also a night late, and she held her great staff with a tragic face.

(Why is there a piece of the devil here!

　No, where are we in the first place!

　It's confusing.

　But there's no time for that.

　Gujuri, jullll.

　Dozens of black tentacles stretched out from the surface of the fleshy arm.

''Poof!''

　I re-position my sword to the upper level.

　And that's when.

　I felt a hot presence rushing in from behind us.

(?!)

　I didn't have time to look back.

　The incoming spirits rushed past the four of us and ran past the four of us to the monster in front of us.

''........What?''

　I was taken aback by it.

　Running past us were dozens of boys and girls and a few grown men and women.

　They all held rainbow-colored weapons in their hands.

''What the hell are these guys?!''
!
What, eh, eh?

　The three of them are also astonished.

(They're all 'children of God'........!)

　Whether it was because they were kindred spirits or due to Arcuin's memory, I soon realized.

　They all have a determined look on their faces.

　And they attacked the monster as if they couldn't see us.

''Ohhhh........''

　A girl sings.

　Black tentacles wriggle as if dancing in time, intercepting the "Children of God" and others.

　Gakki Zakyuun.

　Sparks scattered and fresh blood danced.

　The rainbow-colored armor slashed through the black tentacles, and the black tentacles were also slicing through the bodies of the 'Sons of God' and others.

　One step forward and one step back.

The 'Sons of God' and the others' skills are tremendous, and their fighting techniques are far more refined than mine.

(.........yet)

　Even with that many warriors gathered together, they can't defeat this giant 'Demon Piece'!

　The black tentacles repel attacks with tremendous hardness and speed, and they also injure the "Sons of God" and others.

''Ohhhh........''　

　The girl's mouth opened in a round shape.

　Instantly, a tremendous shockwave was released from it.

''!''

　dobaaan

　A number of "God's children" and others are blown away.

　Fresh blood is scattered in the wilderness sky.

"..........

　But I was unharmed.

　Illtimina-san, Kilt-san, and Solstice weren't blown away either.

　On the contrary, not a hair was shaken.

　What does that mean?

　It added to the confusion.

　Mr. Illtimina made a face as he noticed something.

　She reaches out her hand and tries to touch one of the 'sons of God' close by.

　But

　quickly

　His white hands penetrated and slipped through the clothes and flesh of the 'Son of God'.

(Eh....?)

　Me and Solstice roll our eyes.

'Is this ... an illusion?'

　Mr. Kilt muttered.

(Illusion?)

　I stared at her, stunned.

　Then.

That's right, my brave boy.

　A powerful, divine voice echoed through the world.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　In the air of the wilderness, a particle of light was born.

　It converged and eventually transformed into a giant, about three meds tall.

　The upper half of the body is a beautiful human woman.

　The lower half of the body is the limbs of a godly and noble beast.

　The beautiful figure of a half-man, half-beast.

　Ah.........

"Lord Yacoult!

　I was screaming, my throat breaking.

　The beautiful goddess of the hunt looked at me, her subordinate, and smiled serenely.

　Then she nodded.

　Illtimina and the others were stunned.

''Goddess Yacowl........''
This is....

　The sisters muttered.

　Mr. Kilt's golden eyes widened, then slowly narrowed.

　And then.

Goddess. Is your appearance a mirage...?

　I said.

　Master Yacowl looked at Mr. Kirt with admiration.

'-You are right, my brave son of man. This figure is only part of a dream vision I bring from the distant world of God.

　A dream vision.....

　I reached out my hand to Master Yacowl.

　I touched the beautiful fur..........but these little fingers slipped through it.

　..................

　I can't help but stare at my fingers.

　Yacowl-sama smiled a little sadly.

''--My child, do not be sad. Still, my heart is with you.''

Yes.

　I clenched my lips and nodded strongly.

　Lady Yacowl nodded, and then looked at her sisters at my side.

　Solstice flinched a bit, and Iltimina-san didn't take a step back, but met the goddess' gaze.

　Ms. Kilt asked.

