That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us - Volume 3 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The Being Inside the Saint’s Necklace

ONCE OUR LITTLE EXCURSION to Fanoss was over, Marie and I found ourselves inside a laboratory on Luxion’s main ship. We’d brought the two Magic Flutes all the way here so that he could analyze them. After we set the attaché case down, he retrieved the instruments and began a basic scan. We stood there for a little over ten minutes waiting for him to finish and make his report.

At long last, Luxion said, “I suspected this beforehand. It appears that the flutes were crafted after the ancient civilization that created me had already collapsed.”

That essentially meant that these flutes were Lost Items as well, although they came from a different time period than Luxion and his creators. A bigger concern was what the flutes were capable of: manipulating monsters and summoning final bosses. They could hardly be considered standard, run-of-the-mill Lost Items.

“What stumps me is how a civilization that came after yours created something like this,” I said. It beggared belief. Even current technology couldn’t develop objects like these flutes.

“Indeed,” said Luxion. “By my calculations, it’s most likely that several civilizations followed mine and preceded yours. One of those must have been responsible for the flutes.”

Marie stared at the flutes, completely uninterested in our discussion about the planet’s history. “Okay, fine. So there was another civilization. And? What does that tell us?”

I sniffed at her, exasperated. “Why don’t you take a little more interest in history and appreciate its depth? Doesn’t it excite you at all to think that there might’ve been a civilization far more advanced than our own?”

She gave me a bored look. “The fact that Luxion exists already proves that fact. Duh. Who cares if other advanced civilizations came after his? What direct impact does that have on us?”

“None, I guess.” I shrugged.

“Yeah. I thought not.” She didn’t think learning more about the past would benefit us in any way, so she considered taking an interest in it completely pointless.

“Regarding this mystery civilization,” Luxion said, ignoring her cynical commentary, “We know that they managed to enable those flutes to manipulate monsters. I infer that this is done by creating a magical contract between the user and the monsters under the flute’s influence, the catalyst being the user’s soul.”

“What?!” Marie screeched. She must’ve been listening, despite acting like she was bored of the whole conversation. She jumped back from the flute. 

I quietly retreated a step as well. “Uh, let’s just destroy them already, okay?”

“They could be useful, so I will analyze them thoroughly before disposing of them,” said Luxion. “That said, there is no reason for you to be anxious. Using the flutes to manipulate the inferior monster varieties in this region of the world would not require the user’s soul. At worst, it might cause mental exhaustion.”

“Oh, really?”

“However, the monster sealed inside each flute itself is a different story. Some sort of mechanism allows the flutes to summon an artificial behemoth, though at the cost of the user’s life,” explained Luxion.

The worst thing about the final bosses the flutes contained was their capacity to revive even after being defeated.

“Actually, it is technically incorrect to say the monster is sealed within,” Luxion clarified. “Rather, what is actually stored inside the instrument appears to be data about the monster. The user utilizes the flute, sacrificing their own soul to gather demonic essence in the air. That manifests the behemoth into reality. Since the monster’s data is within the flute, and the monster has unrestricted access to demonic essence in the surrounding environment, it can revive itself endlessly.”

“Sounds like a pain. Can’t we just destroy them already?” said Marie.

I was on the same page.

“We could,” Luxion said, but his tone indicated he planned to do anything but. “There is great value in the magic and scientific technology behind the flutes, however, so I wish to continue my analysis.”

I was ready to be done with the flutes—the sooner the better—but I knew better than to think Luxion would be on board if I pushed the topic. It’d be worse if I forced him to destroy them; he’d never let me hear the end of it. It was better to suck it up and let him have his way.

“Fine,” I said. “But once you’re done, destroy them.”

“Of course,” said Luxion.

Since we’d entered his laboratory, I’d noticed a number of other items—and even creatures—stored inside. Some of the creatures were actually monsters. One thing in particular stood out due to how securely it was stored: a black mist inside a glass sphere. That transparent cage was about two meters or so wide. The mist trapped inside had a woman’s silhouette. She appeared to be pounding the glass wildly, trying to break out, but to no avail.

“I’ve been wondering since we came in—what’s that thing over there?” I asked, motioning to the sphere. “Some kind of monster?”

Marie eyed the mist curiously before recognition flashed over her face. “I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that thing somewhere before. Where was it?”

As she fell into silent contemplation, Luxion answered, “That is the being that possessed the Saint’s necklace. She’s an astral spirit. I suppose you could say that she is a deep-seated grudge that lingered in this world.”

A lingering grudge? As in, like, a ghost? A vengeful entity? It was the first time I’d seen something like this since reincarnating into the fantasy world. The spirit was far less terrifying than I might’ve imagined, though, largely thanks to the fact that she was caged.

