A professor with no past. I realized that on the very first day of my possession. Still, I had been picking out whatever habits remained in my body under the pretext of [Synchronization].
That meant Dante was not some random being dropped into this land.
Yet even up until the day I met Song Chien∞, I didn’t know who I was. I thought maybe it was just a misconception.
Song Chien had been quietly hiding for hundreds of years, but he had an interest in the human world.
If Dante’s original body had truly been someone remarkable, there was no way Song Chien wouldn’t have known.
And yet...
'Abraxas!'
Outwardly, I kept my expression calm as I watched Setian, but inwardly, I was reeling.
Yes.
'If it’s Abraxas, everything makes sense.'
The habits I’d collected about “myself” were as follows:
The reason I didn’t know myself = Likely, [Illusion].
The reason neither Song Chien∞ nor countless others recognized me = Also likely because I had lived under [Illusion] with [Perception Disruption] cast on myself.
'Even my instinctive pull toward illusion magic.'
Perhaps even my deliberate gravitation toward 『World Forgery』, a technique Abraxas himself had created...
All of it.
'Because I was Abraxas.'
Lightning struck. While squaring off with Setian, countless calculations and hypotheses ran through my head.
'Of course I couldn’t find the Demon King’s identity.'
I reconstructed the situation from Setian’s words:
Yet there was a mismatch in my thoughts, so I asked one thing:
“When did you realize?”
《 From the moment you created the Pink Drug. 》
Then, even if it hadn’t been Abraxas who arranged my engagement to Rebecca, Dante Hiakapo’s capabilities alone were threatening enough to make me worth hunting down.
"..."
At that moment, I understood exactly what I needed to do.
I closed my eyes and calculated our odds of victory if we went all-out against the remaining six Trappycche here.
Rebecca had said she could only fire twice — and those two shots would be with her life on the line. Glory was already short of breath, half-consumed by the cursed sword, and Eve had taken heavy damage from swinging the holy sword.
If I tried to turn this fight around, it wasn’t impossible — maybe a 2% chance of victory.
But if even one member of the Hero Party died here, our chances in the coming Demon King War would drop to 0%.
That’s how [Hell Difficulty] balance works.
“...Alright.”
《 Alright? 》
“I’ll tell you the location of the Lord of Eternal Return.”
The two-horned demon’s eyes narrowed.
《 So, when cornered, you are afraid to die. 》
That line was bait.
Abraxas wouldn’t feel fear of death over some cheap crisis like this. Setian probably knew that. It would take a far greater threat to break Abraxas’s mind.
But... Setian knew Rebecca made for an efficient hostage.
Because Abraxas had saved her.
He was aiming for that.
“...Think of it more as paving the way to kill you with certainty. This is not the right place for someone to die — or to kill. By telling you the Lord of Eternal Return’s location, I want to move the battlefield.”
I narrowed my eyes at the demon.
“You can refuse.”
《 ... 》
I could feel his five senses — and his sixth — sweep over me.
I was anxious.
If this bluff failed, Rebecca, Glory, or Eve — maybe two of them — would die, and there would be no avoiding it. That would mean near-certain apocalypse. My heart was shaking.
But outwardly, I looked like I could take on the world with ease.
《 ...I can’t possibly trust your words. In that case, I propose a contract. Stake your life before the Curse Star♠. 》
The Curse Star♠ contract.
It’s even stronger than Eternality∞, a favorite of black magicians.
“Fine. I’ll set the date to the night of October 9th.”
Roughly a month from now.
“I will hand over the Lord of Eternal Return’s location to you, Setian, Chair of the Elder Council, and swear it before the Curse Star♠.”
《 In accordance with the contract, I’ll let you live here with these humans and withdraw Trappycche. But the penalty for breach will be Curse No.96: 『Instant Death Curse』 — your unconditional death. 》
“....”
《 This will apply to both your true name, Abraxas, and your current alias, Dante Hiakapo. You won’t be able to escape it with any tricks. 》
Certain, unavoidable death... But I had no choice.
“I accept.”
< The Curse Star♠ contract has been established. >
Above both my illusionary form and Setian’s appeared the Curse Star mark 「♠」.
It would have appeared over Setian’s real head back in the royal palace as well.
《 I’ll be waiting. 》
Then 『Veil of Isolation』 dissolved, and Setian began to crumble away. The six Trappycche behind him retreated into the sea they’d crawled out of.
Thus ended [Corruption], which had brought everyone to the brink of death.
Human casualties were far from light, and Setian’s operation of the Trappycche would have cost him dearly — so neither side walked away satisfied.
“Professor Dante!”
“I’m fine. Start securing the situation.”