'Goddess, what is this place all about?　What are the straws looking at?　Could you please tell me?

..........

　Master Yacowl turns around, shaking his long hair.

　She looked at Mr. Kilt with her beautiful eyes.

This is an illusion of the past. This is an illusion of the past, an event that stretches back 300 years to a time when the Seeds of Disaster were in full bloom.

　I told him.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　300 years ago!

Is that the first 'dark child' born...?

　I ask back, aghast.

　Master Yacour.

Yeah.

　He affirmed that he was.

　Kilt and the others are also stunned.

(I mean, then...)

　The four of us naturally turn our gaze to the 10-med giant monster there.

　That one.....

　That is the first 'Devil's Piece' born in this world.

(............)

　I felt fear as if my heart had been squeezed in a tight grip.

　Illtimina and the others also continued to stare at the monster in a daze.

　''Geez, dpaan.

　Even as we continued to stare, the Children of God and the others were boldly attacking the terrifying monster.

　Dozens of them.

　Even though there are so many of the Children of God using the Divine Armor, we can't defeat them.

(They're too different in strength from the 'Devil's Piece' we defeated...)

　Individual differences?

　Or is it because it's a 'demon piece' that has regained its power, not right after it was resurrected?

　I don't know.

　Maybe those are the reasons, or maybe there are other reasons.

　What we do know is that

We don't stand a chance now.

　It's a fact.

　

''Ah........''

　At that moment, Illtimina-san let out a small voice.

(?)

　She looked at the corner where the 'Sons of God' had gathered.

　I couldn't help but follow their gaze.

''Huh...?''

　And that's where I was.

　Mr. Kilt and the others noticed it too.

"That's...
"Merle?

　Solstice also mumbles my name without a second thought.

　But

No, sir.

　Mr. Illtimina said in a hard, sure voice.

'That's not Marle. It's probably a different person before he became Marl.'
..........
..........
...Jingu Arcuin.

　I replied.

　There he was, just like me, but different from me.

　A noble and perfect soul goddess.

　In his hand, he held a 'rainbow-colored long sword' that seemed to surpass his own height.

　And beside him were six boys and girls holding the same weapon.



　My chest is painful.

　Sadness and nostalgia raged in my chest the moment I saw them.

　They were all covered in wounds.

　They were bleeding, and yet they didn't lose their fighting spirit as they took on the monster.

''Wooh-oh!''

　The roar of a hound.

　With it roaring across the battlefield, the seven of them rushed at the monster like one creature.

　Brrrrrr.

　I resisted the urge to run with him.

　Even though I knew it was an illusion.

　Still, I wanted to fight with my friends, my precious family.

(No.)

　I screamed in my mind at these feelings.

　I am Merle!

　I'm not Arkyn anymore, I'm Merle!

　That's what I tell myself.

　Geez.

!

　Iltimina-san hugged me from my back side.

''.........''
..........

　Yeah.....

(I am, I am.)

　Thank you, Illtimina.

　The existence of myself, which was on the verge of wavering, once again took on a solid form and I felt calm.

''.........''

　The Goddess Yacour gazed at us.

　And then her gaze turned upward.

(?)

　Up...?

　Something passed through the sky as I looked up.

　Dopapang.

　Instantly, there were many explosions on the flesh mass of the 'devil shards'.

　Flesh popped and tentacles were torn to shreds.

　But at the same time, the Children of God and the others who were there were also blown away.

(What...?

　The shredded hand that says it's an illusion rolls in front of me.

　Eh, what?

　What happened?

　I was stunned.

　Mr. Kilt was looking back at me, aghast, at the far horizon.

　There, I saw many people.

　........humans.

　Humans with a knight-like appearance were gathered there.

　In the midst of them, there was a row of black shiny tubes.

　Countless amounts of smoke were rising from the holes at the tips of those tubes.

　A cannon....?

You didn't think... did you shoot him?

　There was surprise, anger and suspicion in Mr. Kilt's voice.

(Did he shoot?)

The Son of God?　A cannon?