“So that thing was possessing the necklace,” I muttered. “Is she trying to say something? Looks like she’s thrashing around in there.”

“I have soundproofed her container, so she can’t hear anything we say. She can’t see beyond the glass, either. She is screaming, demanding that I release her at once, and she has thus far refused to answer any of my queries,” said Luxion. “So I have been conducting experiments on her.”

I hope it’s just my imagination, but when he said the word “experiments,” his lens seemed to flash eerily.

Marie gripped my hand and squeezed. “Leon, I’m starting to think that Luxion is way more terrifying than this grudge-made-manifest. I’m not crazy, right? To think it’s scary that he’s experimenting on that thing?”

“Nope. In fact, I’m of the same opinion.”

Luxion studied us, his lens whirring as it focused. “How disrespectful. I would never do anything to harm humanity.”

You little liar. “Don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes. You tried to kill me when we first met!” I shouted.

“A most unfortunate miscalculation on my part,” he admitted.

You are something else.

“Hold on a sec,” Marie said. “When he says ‘humanity,’ he’s referring to old humanity, right? He doesn’t think of people other than us as part of humanity, does he?”

We both turned, eyeing Luxion suspiciously.

He immediately averted his gaze. “Now then, Masters, why don’t you try to speak with this astral spirit? Perhaps it will react differently to you than me.”

Don’t change the subject! I wanted to object aloud, but before I had the chance, Luxion had already removed the restrictions on the mist’s sphere so she could see and hear us. 

Soon enough, the astral spirit’s shrill voice blasted over the room’s speakers. “I’ll kill you! I’ll murder each and every one of you!!”

Her earsplitting shout made Luxion turn down the volume immediately.

“You are being too loud,” he told the spirit gruffly. “I brought Marie here as you requested. I would appreciate your showing a response distinct from your usual caterwauling.”

As the mist registered Marie’s presence, her two yellow eyes widened. She slammed against the glass as if trying to claw her way to Marie. “I found you. I found you! Marieeee! You are my descendant. Now give me your body!”

Oof. What a horrific demand. Not to mention that she looked horrifying, exactly as I’d imagined an evil spirit might look. She was a little—okay, no, very—scary. I didn’t mind monsters I could vanquish. They didn’t intimidate me at all. When it came to fighting things like ghosts, though, I wasn’t so brave.

While I trembled in fear, Marie snorted with derisive laughter, knowing the spirit couldn’t touch her. “You’re like a ferocious beast trapped in a zoo cage. How cute. It’s not very nice to demand a person’s body like that, though. Luxion, eliminate her for me.”

“If that’s what you wish, I shall,” he responded obediently.

“How can my descendant have that attitude?!” the spirit howled. “Aren’t you the least bit resentful of Holfort?! I’ll chase those bastards’ progeny to the pits of hell! I am Lier’s… Lier’s…” She froze abruptly, going quiet. Those almond-shaped yellow eyes widened and focused on me.

Uh, crap. This is kind of terrifying.

“Wh-wh-what do you want? What’re you looking at me for?” The blood drained from my face. “Wait. Don’t tell me I’m cursed or something.” As my heart raced with fear, I took another step back.

“Lier! Lieeeer!” the astral spirit howled, swelling in size and slamming against the glass sphere like a wild beast.

“Gaaaah!” I screamed. She was so menacing that I was almost in tears.

A crack ran through the glass confining the spirit. Thick shutters dropped around the spherical cage, rattling, to ensure she couldn’t escape. By that point, my breathing was erratic. I put a hand to my chest and forced myself to heave a long sigh, relieved that the experience was over. 

“That was absolutely terrifying.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Marie. “What kind of man are you? Pathetic.”

“Come on. Even you have to admit that was bone-chilling! Who doesn’t find ghosts and paranormal stuff scary?!”

I could handle monsters, but ghosts were completely different! I mean, okay, there were ghost-type monsters, but since this was a fantasy world, there was probably a way to deal with those. But not actual ghosts. There was no way to defeat them. That was what made them so terrifying.

“Ha!” Marie snorted at me. “There’s way scarier stuff out there than ghosts. Reality—and the people in it—are much worse.”

Before reincarnating into this world, Marie had led a brutal life, so I understood that other things might strike more fear into her. 

“At any rate,” I said, eager to change the subject and obfuscate my own cowardice, “You’d better keep that thing under lock and key, Luxion.”

“She displayed an astounding level of power, didn’t she? I am curious as to why she responded so strongly to you, Master, especially given that Marie was the one she requested to see. Moreover, she called you ‘Lier.’ I assume that must be a name?” Luxion was far more interested in this new discovery than anything else.

