Chapter 102: Family (4)
I sat blankly on the grass floor. Young Yeriel had long since disappeared, but her memories were still here, and the wind and sunlight regularly swayed around me.
“I don’t know…”
I looked into this world with [Understanding] to calculate the concentration of magic power, but something was unnatural. The problem was not with this memory but with me. It felt like some of the characteristics had disappeared, and I couldn’t feel the Psychokinesis that was engraved in me.
“Hmmmm…”
I stroked my chin as I pondered.
“Oh!”
I raised my index finger at the thought that suddenly arrived.
“What if only my soul came?”
The security mechanism kept my body somewhere so that only my soul – or consciousness – flowed into this record.
“The reason that I am this free, and that I can’t feel the Psychokinesis engraved on my body…”
If that hypothesis was true, then this was right. However, in that case, the problem was where my body was. Trapped in Yeriel’s memory, I couldn’t do anything…
At that moment.
Whoooosh-
The wind picked up, and I sensed a flare of magic concentrated in the middle of a group of bushes near me. I stared at them blankly.
“What?”
Mana fluctuated around them before forming a door. It was a door.
“…Is it safe passage?”
Like the wonderful ‘Anywhere Door’ of the famous gadget cat on Earth, I tilted my head as I walked over and opened the door. Inside was…
* * *
…30 minutes ago.
Yeriel, diving into the frame, felt as if her entire body was shrinking. At the same time, her mind grew hazy. She almost fainted, but when she noticed the bizarre sight before her, her eyes went wide. Electricity surged up through her spine.
“What the…?”
Her hand. That palm, all the way to the joints of her fingers, was small. Too, too small
“What ish thish!”
The moment she said that Yeriel realized that her tongue and voice were not normal either.
“Unbelievabou…”
She reached out and touched her face. It was puffy and chubby like a bun.
“…What’s wlong? What, what ish this?!”
She screamed, and cold eyes looked down upon her.
“You. Be quiet.”
…It was Deculein. Precisely, it was young Deculein. However, his neat appearance and cold attitude were still there. That aristocratic posture was no different from the present version.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“…”
Deculein looked eleven years old, so she must’ve been near four. Yeriel looked around, realizing they were in the refreshment room of the Yukline Lord’s castle. She was with Deculein, and her face reflected in the window beside him. She was…
“What’s wlong with my sheeks!”
“…Sheet?”
Deculein frowned.
“Sheek! Sheeeeeks.”
Cheeks. Deculein shook his head, not understanding.
“You’re impossible. You called when I said I don’t have time.”
“…Gosh, I’m going clazy.”
I’m going crazy.
Yeriel first checked her belongings. Fortunately, she hadn’t lost the Yukline Key, but Deculein’s notebook was nowhere to be found. Did she lose it on the way, or did it melt away when she entered this record? While thinking about it, the door opened, and someone entered.
“Here~, Master.”
Yeriel looked at her blankly.
“It’s homemade refreshments.”
It was her mother, Adele.
“Yeriel also helped a little.”
Oh. This memory. She remembered. She and her mother made snacks for Deculein. Of course, 95% of it was made by her mother, and the other 5%, she just topped with chocolate. Naturally, Deculein didn’t even glance at it.
Just like now, as if annoyed, he stood up and was about to leave…
“Don’t go.”
“…”
Yeriel grabbed the hem of his sleeve. As if he could not have imagined such a turn of events, Deculein stopped.
“Mommy said we shouldn’t eat alone.”
“…”
He regarded her with cold eyes. It was a long time ago, and even though she was very young compared to now, his eyes still made her heart sink.
“Mommy said that’s courteshy.”
“I won’t eat.”
“Eat.”
“…Were you struck by lightning yesterday?”
Deculein’s eyes grew fiercer. Adele, reading the mood, quickly stepped forward and took her in her arms.
“I-I’m sorry. Why is she like this today?”
The young Deculein glanced alternately between the two as if it was absurd. Adele was restless, but for some reason, Yeriel found this funny.
“Forget it. Just control your child.”
With that, Deculein left. Adele hugged Yeriel, saying softly, ‘I’ll be back soon-,’ she followed after Deculein.
“…Don’t go.”
Yeriel, who was trying to catch her mother, suddenly remembered something. It was what Deculein said: ‘She stole the one I love.’
“?”
Outside the window, the sky suddenly turned dark. Yeriel glanced out cautiously.
Crack…
Through the crack that spread like a spider’s web in the air, Decalane’s red eyes were staring at her.
“Ugh!”
Yeriel startled backward.
-You can’t run away from me.
How did he chase her? She had to run, run away… but how could she with this body, her legs were too short!
“…No.”
‘Wait a minute. This world is my record, my memory anyway. If so… can’t I change it at will?’
“….”
It was worth a shot. No, it was better than nothing.
