Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

Book 2 Epilogue 1: Oath

As I ran carrying Kuu and Lucy my vision warped and wavered as my body couldnt stop shaking.

The backlash from overusing Samsara Recursion was harsh.

At this rate

Im sorry. Im at my limits. Please take care of the rest.

I squeezed out the last of my strength and put the girls down on the side of the road gently.

After that I couldnt help but swoon, stumble two steps forward, and collapse against a nearby tree.

Cyril!

Cyril-kun!

They both panicked and ran over. I felt like their voices were coming from a great distance.

My consciousness was fading.

I had gained us quite some distance. We were only 50 km away from Erucy by now. The chances of encountering Imperial forces this far out were minuscule. It was close enough that at the very least Kuu and Lucy would be able to return.

Hide, for one nightthen if I dont, wake up by then, run away by yourselves.

I barely managed to speak before my mind sunk into blackness.

A vacant pure white room. My usual mental world.

I realized that I was within a dream.

However, it was strangely cold. I focused my senses and thought of my own body to materialize it. Then I hugged myself for warmth.

Whatis this?

I was shivering and shaking. It wasnt just that I felt cold, I was strangely exhausted.

Part of it was the rebound from Samsara Recursion but that was only a bit of it.

Yaa, so we meet again.

There was another existence besides me and the other mes.

It was a young black haired girl.

She had an impish smile on her face.

Woow was a surprised. Not only did you kill me, but you went even further. You ended up eating every bit of my existencereally surprised me. You ate me and made my existence a part of yourself. If you go that far then even I cant revive from that. Really I was shocked that there was someone in this world capable of actually killing me.

Whydo you still have awareness?

What a weird thing to ask. Its because you ate me whole in one bite. Normal people would get digested and die, but Im strong.

The black haired girls smile deepened.

Thats as far as you were able to devour me.

The exhaustion in my body became stronger. My gaze warped and twisted. It feels bad. What is this?

My soul and your own have become one. Then isnt it obvious that the stronger personality and will takes the initiative? Plusdidnt you find it too easy to devour me? I had already cast a secret art that protects my soul and consciousness. In shortIm dead, but from now on Ill live on as you. This body that killed me and your knowledgeIll take all of it. With this Ill be able to earn even more.

I desperately grasped onto my fading awareness. If I let go now then Id never return to being Cyril. I dont want this. I want to live as Cyril and be with Lucy.

If you want to hate something then hate that you invited a strong soul with a vivid personality like mine inside yourself while not being strong enough to handle it. Goodbye.

The girl announced her victory.

However

Ahahahahahahahahaha

To call such a shallow and petty technique a secret art

Strong soul? You call this tawdry imitation a soul?

Vivid Personality? Oioi thats a joke right!? That faith without any passionan empty existence? Ahh I laughed too much and now my stomach hurts.

The room echoed from the sound of unseen and indifferent existences scorning her existence.

My body temperature returned to normal and the weariness in my soul disappeared.

What, is, this, so weirdIm disappearing, butI should be on the taking side. Like always. From now on, as well, but, why is it, different now?

The girl started panicking and it looked like she was doing a foolish dance as she fumbled around her body looking for something.

Haa

Suddenly I saw a large black hole appear around her feet and a huge lion sized dog emerged from it with mouth opened wide and began to swallow the girl whole.

Bark bark

The dog didnt even need to chew. It simply continued to devour her body slowly and completely.

No I dont want to disappear! I dont want to die! I wasnt told about this. This is impossible. How is it possible for a soul to have two! No, theres so many? All separate but one? Then why is thisthere shouldnt be a person like this.

There is one though. Un, for a toy its pretty well made. For an inherent magichuh, unexpectedly simple in structure. If its at this degree then we can repurpose it for general use, but the idea is creative. To think that after coming here wed make a new discoverybut what a shame. How lacking. What an uninteresting soul.

Please let me live, Ill doIll do anything so!

Nah dont wanna. Its gross. I dont like other people staying in my room.

Those words finished it and the girl was completely devoured. The dog finally revealed its full body from the hole.

Its jet black coat was beautiful. Looking more closely it had sharp features, sharp fangs, and looked more like a wolf than a dog.

It was just that identifying a creature that was more than 3 meters long as a wolf was a bit off.

The black wolf started licking and grooming itself.

The me unknown to myself. At the very least it was one of the 5 mes that I could not recall. One of them had shown their presence.

Hey me, its been a while. Youre living it up I see.

The gathering of personalities that had my full set of memories called out to me.

Other than appearance youre acting much more human-like than the last time I saw you.

Well Ive been experiencing your emotions after all. Once you perceived my existence Ive experienced more through your eyes and its been reminding me of my life and my emotions. Well right now Im pushing it a bit and emulating how a normal person would act.

My voice sounded as though speaking like a normal person was tiring for them.

Thanks. You saved me.

Well, after all its for my sake. The Cyril personality is really nice to experience so I dont want anything to break it. Youve gotta be more careful. Deets Soul Eater just gathers broken souls into you, but Gramdeals Predation eats things wholeIts bad for our digestion.

For my sake the other me pointed this out, but I didnt understand.

I know that. Its about my other self after all.

No thats not it. Gramdeal held a strong will and vivid personality so no matter who he eats he never wavered. You didnt understand the inherent danger in using Predation.

Thats rightthats why I used Predation without hesitation. If Id thought a bit I wouldve discovered the risk, but Gramdeals memories didnt include any aspect of danger from it so I simply ignored it and went with the flow.

Sorry for being weak I guess.

But heres the thingits weird that though Cyrils will and existence is still thin and weak you were able to force yourself to remain.

You said that you simply gave me some memories and experience right? You other Mes didnt mess with my personality or existence right?

Youre right. However, even without purposeful meddling the memories and experience I gave you would break down your personality. For example your preferences arent just of Elf Cyrilits closer to a Japanese man from Earth. You dont hesitate when killing people. You easily embrace a girl who you see doing her best. These are all aspects that changed when you received experience and memories.

I was at a loss for words. Certainly when it was brought up I realized my changes.

Despite thatthats as far as it went. Fundamentally you are Cyril and nothing else. There are exceptions but receiving all memories and experience would warp your existence and crush your individuality. Youd become an imitation of me or break. In that case I would move to the surface.

In my innermost depths the black wolf form me stared at me with round eyes.

If you had an overwhelming existence and personality like Gramdeal then I would understand. If you had a mulish or high minded spirit that set you apart from others I could also accept it. But I just cant understand Cyril. Could you teach me why?

I looked inside myself and easily found the answer.

Iwant to stay the me that both Lucy and Kuu love. That other me wouldnt be the same. Thats why I cant be anything other than Myself.

Hearing that the black wolf looked dumbfounded before opening its mouth wide and laughing.

It looked as if it were howling.

To think, such a reason would protect you. Thank you. There was worth in saving you. Well, do your best to enjoy our life me.

A large black hole reappeared beneath the wolfs feet as it slowly sunk back into the ground.

Ill warn you though, its probably best if you fix your habit of choosing troublesome women. No waitthis might also be my influence.a beautiful elf, next is a golden fox, then that girl, and it may be inevitable

Its voice faded into the distance.

As always I faded away while murmuring something.

Because it was me I understood. Wanting to say something, yet also wanting to not voice it. Thats why it did things half-baked like that.

I think my eye for women is better. At least better than mine

I retorted one last time before the dream ended.

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