Chapter 256: Recall (8)
At first, I truly couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
‘……Those who handle Brands?’
What on earth did that mean?
With a baffled expression, I looked at her.
“Are you…… perhaps speaking about my family, the Gwendil Count family?”
Even as I said it, I muttered incoherently, as though I couldn’t make sense of it myself.
“But, that…… our family has nothing particularly special in its lineage. As far as I know, we have been a house of martial warriors who have held the sword for generations. Even then, our history is short, and recently we entered commerce. And…….”
“No.”
At my words, Talia shook her head.
“No, that’s not it. I’m talking about your maternal side…… your mother’s bloodline.”
“Mother.”
I murmured blankly.
“……My mother was an ordinary human.”
“Truly?”
“…….”
I seemed to weigh my words for a moment before answering in a firm voice.
“Yes.”
There was not the slightest tremor in my tone.
“…….”
At my answer, Talia merely shrugged silently.
Then she looked at Berenistella.
“If you don’t mind, may I take a sniff of your disciple? I think I’d be able to tell more precisely.”
“……Shall I kill you?”
Berenistella muttered quietly.
“Do not attempt any foolish tricks.”
She glared as though daring Talia to try such a thing.
Under that chilling warning, Talia shrugged again, as if she had no choice.
“W-Well……. Come to think of it, you probably already know. Then there’s no need to dig further.”
Though she said that, her voice trembled faintly.
Honestly, she had expected to be refused—but she hadn’t expected such a sharp reaction.
“So…… hmm, should I call it a previous life? Or before turning back time……? Anyway, you must have roughly noticed that fact back then too, which is why you took that child as your disciple and kept him under your shadow, didn’t you?”
“Do not jump to conclusions, Talia.”
Berenistella spoke as though she did not wish to hear it.
But unlike before, her tone was not as sharp.
“Hmm…….”
After a moment of silence, Talia looked at me.
“You truly have many Brands on your body. Even at a glance, I can tell there are many.”
She asked,
“Do you know how many you have?”
“I am not certain.”
Two, no—around three…….
I had been about to say that, but quietly changed my answer.
“The number I know for certain?”
“……I believe at least three.”
The one engraved near my collarbone since turning back time, along with the power of materialization that had once belonged to Archbishop Rahma.
And at some point, though I did not know when, the Brand that allowed me to see the future.
At least those three were certain.
Besides them, if I counted those I had merely brushed past—Cecilia Everglenn, Anguster, Lord Valen Zeisho.
And the Masked Man.
There were several I remembered. So perhaps there were more I had encountered without even realizing.
“Your Brands carry traces of others, large and small. You can even use their power.”
“Yes. I am aware.”
I nodded.
“I was told it is because my Brand is the Brand of Harvest.”
At that, Talia tilted her head.
“……Hm? The Brand of Harvest?”
Then she asked me,
“Who told you that? No—does such a name even exist?”
“Why do you ask?”
Her reaction was what surprised me.
“Brands don’t have distinct names…… hmm, I see.”
She trailed off and muttered quietly.
“……Ah. Now I understand.”
Then she looked at Berenistella.
“How remarkable. Were you that worried?”
“…….”
Berenistella remained silent.
Talia did not press her further.
There was something more important.
“Anyway, the fact that you can use the power of so many Brands—and even contain that many traces alone—means you are already no ordinary human.”
“……Could I not simply have a peculiar constitution?”
Before I realized it, my voice had sharpened slightly.
It was an instinctive reaction to her implying my mother had not been human.
“That is absolutely not the case.”
Talia declared firmly.
“First of all, the…… hm, shall we call it capacity? Yes, that capacity is enormous. Most people are filled with just one. Even that is difficult, so many engrave them into tools to use.”
She shrugged.
“Shall I be more specific? Even I—or the one beside you—can only contain one, at most two. Beyond that, the body and mind collapse. That much is certain.”
“What are you…….”
“And yet you show no such symptoms.”
Her eyes shone seriously.
“In fact, it looks as though you could contain even more. I dare say, even if every remaining trace were embedded into you, you would remain intact and use all their power. Given enough time, you would digest them and grow accustomed to them as if they were your own.”