　The vision of the goddess silently lowers her godly eyes.

　Don Don.

　The air is shaken with the sound of heavy gunfire.

　After a few moments, the bullet landed on the body of the Demon Fragment and blew away all the Children of God and others.

　Dopapang!

Huh.

One of the God Dogs of Yacour was blown away.

One of the God's Children shouted in the direction of the humans, but the bombardment did not stop.

　But the bombardment did not cease.

　Even as they retreated, the "Devil's Piece" in front of them killed the "Sons of God" who turned their backs on them with their tentacles.

　From the front, it's the Devil's Piece.

　From behind, the humans' bombardment.

The Children of God and others were caught between the two and were unable to escape.

''What is this.......what is it?''

　Solstice muttered, turning pale.

　The cruelty shown by the humans.

　As the same human being, he doesn't want to accept it.

(Ah........)

　Rapt and Lectoris once said.

　Three hundred years ago, the humans thought of the Children of God and others as tools to protect their lives.

　And now we're seeing it with our own eyes.

''~~~~!　~~!''

　Amidst the rain of gunfire, someone from the 'Son of God' shouted.

　Then, he pointed his weapon at the black monster in front of him.

　That's right.

　If they wanted to survive, they had no choice but to defeat this monster as soon as possible.

The Children of God will strike with even greater force.

　To save their own lives and the lives of their comrades, above all else.

　And for the sake of the human race they have decided to save.

But......

　I know how it ends.

　I know where this is going to end.

................................

　chow (mahjong)

　Illtimina's arms, holding me, were filled with strength.

　She looked at the direction where the humans were.

　I don't want to see them.

　But I saw them.

　A big, big, golden-colored magic weapon.

　The barrel of a huge magic weapon with a tip like a spear, which looked like a 30-medium weapon, was pointing towards us.

(Stop!　(Please, don't do that!)

　I burst into tears.

　But this is an illusion of the past.

　The events that have happened cannot be changed.

　An electrical discharge ran through the golden spear.

　It gradually became stronger and stronger, becoming a dazzling light.

The Son of God and the others noticed it too.

　But there was nothing they could do about it.

　They couldn't escape and could only continue to stare at its betrayed despair.

　And then.

　Co-On.

　A strangely light sound resounded through the world and a golden light shot out of the magic weapon.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　Everything was swallowed by the golden light.

The Devil's Piece, the Children of God, the God Dogs of Yacour, and of course, the God Dog Arkyn.

　All of them.

　All of them disappeared into the light.

''.........''
..........
..........
..........

　When the light went out, we were back in the temple hall.

　Boom, boom, boom.

　My heart is a premature bell.

　My limbs were shaking and I couldn't even speak.

　It was the same with the other three, none of them moving slightly.

　Illtimina-san's arms, which were hugging me, had also become hard, as if she had become a stone statue.

''-- Everything is a dream vision of the past. And it's real.''

　The half-human, half-beast goddess quietly announced.

　The illusion of the past may have disappeared, but only the figure of Lord Yacowl remained.

　Kotsubu, Kotsubu.

　With the sound of a beast's claws against the stone floor, there is a hint of Yacowl-sama walking.

''--Mar.''

..........

　I look up.

　Right in front of me is a beautiful three-made goddess, looking at me.

''Will you believe in humans now?

　A clear voice.

　There is no other intention in the question, it sounds as just a question.

''...........''

　I didn't have an answer right away.

　I look inside myself.

　...........

I don't know.

　I answered honestly.

"But,

..........　

'I believe in the people I know. So for those people, I can fight for them.

　sizzling sound

　I clenched my fists.

　My heart was still trembling, but that was the only thing inside me that didn't waver.

　For everyone.

　For Illtimina-san.

　For that.

I'll fight anyone who will listen.

　Even if it was the first 'Devil's Piece', absolutely.

　Yacowl-sama nodded.

''--I see.''

　It was a voice that sounded both happy and sad for my child's growth.

　And then his divine gaze turned to the human woman who held me in her arms.

'-- Are you the son of the man my child believes in, Iltimina Wong?

