Chapter 28: The Cursed Priestess and the True Colors of the Divine Corpse
「Elder Sister……..! Can’t you seal a part of the Divine Corpse……Back into the ground?」
「……………………」
Silence that was her answer. The curtains was still separating the two people and Diane’s figure which was reflected by her shadow did not move in the slightest.
「If, if Elder sister is going to use that thing, for a dangerous purpose then I……If it’s truly like that then, Sierra will……..!」
Sierra approaches by one step towards the silhouette in the temple’s interior. However what she heard in return was not the voice of her gentle elder sister she knew in her memories, it was almost like she turned into another person, a cold and unconcerned voice resounded.
「In that case, what are you going to do? Are you telling me that you will become my enemy…..? Just like those elves from your tribe?」
「…………!」
For Sierra, Diane was like an irreplaceable existence and their connected bonds were much thicker, even more so than a true family bound by blood. No matter how she is now, and even if Diane was the ringleader who sowed discord between the two races of Elves and Dark Elves…….Sierra did not want to become her enemy. She could not become her enemy.
Even if, Diane regarded her as a hostile underling working for the Elf tribe…
However….having said this, what could she do in this situation? Diane had a curse that tormented her and gave her a short lived life adding to the fact that Sierra had stopped searching for the cure, she did not even obtain a single positive result that could point her in the right direction. Being so powerless, what could she do exactly?
(My Lord…….If it were you, what would My Lord do………?)
Closing her eyes shut, as if praying, she thought about her most important person who was not here with her. She wanted to hear his voice. The powerful voice that would make her feel safe. However, he who was taken as a prisoner was not here right now. She had to make a decision by herself. But, what if her decision gave birth to a huge rift between her and her very important elder sister……?
Just when panic and despair started to slowly fill Sierra’s mind, at that time…
「……I’ve made you wait haven’t I? Sierra」
In the innermost depths of the Dark Elven underground village, a huge shrine that looked like a Shinto shrine existed, I made my rude entrance as I stepped in. I approached Sierra who was completely taken by surprise, she turned around to face me as her whole body stiffened, and I lightly patted her honey colored head.
「Ah, My Lord……!」
「I’ve roughly understood the situation. The one behind the curtain is your elder sister, the Priestess of the Dark Elves, Diane, right?」
The dark elf he used as the source of information came too much that she fainted, therefore Amelia placed her down at the entrance of the Shrine and was currently guarding her.
「…..Who are you?」
「I am the Slavemancer who is planning to obtain the Divine Corpse before the demons are able to take it, will this explanation suffice?」
The faint voice that flowed out of the bamboo curtains was like music to his ears. Alright, if she has such a beautiful voice, there is no doubt that she is going to be more beautiful than I imagine.
「Is that so? In that case I only have one thing to say. You must leave, you a human who is filled with dirty ambitions……….Regardless if it is the demons, or if it’s you who dares to come, I will not allow the Divine Corpse to fall in your hands」
「Added to that you have also excluded the Elves, haven’t you? In other words, you want to monopolize it by yourself….」
I walk in a straight line towards the silhouette that was reflected from the thin curtains. A sacred place, and a sacred priestess…….If it was Sierra or the other girls, they may hold back in this kind of place, however I don’t give a fuck about such things.
「No…..You are wrong」
「……!?」
Without any hesitation, I violently pulled open the thin veil. Having the curtains which separated them removed, and seeing the appearance of her “elder sister” after not seeing her for many years, many complicated emotions started to well up in Sierra’s chest as her voice leaked out.
「Elder sister Diane…….!」
The dark elf averted her eyes as she looked down silently. Diane was quite slender, she had a jewel like skin that was both lustrous and beautiful, her skin was dark brown in color and she had long ears.
Although it was not as big as Sierra’s she had an abundantly sized chest that was being covered by a pure white robe which reached down to her waist. Both her arms and neck were decorated with various wooden accessories, and it was by no means too flashy nor did it make her look vulgar, in fact it accentuated her sublime atmosphere.
She had long hair that was milky white in color that flowed liked a river. The top of her head was adorned with emerald leaf like accessories which resembled a crown.