That was just as well. If the astral spirit captured his interest, he was less likely to let her slip out of her confines, right? Personally, I’d have liked him to send her to the other side as quickly as possible. But as long as she was sealed up tight, that was at least reassuring.

“The hell if I know!” I said. “Man, that gave me goosebumps. I’m ready to head back to my dorm and go to bed.” I’d take care of washing and stuff as fast as possible, then make a beeline to the mattress beneath my blanket’s safety and warmth.

Marie put her hands on her hips and stared at me. “Are you seriously scared? Like, so afraid you couldn’t even go to the bathroom by yourself in the dark? Aw. You’ve got a cute side. Want me to sleep beside you so you don’t have nightmares?”

She’s totally making fun of me! “I’m perfectly fine!”

“Sulking like that only makes you seem more childish,” she said.

She’s just gloating because ghosts don’t scare her as much as me. 

Regardless, I was still pretty shocked that a bitter astral spirit had possessed one of the Saint’s relics. I could only hope that problem was limited to the necklace, since there were two more relics out there. 

Maybe I should have Luxion look into those. “Luxion, there’s something I’d like you to do,” I said.

“Yes? What is it?”

“I want you to check into the other relics.”

There was a short pause as he considered this. Then he replied, “I can do so. However, it will be a considerable amount of time before I get to that, given its low priority and my lack of resources to allocate to it.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” I cocked my head to the side, gobsmacked. This was the first time he’d designated a request of mine as a low priority.

“We have already removed the threat posed by the Principality of Fanoss. Thus, I will prioritize investigating this planet as a whole from this point forward. We no longer have to worry about those final bosses, so we have less reason to be preoccupied with the Saint’s relics.”

Luxion had me there. Not only were those final bosses out of the way, we’d even handled the Offreys already. We’d dealt with all the protagonist’s obstacles, so there was no real need for her to possess the Saint’s relics anymore. In fact, given the problem with the necklace, it was probably safer for her not to have them.

“Although we confiscated the Magic Flutes, it is still perfectly possible that similarly powerful items are out in the world somewhere. I would prefer to allocate all my attention and resources to neutralizing those,” Luxion continued.

It was chilling to think that other items could destroy the entire world. If those items existed, we certainly couldn’t leave them lying around. It was probably best to trust Luxion’s judgment and have him investigate them.

“All right,” I said. “Prioritize those if you want, but try to look into the relics as soon as possible. It’d be a real problem if Miss Olivia got her hands on one, and it was possessed, too.”

“I will be as quick as possible. However, the chances of the astral spirit being capable of possessing Olivia are remarkably low, given that spirit’s inability to possess Marie.”

We both glanced at Marie in unison. 

She was initially surprised to be called out, but her expression soon turned sullen. “What’s that supposed to mean, huh?” she demanded.

Luxion and I traded brief looks. We both seemed to be on the same page about this.

“You’re right,” I said. “If Marie was okay, Miss Olivia shouldn’t have problems.”

“Judging purely on the abilities and powers ascribed to the Saint, Marie seems the best candidate for the position. In terms of pure potential, however, Olivia will eventually overshadow Marie,” Luxion mused. In short, even he agreed that Olivia was a better-qualified candidate for Saint.

Marie wrinkled her nose, her face reddening. “What’s with you two, tearing me down like this? Is comparing me to the protagonist that fun?!”

My smile faltered slightly. “We’re talking strictly in terms of who’d be the better Saint. No need to blow a gasket.”

“You are a splendid woman, Marie,” Luxion cut in, trying to pacify her. “In my opinion, you are far superior. That said, I allow that Olivia is better qualified to become Saint, that she has far more magical talent, and that—given how well-endowed she is, compared to you—men prefer women like her. I will even admit that she has incredible mental strength. Having said all that, you are the one whose old-human features are more prominent. That alone is sufficient for you to outshine her.”

Oof. I’m sure he meant all that as a compliment, but he phrased it like he was just trying to push her buttons more.

Marie’s face morphed into that of a demon out for blood. Her entire body trembled with barely contained rage.

I glowered at Luxion. “Why can’t you even try to be more sensitive toward humans?” It was like he’d stepped on a land mine on purpose. I was often oblivious myself, but even I was disgusted with him.

“I simply wanted to communicate that Marie is wonderful just as she is—that she need do nothing more than simply exist.”

Marie cracked her knuckles. 

Knowing that we were in the wrong, Luxion and I knelt in front of her obediently, despite sensing that was futile. Well, Luxion just kind of lowered himself to the ground, but it was the same concept. He tilted back to look up at her, attempting to appear as deferential as possible.