After giving orders to the commanders, I walked off alone. The oppressive mana of a two-horned demon made me want to collapse, but I endured.
However...
This deal was my victory —
— because of something I had bought with Rebecca at the Eternal Lake auction for a sky-high price.
「Rune of Revival♥」
It spun counterclockwise in the air like a ruby carved to perfection. A rune made from a mass of Life♥ Stigma — capable of reviving the dead.
Only those whose survival conditions were met, though.
For example, if the head was severed or the body destroyed, it couldn’t revive them. Nor could it restore the decomposed. A fine but finicky item — but I had bought it.
Back then, I’d partly wanted it, and partly bought it just to spite Rebecca, who had been desperate to have it.
'This will save me.'
Of course, I didn’t yet know the exact conditions. I’d heard there were even stricter requirements for revival.
“...Hoo.”
Either way, I’d gotten past a major hurdle.
***
The short but deep-wounding [Corruption] came to an end. Casualties were far fewer than predicted.
Even so, casualties were casualties. Until the [Isolation Wall] was lifted, we’d be collecting bodies and treating the wounded for days.
“Professor, thank you...!”
“You saved us. Without you here, we wouldn’t have known what to do...”
“The forces you brought along were shockingly strong. Looks like Hiaka has a crop of new Challengers.”
While commanders and the mayor bowed their heads in praise, there were others who took the situation strangely — the Dominion❆ assassins.
“Professor Dante drove off the demon with words alone...”
“I... I can’t believe it. A monster that stood firm against all that magic, bombardment, and battle... driven away with just one sentence...”
“Were those monsters, disasters upon the human realm, dominated by Professor Dante and sent back?”
Everywhere I went, they dropped to their knees and bowed. Eventually I had to hide myself with [Illusion].
For me, it had been a life-risking bet because I had the 「Rune of Revival♥」 — and a not-so-coincidental coincidence that my past was Abraxas.
“Adnet...”
“Adnet...”
Hearing the prayer chants at the makeshift altar, I let it be.
The suffering need a tree to lean on, whether that tree is true or false. The fact it exists is what matters. I would gladly be that tree.
At the same time, I quickly went to find the Hero Party.
“Glory!”
“....”
Glory’s eyes had gone black-red, and he trembled with his sword in hand. He was gripped by the instinct to kill. He’d be freed if he let go of the sword — but his hand clamped down like steel.
Because of that, I decided to keep the 「Warbringer♠」 in my possession, but loan it to him only when needed.
『Armory of the Celestial Soldier』
I quickly hid the cursed sword in the 『Armory of the Celestial Soldier』, and Glory’s grip loosened.
He collapsed, breathing hard.
“...Will you condemn me?”
“For what?”
“I accidentally killed about three allied soldiers while fighting Trappycche.”
He seemed consumed by guilt. I’d seen one of them myself — a soldier caught looting a jewelry store.
While wrestling the old shopkeeper for a bag of gold, he’d shoved the man down. Glory had killed him on the spot.
“Don’t call them allies. They were practically enemies. The # Nоvеlight # ones who deserve death should die.”
“....”
“Just work on controlling yourself more. Stop overthinking and go lie down.”
I soothed him and sent him to the hospital.
There I got word that Professor Gula was in shambles but alive. When had he even arrived?
Next was Rebecca — she was sitting among the ruins, clutching her stomach after using the 『Siege Hammer of Anti-Magic✯』.
“Looks like it’s serious internal damage. Are you alright?”
“....”
She slowly lifted her head, met my eyes, and nodded.
“...It’s nothing to worry about.”
Her fingers, nosebleed, and bloody tears made a mess of her face. Cuts covered her hands and elsewhere.
At least it wasn’t life-threatening.
I still didn’t like her, but she had fought for humanity.
I held out a hand.
“I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“...It’s fine. I can go alone. You must be busy.”
“Alright.”
The next case was more urgent — the elephant. Drawing the holy sword for even 10 seconds left her bedridden all day, yet she’d swung it for nearly 5 minutes.
Sure enough, I found Eve lying on her side not far from where Rebecca was, her breathing shallow.
“Eve! Eve!”
I rushed over. Her forehead burned like fire despite her naturally low body temperature.
I shook her shoulder, asking if she was alright.
“...??”
She opened her eyes and gave a faint smile, then signed something with her hands. But the pain kept crumpling the corners of her eyes.
I lifted the elephant with all my strength to carry her to the hospital.
She was heavy enough to kill a man, but I could manage now. Along the way, I set her down to scold her.
'You. Pig. Eat. Less.'
?????
She gave me the most indignant look and flipped me off.
Either way, along the long road to the hospital, I kept feeling eyes on me.
“....”
Rebecca was watching us.