Including the decorated wooden staff she held in her small hands, everything pointed to the fact that she had a lived a long life separated from all the mundaneness, she is surely what you would call a Holy Priestess……..Or even more than that she resembled the incarnation of a goddess.
「The reason you won’t let anyone get close to the “Divine Corpse”. Is because the object poses too much danger, and it is uncertain if you could even seal it back safely……Is this the correct assumption?」
Sierra’s good virtues which could also be seen as a disadvantage, is her strong sense of responsibility. I’m talking about how she would feel responsible for us being taken captive and being forced to separate because of that ambush. I thought that someone who “lived so intimately” with Sierra previously would also have similar personality traits.
「……………………」
In other words, Sierra’s “Elder Sister” may be a person who acts on an even more exaggerated sense of the word responsibility. For the first time in her life, perhaps she had to make her own judgment and choose an astoundingly absurd measure, could this really be seen as a selfish desire?
No, most likely it cannot be considered as such.
「Although you caused a misunderstanding with the Elves and even with Sierra, in order to protect your own race, you sheltered the entire burden of being a Priestess by yourself………Am I mistaken?」
Although there was a long silence, it made it apparent that my guess was right.
「….Are you able to see through to that extent?」
「By any chance, are your eyes…..?」
She slowly raised her lovely face towards me, and under her long eyelashes her eyes were currently shut closed. It made me curious if this is what Sierra would look like if she piles up enough life experiences…….the expression on her face was very calming and mature.
「Since becoming a Priestess, my eyes no longer project it’s light into this world. However, I have been able to see things even clearer than before」
「Elder sister………」
「You are trying to tell me that this object is dangerous? Unfortunately for you, I will be the one to make my own decisions on the matter」
If the Divine Corpse is truly in this location, then before those Iblis demons get to it, I will make it mine. I don’t know what kind of power it will have but, I don’t think it will have the power to protect her or the elves from the demonic invasion to come. In any case, if she refuses to hand it over to me, I will just use my Enslavement Magic on Diane.
「No….Slavemancer, it seems that you do not understand a single thing. Anyone who touches that will meet their end」
「What did you say….?」
Diane the Priestess shakes her head solemnly as she slowly stood up. In front of my eyes, the pure white robe covering her pure and unblemished body slowly slid to the ground.
「Sierra, this is the thing I wanted to show you. If you see this, you would understand it even if you didn’t want to………There is nothing more that you can do now」
「E-elder sis, What is it………!?」
Before Sierra manages to finish her sentence, it changed into a gasp. Even I widened my eyes in surprise.
「The Divine Corpse will absorb the life force of any who dare to touch it. Nobody can hold this object within their hands……Furthermore…」
The thing that stole our gaze was not her beautiful naked body….. It was the repulsive thing that was carved into her skin.
This was clearly the reason why Diane did not meet with anyone directly and was constantly behind her curtains.
「Having become like this I….Can no longer be rescued」
There was some sort of object that stuck to the side of her abdomen. It was a transparent crystal like thing that solidified over her skin……No that’s not it. The crystal itself was part of her skin, flesh and body. Her body was the one being “transformed” into a crystal.
「……Geez, what is Master thinking. Well I’m kinda used to it though…..」
At the Entrance of the Shrine… Amelia glanced at the dark elf who was happily unconscious as she breathed out a sigh. Thick cloudy fluids was dripping from her dark brown thighs.
「I’m so jealous, she had so much poured into her…..No-no that’s not the point! Leaving me out here. Whilst going in alone, will Master really be alright?」
She was told to wait here for a little while, but as expected she was getting really worried. How long should she wait, before she should enter? The female soldier was folding her arms as she thought about such things, it was at that time…
Bekon……a bizarre sound resounded.
A portion of nearby walls and ceiling next to Amelia was seemingly destroyed by something as a big hole opened up.
「Wha- what’s going on!?」
Amelia reflexively takes a fighting position as she shields herself with her chained blade. An anticlimactically small shadow buoyantly climbed out of the hole…..