“Whew.”
Yeriel sighed, hefting the golden key of Yukline in her hands, then focused her stare at one corner of the room. At the same time, she formed an image in her head.
“Ugh…”
Craaaack–!
The sound of Decalane breaking through resonated clearly in her ears, and the result of her fierce concentration was enough that her body began to tremble. And just like she thought, a ‘door’ arose in the spot where she stared.
“I did it!”
Yeriel, clenching her cute fists, took it one step further to set the place where this door would lead.
“Ugh…”
Boooooooom–!
The rift in the air completely opened, and Decalane appeared. He smashed apart the windows and walls, but the door she had made burst open with perfect timing.
“…Deculein!”
“Huh?”
It was Deculein. He opened the door without much thought and was confused by the chaotic interior that met him.
“It’s me! Me! Help! It’s me, Yeriel!”
Young Yeriel’s cried out. Deculein, quickly grasping the situation, crossed over and scooped her up in his arms. Yeriel let out a sigh of relief at his embrace.
“Phew!”
“Don’t be relieved; I think we should run away again.”
“Huh?”
Decalane emitted a maddened aura of death and destruction from beyond the rubble, stretching out his tentacles. Deculein hit the ground rolling to evade them, but the door was destroyed.
“Can’t you make another door?”
Nodding, Yeriel closed her eyes again and trembled. The first was difficult, but the next would be easy. Yeriel quickly created a second door.
“Go to that dooh!”
“Okay.”
─You can’t escape…
Decalane stretched out his tentacles with a menacing groan, but Deculein pushed himself through the opening before they could reach.
Whoooong–!
At that moment, the world changed like switching out a picture in a frame. Yeriel’s body shifted to fit the memory.
“…The garden?”
The scenery that greeted them was the Yukline garden. Now she could speak properly, without any baby’s accent.
“Whew.”
Yeriel sighed in relief.
“Right. It’s the garden.”
Deculein glanced around the garden full of flowers while Yeriel moved behind him with a smile.
“…Why did you come into this diary?”
“I thought you would be in danger.”
“Liar.”
“I was afraid you’d do something stupid.”
“That’s right.”
Deculein smiled a little. Loud rumbling erupted from Yeriel’s stomach. She blushed, but Deculein only tilted his head.
“Are you hungry?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“I am not hungry.”
“…Are you mocking me? I’m jealous that you’re not hungry.”
“….”
“…What?”
She thought he was teasing her, but Deculein’s face was serious. He looked her up and down. Yeriel crossed her arms, meeting his gaze.
“But Yeriel, your body changed according to the record. Weren’t you a baby just now?”
“…”
Yeriel nodded silently, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“But, I am the same. Even if the record changes.”
“Yes. You’re right.”
“I’m not even hungry.”
“So?”
“It means that I’m just a soul.”
Deculein spoke confidently.
“…A soul?”
“Yes.”
As they made eye contact, he suddenly smiled.
“Pfft. This is interesting.”
That easy-going smile bewildered Yeriel. Honest Deculein… was he this kind of person without his outer shell?
‘…It’s not bad.’
When Yeriel quietly hid her smile.
Craaaack–!
A crack appeared once more in the air in the garden. Decalane again. Deculein clicked his tongue.
“He’s a persistent guy.”
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean?”
If it’s Deculein, he must have some answer. Yeriel focused all her attention on his response.
“You have to open a door again.”
“…Eh?”
“We have no choice but to run away until we think of something.”
He was too easily revealing that there was no way yet… Yeriel went silent for a moment.
“Hurry. He will come.”
Bang-! Bang-!
Tentacles began to squirm through the crack.
“Oh, yes.”
Yeriel closed her eyes and imagined a door. It appeared near instantly.
“Where are we going?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“It’s not bad even if it’s sudden.”
Deculein said something completely unlike himself and even smiled as he grabbed the doorknob. Then he looked to Yeriel.
“Shall we open it together?”
“Yes? Oh… okay.”
Yeriel placed her hand on Deculein’s. The two of them opened the door together and stepped through.
* * *
…After that, they continued to run away. Decalane’s learning intelligence continued to pursue them, and Yeriel kept running away, imagining new doors into existence. She turned ten, then four, then twenty. They were in the Yukline lord’s castle, the tower, the academy…
It was a frantic escape that lasted nearly 24 hours, but Yeriel’s mood wasn’t bad. Rather, given the new side of Deculein, it felt nice to be with his honest heart.
“…I am young again.”
Except for times like this. Yeriel looked in the mirror with a sullen face. She was about four, maybe five.
“Yeah. You’re younger again.”
Deculein lifted the little Yeriel and tucked her into his side. Yeriel grumbled.
“Do you think I’m an obshect?”
“Do I think you’re an object?”
“Yeah.”
“This is convenient. More importantly, which memory is this?”