..........

　Ms. Illtimina couldn't answer.

　She could only stare back at the big goddess' beauty, as if pushed by a divine presence.

　Solstice was trembling.

　She had seen the scene now, too.

　The work of humans who betrayed the gods and killed the Children of God and others.

　That's why it seemed that being in front of the goddess like this right now was so terrifying.　

　Even that Kirt-san was pale.

　The goddess Yacowle still asks the question.

''-- Knowing the karma of humans and their sins, do you still seek this child?''

..........

"You've seen the devil in action, haven't you?　If you stay close to her, the evil will come to you. And now you want to be with him?

I demand...

　With a rusty movement of her lips, though, she replied.

　...........

　Her crimson eyes have a strong light in them.

''I am...already dead.

..........

'And it is this Marle who has helped me. ....it is not death that I fear most. I fear not being able to be with him.

　chow (mahjong)

　A trembling hand hugs me.

　The heat transmitted from their palms burns my heart as well.

　Iltimina Wong says to the goddess.

'Protect this child and make her happy...'

..........

'I have sworn to do so, and my heart will never be broken, even by a goddess.

　Quietly, but proudly, he told her so.

(Mr. Illtimina....)

　My heart trembled.

　I felt tears spill out of my eyes.

　I put my own hands on her hands as she held my little body in her arms.

"..........
..........

　Warm enough to be hot.

　It's not going to budge.

　I'll never leave.

(Even if Master Yacowle does not approve.)

　I will definitely live with Ms. Illtimina.

　I promised myself that I would live with her.

..........

　Master Yacowl looked at the two of us.

　Eventually.

I see.

　I spun that one word as I spilled my breath.

　Knock, knock.

　Slowly, I step back.

'--I know you're ready.

　A quiet, calm voice.

'--I knew the deeds of God and man in the world of dreams and tried to see if you still wish for it. And on top of that, I know the strength of your relationship. I will say nothing more.''

　

　Me and Illtimina-san looked up at the half-man, half-beast goddess together.

　Lord Yacour-sama was smiling.

''-- Descendants of my congregation, I entrust my child to the blood of his priestess.

　whistling sound

　A white flame lit up in the palm of the beautiful person's right hand.

　When her right arm was gently waved, the white flame struck Ms. Illtimina.

''I, Illtimina-san!

　I panicked.

　Solstice held her mouth with both hands, and Mr. Kilt reflexively tried to run away.

　But Mr. Illtimina's body didn't burn.

Is this...?

　She didn't seem to be feeling the heat herself.

　Huh?　Huh?

　Eventually, the white flames that had been burning Illtimina-san disappeared as if they were absorbed into her physical body.

''--The blessing was given.''

　Master Yacour said.

'- You can only use your power once. I hope you will use it to protect my beloved child.

　A soft smile.

　Miss Illtimina stared back at the goddess's smile.

Yes, sir.

　I answered firmly.

　Master Yacowl nodded in satisfaction.

　Then he closed his eyes.

This is all I can do for now.

　He spilled out a long, long breath.　

　And the beautiful figure of the three-made half-man, half-beast was gradually peeled away from the outside as particles of light.

''Yacowl-sama........''

　I reached out to him without a second thought.

　Lord Yacowle laughs.

"...live, my darling son Mahr.

　That smile, too, was shattered into particles of light.

　After circling around us, the light particle circles around us and rises from the hole in the heavens where it was shattered to the sky and slowly disappears with the wind.

　...........

　Silence returned to the hall of the temple.

''Mar.''

　I hear Iltimina's voice.

　I turned around.

　I wasn't going to cry, or so I held back.

　She looked at me kindly and hugged me to her chest to hide my face.

''I will protect you. In place of the goddess Yacour, this Iltimina Wong, I'm sure.
Yes.

　whistling sound

　He sniffed and nodded.

　The Goddess Yacour, who had given him the blessing and given it to me, had gone home.

　That's all.

(That's all I know...)

　I couldn't look up for a moment in Iltimina's chest.