「Sniff sniff…..Sniff sniff. As expected the smell is coming from here…..But, even though it’s a similar smell, it feels a little different??」
The figured that appeared was that of a small child, who was wearing a luxurious black and gold colored kimono, with a bit of her shoulder peeking out from the dress. Her dark purple colored long hair was fluttering and her nose was like some sort of a small cute animal as it twitched. At first glance, she seemed to be a harmless child…..However, there was a bat like wing across her back and a red pattern carved on her forehead.
「Isn’t that the crest of a demon…..!? Also, it seems to be the crest of a high ranking demon, just like Palmyra……!」
Amelia spoke out that “name” without thinking. The girl who was previously completely disregarding the existence of the human as if she was a sort of fly in the background, suddenly turned around to face her. Cute fangs peeked out of her lovely mouth.
「Hey heyy, Onee-chan. Did you say the name, Palmyra, just now? You said it…..didn’t you?」
「Elder sister, that thing on your body is……?!」
Seeing the appearance of Diane’s body who was covered in the crystal’s Sierra could find no words to say.
Has her internal organs and bones been completely replaced with the crystals? If so how was she supposed to live……? I have never seen such a thing, rather than just pure magic, I could feel a sort of weird power existing in her body.
「The reason I managed to find the Divine Corpse was because I could sense the pulse, with these eyes of mine…….It almost felt like the Divine Corpse was waking up after a very long time in hibernation」
Apparently, for Priestesses of the Dark Elves, they gain ultra-sensory abilities in exchange for their loss of sight. It’s probably a type of Psychometric or telepathic ability.
「I felt an ominous premonition. Therefore, in order to expose its true colors more deeply, I tried to come into contact with the Divine Corpse……However that was the biggest mistake I made」
She lightly patted her brown finger which had already changed into part of the crystal.
「The Divine Corpse, invaded my body and began to “corrode” it…….The result is this repulsive state that I am in. Whether this crystal is used for the purpose of stealing my life force, or perhaps an even greater reason, I still haven’t figured it out」
「Don’t tell me, the crystals will continue to erode your body….!?」
「Yes…..My body is day by day, turning into more of the crystals. Before long, it is likely that my whole body will turn into a transparent lump of crystals」
「It, it can’t be…….?!」
The mystery behind the mutating crystals. This is no longer at the level of her curse of short life. Seeing her beloved elder sister experiencing such unjust and cruel situations befall upon her, Sierra was at a loss for words as she could only stand there petrified.
「Then, now more than ever, why have you hid this fact from the rest of your people? If you die without telling them the truth, wouldn’t it all have been for nothing?」
「Before I die, there is something that I must do no matter the case…..I will expose the true nature of the Divine Corpse with these eyes of mine that is my final duty to my people」
…….In other words, she is going to use her ultra-sensory abilities to get close to the Divine Corpse by herself, and spend all her time and efforts till her death, to solve the mystery behind the object. That’s what this priestess-san wants to do.
Even though her body was being eroded by the crystals at this very moment…..her sense of responsibility to her people and her tribe was still absurdly crazy to this extent.
「If I can at least find a clue to counteract this problem, my plan is to convey this countermeasure to the people of my tribe and even to the elves」
Although her eyes did not have any light in them, her unwavering voice was filled with determination. She is completely unyielding in this matter, it seems that she is perhaps ten times more stubborn than the already stubborn Sierra.
「Therefore, the only person that needs to be sacrificed….is me, it is better like this」
「B-but! I don’t want elder sister to die! Also the fact that this is all just a misunderstanding, this kind of thing is…….!」
Sierra had a voice full of sorrow. However, Diane merely smiles a little lonesomely as she shook her head.
「In any case, I can no longer be saved, Sierra. That’s why at least…..allow me to fulfil the responsibilities, of my role as the Priestess. And when everything is over, I want you to tell them this story and to apologize to them on my behalf」
「Sis, Elder sis…….!」
Her long ears drooped down without any strength as she slid into the floor feeling completely helpless. Those emerald eyes started to shed large tear drops, as it spills into the wooden floor.
「….I see, I understand the situation」
「Have you finally understood? The fact that I abruptly took you people into captivity, I will apologize for that right now……….Now that it’s come to this, please leave this place as soon as you can」
「No, I can’t do something like that」
「Ah, My Lord….?」
Diane who already made her resolution to face death, had a confused expression on her face. Sierra was also startled as she looked up at me with her puffy red eyes.
