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Chapter 115. Souls

Oddly enough, I don’t sense any intention from Elixira to press me aggressively. Probably, she just wanted to check if her deductions were correct and see how much I was actually concerned about the matter.

Elixira, at her core, is more of a researcher than a magic knight. If a person with two souls and two Grimoires were standing right in front of her, of course, she’d take interest.

“I never thought that was magic.”

“I keep telling you, there is no such material that can completely repel magic power. If something like that were created… it would have to be something entirely different from any material in this world—in other words, a Grimoires.”

“…”

Frankly, I’m unsure of what to do. Should I confirm Elixira’s words and fully disclose that I use two Grimoires from two separate souls, or should I feign ignorance and act like none of it exists, as I have until now? Not too long ago, I probably would have feigned ignorance without hesitation… but thinking of Claudius, it might be better not to keep secrets from my allies.

If we’re all planning to stand against Claudius together, it might be best to lay all secrets bare—but I am afraid. Being a person who holds memories of a past life, distinct from anyone in this world, is enough to make me an outcast. I fear it precisely because I trust people.

“If you don’t want to say it, that’s fine.”

“It’s not that simple.”

I had always expected that Elixira—or Jeremiah, for that matter—would tell me it was fine if I didn’t want to speak. But that would be me taking comfort in their kindness.

“...I do have two souls inside me.”

“Then, if you don’t want to say more—”

“It’s necessary… for us to unite properly moving forward.”

I don’t know what went through Elixira’s mind as she listened to me… but she closed her mouth.

“Why is this happening? I don’t even know. But within my body, there are two souls—one is manifesting the [Yaldabaoth] Grimoires, and the other is manifesting the [Demiurge] Grimoires.”

“You’ve always worn them, haven’t you? Those rings and bracelets… I just thought it was fashion, but I never suspected they were Grimoires.”

I’m not ready to explain the abilities yet, but I want to make it clear that I possess these Grimoires, and Elixira’s suspicions about my two souls are accurate.

It feels… like I’ve been drawn in by Elixira more than I expected.

“Here’s the real issue… I can perceive the other soul within me clearly.”

“In other words?”

“There is consciousness. The true Theodore Anthem exists within me.”

Yes… If there was no consciousness, or if the souls had fused, the Grimoires would also have become one. But the fact that they are divided into the false text and the original text is proof that I and the original Theodore Anthem’s souls have not fused.

“...Could you stop calling him the ‘true Theodore Anthem’?”

“Why?”

“To you, perhaps you see yourself as a fake and the soul within you as the real Theodore Anthem… But to me, you are Theodore Anthem. You should stop thinking of yourself as a nobody who stole someone else’s life. It makes me uncomfortable, honestly.”

What a selfish woman. But… I feel a little bit saved.

Stop deciding that I’m a fake, huh? I didn’t think I was doing that, but maybe it appeared that way to Elixira.

“For someone who claims they’re a fake, you sure haven’t changed your personality or speech at all… You’ve been yourself the entire time, haven’t you?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then you’re just Theodore Anthem. I don’t know this ‘true’ person within you, either.”

“Neither do I.”

“Huh? You don’t know, but you were going on about being a fake? Idiot.”

I’m not an idiot.

“Well, judging by how the false text is white, I imagine Theodore Anthem was a more noble person… But your original text is black, so it suits the Theodore Anthem I know.”

“That’s an insult, isn’t it?”

Not comforting at all.

Also, there’s no way you can tell someone’s personality based on the color of a Grimoire. That’s obviously a lie.

Sigh… Elixira’s whims make me think a lot sometimes.

“By the way… Were you rejecting my advances because of this whole fake versus real thing?”

“Um, it’s just annoying.”

“…I was worried about your mental state for no reason! In that case, take responsibility already!”

“Responsibility for what!?”

I’m shocked by Elixira suddenly pinning me down, but I’m even more concerned with Vanessa, looking down at me with utter disdain.

“You two left me on recon duty just to flirt? Really?”

“We weren’t flirting! We were just about to start.”

“…Hey, Theodore, is she okay?”

“Sorry… She must have hit her head.”

“Ah… Get well soon.”

“Sit.”

“Guh!?”

Since Vanessa is under a shared contract with Elixira and me, she can’t disobey Elixira’s orders. Forced into a sitting position like a dog, Vanessa glares at me for help.

“…Shake.”

“I’ll kill you!”

Calm down.

“So, what about above?”

“…There were swarms of those machines.”

“Were you attacked?”

“Yes, but not as fiercely as last time. I don’t think they were combat models.”

“Interesting.”

I never even heard that the Naglfar had combat and non-combat types. But then again, kingdom researchers have never ventured this deep.

“What about the castle?”

“It’s right ahead. Direction-wise… that way.”

“…There’s no path, though.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I had assumed this underground passage led straight to the castle ruins… Could it truly be a separate structure? But this place had such powerful guardians—surely, they were protecting something.

“Let’s search around here for now… We might find something.”

If there’s nothing… it’ll be a dash through the sea of Naglfar, won’t it? I’d probably die.