I want to start working on Levithesis’ seal right away, but unfortunately, I’m out of magic energy. I couldn’t even cast beginner rank magic.
Also, I can’t finish it off or seal it if that’s not what Queen Undine wants.
This will be hard, but Vermeer also asked me to do it, so I have to try.
(In any case, I can’t do anything without magic energy, so I’ll have to wait and recover a little.)
I need at least an hour’s worth. It’ll be trouble if it wakes up in the meantime, but we just have to pray that it doesn’t.
We need to be careful not to provoke it too.
I go back to Queen Undine to explain the situation.
“I see, then let’s do as you say.”
She accepts, so I’m going to focus on recovering magic energy, and we’re going to leave it be. In the meantime, we’re going to think about how to deal with Levithesis.
“Queen Undine! Mister Loyd! Are you hurt!?”
Says Vermeer as she runs towards us with Mars and Lela behind her.
“I am fine.”
“Me too.”
“That is very good to hear.”
She looks relieved.
“I’m glad to see you’re uninjured too. And those two behind you?”
Asks Queen Undine about Mars and Lela. Apparently she just didn’t notice them until now.
These two are great with people, but even they get noticeably nervous when it comes to Queen Undine.
“They’re my friends. We just happened to be together, so we all came here. They didn’t fight directly, but they cheered me on with Vermeer.”
“I see. So you were with Vermeer. I’m sorry I didn’t see you.”
“No no, we didn’t really do anything.”
“We just watched.”
Neither seems to mind, and then they introduce themselves.
“My name is Lela, and this is my friend Mars.”
“I’m Mars. It is an honor to meet you, Queen Undine.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mars and Lela.”
““T-the pleasure is all ours.””
Neither can hide how nervous they are, and they sound a little awkward.
I was like this last time too.
“By the way Queen Undine, what should be done about Levithesis?”
Asks Vermeer. Suffice to say, she’s not too keen on putting it down or sealing it.
If we take harsh measures, we will probably leave behind a lot of lingering resentment.
I’m out of magic energy, but I’m also more tired than usual because I fought in a completely different way.
And so, I throw Queen Undine a question that’s passed through my mind a few times.
“Queen Undine, do you have any idea what could have caused it to go berserk?”
“Not really, but I usually let it roam freely, so maybe it got roped into some sort of trouble.”
“Trouble… Is there a dangerous area around here, like an Area Zero?”
“A few, the most famous of which being the Abyss of Dark Spirits.”
“Abyss of Dark Spirits?”
“A cemetery used by the Kingdom of Atlanta long ago. Dark spirits often appear there, so it is a famously dangerous location.”
“Dark spirits…”
I repeat what she said.
Dark spirits are undead monsters that possess living beings and rob them of their consciousness.
That’s all I know, so I can’t say for certain that it’s related to Levithesis. Queen Undine has been alive for a long time, so I wonder if she knows more.
It might be a good idea to ask, because it might shine a light on why Levithesis hated that meteorite so much too.
Meteorite, holy power, saintess…
…Hn? Saintess?
Is there a saintess in Atlanta? I’ve heard anecdotes surrounding Queen Undine and mermaids, but I’ve never heard anything about a saintess in Atlanta.
Also, there are no Area Zero in the ocean. It’s said they only exist on the surface.
Maybe I just don’t know about them. Maybe they really don’t exist.
“Hum, Queen Undine, I want to confirm something…”
But just as I’m about to ask, the ground shakes a lot, and I see Levithesis slowly getting up.
“This is bad. It’s already waking up? I haven’t recovered my magic energy yet…”
I let out a small sigh, and raise my staff to fight back, but two figures jump in front of me. Mars and Lela.
“Everyone retreat to a safe place! We’ll hold it back!”
“W-we can only buy time, but we can at least hold it off until you’re safe!”
I can’t help but be surprised.
“I really appreciate it, but you should leave it to me instead of forcing yourselves.”
“You shouldn’t force yourself, Loyd. You have no magic energy, right?”
“Yes but…”
“Sensei, we haven’t just been playing adventurer all this time. We’re ready to risk ourselves for our friends.”
“I won’t regret dying here to protect you! It’s what we want!”
Hm, this is a problem.
I really appreciate it, but that’s that and this is this.
I know from our time together that they can’t fight large monsters. I can’t imagine them fighting Levithesis head on, it’s practically suicide.
And I can’t leave friends behind and run anyway.
And as we argue about running with them or fighting, Levithesis notices us and looks down at us with its big eyes.
Vermeer screams, and Levithesis opens its big mouth.
“Ah! Good morning Queen Undine!”
Says Levithesis.
“““I-it talkeeeeeeeeeeed!?”””
Eh?
You can talk?
I can only imagine it rampaging, so it’s shocking that it talks.
“Levithesis, do you know who I am?”
“Hm? I don’t know what you mean, Queen Undine, but of course that’s you. Nevermind that, let’s play!”
Levithesis talks like a child, and Queen Undine is almost moved to tears.
So, is Levithesis back to normal? Was it because it was hit with the meteorite?
There’s a good chance it really was possessed by a dark spirit. I can only guess, but that makes sense.
“Hm, I don’t really get why, but my head hurts. What happened?”
Whispers Levithesis while tilting its head, and we awkwardly laugh.
But it’s nice that it’s back to normal. It all worked out.
We meet up with all the soldiers, and return to Atlanta, along with Levithesis.
All’s well that ends well.
And it’s only after we arrive that we remember that we forgot to go get the demon king Albatross.
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