「I am astonished…….After hearing all that, and seeing this repulsive figure of mine, you still desire to possess the Divine Corpse?」
「Well, there’s also that but, the other reason is even bigger」
I kneel on one knee and arranged my face to meet the same height as Diane. I propped up her nicely shaped dark brown chin with my hands, and…
「It’s because, it’s such a shame if you were to die, Diane」
「Eh…….?」
Different from the expression she showed when I first made my entrance, Diane’s mature face showed a genuine expression of surprise for the first time. Her face conveyed the fact that she did not expect in the slightest what I was going to say to her.
「You are such a beauty and a good woman. I definitely want to make you mine by any means possible, therefore for you to go and die of your own accord is a troublesome thing」
「I have no idea what you are saying…….Nnnnu!?」
「Eh………My Lordd, Elder Sister!?」
Sierra was staring in wonder as I suddenly stole away a kiss from Diane’s pink colored lips. A sweet flowery smell tickled my nostrils.
「Ahh….Nnn…..!? Wha…….Sto……..Ah, Ahhh……!?」
Diane’s body stiffened and she tries to resist by pulling apart for several seconds….however gradually her movements became weaker and weaker. It wasn’t because her body was weak from the “erosion” of the Divine Corpse, it was because of my overbearing kiss along with the fact that I started to apply my Enslavement Magic.
「For someone as obstinate as you, I don’t think that you will obediently yield to me, therefore, I’m sorry but I will have you forcefully abide my commands… I never expected this but it seems that you have some magical resistance?」
Is the position of Priestess a rare job? Well no matter the case, I already decided to make her mine. This beautiful slender tanned body, her mysterious mature charm, additionally her pure heart and noble mind, all of these elements about her are indescribably desirable to me.
「There is also another reason why I cannot allow you to die. If my cute Sierra has eye’s like a dead fish from here on out, I won’t be able to have fun with her doing ecchi things, you know?」
「My Lord………」
I mean, seriously, I have gone through great pains in order to obtain these two sister-in-law dark elf and elf for a 3P play, if my dream cannot be fulfilled how wasteful would that be? Moreover, there is a chance that using Princess Sistina’s powers of prophecy, that we will be able to garner new evidence for treatment of this disease. To give up at this juncture is still way too early.
「By any chance, when you said…..That you wanted this body of mine, don’t you care that my body has become like this…..?!」
「Ahh, you’re referring to the crystallization? I don’t really mind it if it’s to this extent……..Or are you trying to tell me that, if we do ecchi things, that the corrosion will spread to me? 」
「That’s not what I’m trying to say but…..?!」
「In that case, than you don’t have to worry, probably… Well, if it does spread, then I will worry about it later」
I will live however I like, and die whenever I like, my rule is not to hesitate doing what you want to accomplish. When I want to have sex with this beautiful woman or when I want to hold her, I don’t really care about the obstacles or the small dangers involved.
「The Divine Corpse is my secondary objective. First of all I want you……Dark Elf Priestess, Diane」
『The Divine Corpse——is bound to fall into my hands. Everything else, is a piece for me to use」
At the Haze Castle, which was covered in the color of blood red from the ceiling to the floor, the red colored globe was radiating with power as it shook the castle. It was this castle’s ruler, the one who was part of the eight great houses: Noble Eight Iblis, she majestically shot out a wave of her thoughts through the crimson globe.
『As told by the prophecies, it is a legacy that is able to rend the skies and tear the heavens—-As long as I have that object in my hands, I will become the new ruler of the devil kingdom』
Iblis’s large voice was mixed with a little fear as she spoke out her thoughts. The true colors of the Divine Corpse…..even amongst the devildom, it was a restricted piece of information at the highest level. It was something that could overturn the power balance in this world, a wild-card.
『The ruler of the devil kingdom who existed several thousand years ago——the “Devil King’s Corpse” that is precisely what it is——!』(Light Novel Illustration: Chapter 28: Priestess Diane)
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