Then she looked at me with an indescribable gaze.
“That is proof that the blood flowing through your body…… is the blood of those who called themselves Seekers of the Path.”
“……Seekers of the Path.”
Seekers of the Path.
I clearly remembered her saying that in the Room of Memories.
They had all died. Their lineage had been wiped out.
A legend without substance.
Was that not the name given to those whom even the Talia in the Room of Memories had never met?
‘Ah, so that’s why.’
That must have been why she said she was me before we met.
Then the Talia standing before me now had met those Seekers of the Path.
“Then.”
Compared to before, my voice had softened somewhat.
“……Are you saying my mother belonged to that lineage?”
At my cautious question, Talia replied,
“This may be rude, but do you remember your mother in detail?”
“She passed away when I was young. I do not remember her clearly.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Talia cut me off and shook her head.
“Even if your memories are faint, there should be at least one memory engraved in your mind. Tell me one thing you remember most vividly. If you don’t wish to speak it, you may simply recall it.”
“…….”
I fell silent.
Because nothing came to mind.
‘……Huh?’
Something was strange.
Even if she had died when I was young, I had not been so young as to have no memories at all.
I remembered her name. Her voice. Her scent. Her warm embrace. Her appearance.
All faint—but there.
And yet, I could not recall anything.
No shared memory surfaced.
Not a memory of laughter. Not a memory of tears. Not even the smallest trivial moment together.
As if she had never existed from the beginning—there was not a single memory of her left in me.
The moment I realized that, my mind went blank.
At the same time, a violent headache struck, as if my head were being crushed.
“Ugh……!”
I screamed and clutched my head.
My vision spun, strength draining from my body.
And the sensation was familiar.
……The same pain that had once burrowed into my mind whenever I tried to recall the past before regaining my memories.
I felt as though I would collapse.
In fact, my legs gave way.
Had it continued, I would have fallen disgracefully to the ground.
“……That’s enough.”
At that moment—
Berenistella caught me gently and pulled me into her arms.
Because of her, I did not collapse onto the ground.
“My disciple is suffering.”
Had her feelings changed?
She no longer seemed intent on denying the bond between master and disciple.
Perhaps seeing me in pain had been the cause.
“There.”
“Hah……!”
She patted my back twice.
Instantly, the crushing pain vanished, and I managed to steady my ragged breathing.
“He has only just regained his memories. Is it not excessive to reveal even the secret of his birth?”
At her reproach, Talia shrugged.
“……You are far too overprotective.”
“I do not wish to hear complaints about my methods of education.”
Holding me close, Berenistella glared at her.
“I understand enough. The Evil Dragon’s remnant remains. It seeks to become a god. And for that, it desires the Brands engraved upon this child—and the child himself.”
“Concise.”
Talia nodded.
Berenistella muttered quietly,
“……How wicked. To scheme so that I have no choice but to act.”
“Ahaha. Calling the Saintess wicked.”
Talia laughed heartily.
“Anyway, that was the first matter. And now the second and final one remains.”
“Speak.”
“There’s nothing more to explain.”
She lightly spread her arms.
“It’s already before your eyes.”
Berenistella looked at her.
More precisely, at Arpentia lying collapsed beside her.
“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t look at her like that.”
Talia muttered awkwardly.
“She was desperate in her own way. That’s why…… she even used the Remnant of the Eight Demon Lords to revive us.”
“……And because of that, you have become beings that cannot even be called spirits.”
Berenistella gave a hollow laugh.
“I can see now why you asked me to kill you. The very thing that composes your bodies and binds your souls and memories together is none other than that remnant.”
“Concise again.”
Talia nodded.
“If you devour the three of us, you will recover some of your lost power as well. Isn’t that profitable for both sides?”
“…….”
Berenistella fell silent.
Then—
“……Will you truly be alright?”
For the first time, she asked her with concern.
At that, Talia looked momentarily surprised.
“Mm.”
Then she smiled softly.
“It’s a little funny that I’m entrusting my end to you…… but well, I don’t think it’s so bad. We all know there’s no one more trustworthy.”
Talia Poas said,
“Then I leave it to you.”
Our Archrival.