“Dunno.”
Now that she had become a child again, Yeriel didn’t care about the memory. How long were they going to run away for? Mana was required to make a door, but now she didn’t have much left…
Deculein was fiddling with Yeriel’s plump cheeks.
“Gosh. Don’t touch my sheeks.”
“Ah, I didn’t notice.”
He stretched them like a steamed bun. Yeriel twisted her lips.
“…What should we do now? I have enough mana for two mooh doohs now.”
She only had enough mana for two more doors now. Deculein, who understood her easily, patted his chin and murmured.
“Well. I think I know to a certain extent…”
“What?”
“Your key. Take it out again.”
Yeriel produced her key. Deculein reached to touch it.
“Huh?”
Yeriel’s eyes widened as Deculein’s finger passed through the key. Just like when a ghost tried to touch a material object.
“I can’t hold the key, and only you can change your body.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Yeah.”
He already had the hang of it. How to deal with Decalane, how to turn things back to normal. However, as Kim Woojin, he wanted to enjoy this independent feeling for a little while longer.
“The reason is…”
Craaaack–!
Again, there was a crack. The two sighed as they looked toward the void that was breaking like glass.
“Why is that guy chasing us so quickly?”
Did he have radar? He was clinging to them more tenaciously than a leech.
“…What should we do?”
“Let’s go. To another record.”
“Again?”
Yeriel puffed up her cheeks, now looking more like a balloon than a steamed bun.
“Don’t worry. This is the last time.”
“…Okay.”
Yeriel closed her eyes. Hoping it would be the last, she formed the door.
“Pooh! Done.”
The familiar door reappeared. Deculein approached it, holding her in his arms. Yeriel’s little hand turned the knob.
Rumble–!
─You know it’s useless…
The crack widened, and Decalane’s shrill tone flowed through.
“Ignore it.”
Deculein went right through.
Whoooong…
The feeling of being stretched out again. Then, Yeriel opened her eyes and breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.
“I’m an adult.”
“And it’s empty.”
Deculein looked around with unconcerned eyes. It was a space with nothing to be seen. Yeriel glanced at him.
“Explain it to me now. What are you going to do?”
“Oh~, so-“
However.
Craaaack—
Decalane’s tracking speed was growing exponentially. Just as they’ve grown used to running away, he had become better at tracking. Yeriel looked to Deculein.
“Are we running away again?”
“No. There is no need to run away now.”
Deculein shook his head. He looked trustworthy, striking a pose as if he found the right answer.
“Then?”
“From the start, he mentioned a security mechanism, right?”
Saying that Deculein stretched. He was getting ready for something as Yeriel nodded.
“Yeah.”
“The security mechanism was the key.”
“…?”
To the bewildered Yeriel, he pointed to the Key of Yukline.
“So, my body is inside that key.”
“Your body?”
Deculein replied with a big grin.
“Yeah. Yeriel, you noticed to some extent, right? I’m a soul, so to speak, the unconscious mind.”
“…”
She flinched away slightly. Yeriel then pursed her lips and nodded softly.
Craaack–!
Meanwhile, the crack was widening. Deculein spared a glance toward it.
“I don’t know where he found dark energy, but he’s made of it.”
Of course, he wasn’t a demon. It wasn’t like only demons could wield dark energy. However, as long as his main fuel was that, and with Yeriel beside him, there was no path where Deculein could lose.
“I need to get my body back. Then, we can win.”
However, most of Deculein’s characteristics were in that body. In particular, he needed the blood of the Yukline line, which was essential for dealing with dark energy. The current Deculein was nothing but the soul of Kim Woojin.
“Body? How will we get it back?”
Yeriel asked as if she didn’t know, but the method was quite simple. It was in Yeriel’s hands from the start.
“Put that key into my heart.”
Of course, once he regained his body, this unconsciousness would end. That is, Kim Woojin would become Deculein again. He was a little sad, a little hesitant about it, a little scared, but…
He couldn’t stay in this state forever. This was enough deviation.
“And leave it to me.”
Deculein smiled confidently. However, Yeriel felt it strange. She stepped back with a reluctant look.
“…”
“Why?”
She hesitated and looked up at him. She looked worried. What was wrong with her? Deculein frowned for a moment, then realized something. He felt he knew why.
Perhaps it was a similar reason to his own.
“Aha~.”
Craaaaaaaaaaaaaack-!
It was an important moment. Decalane opened the rift, his black tentacles flowing in first.
Rumble-!
Yeriel glanced around, looking between the tentacles and Deculein. Decalane poked his head through the dark rift, and Deculein laughed quietly.
“…”
Yeriel held the key and bit her lips. She was a bit afraid. If she used this key, it appeared that the current Deculein would leave. It seemed that he would disappear completely, forgetting all the memories of today.
‘I would like it if this Deculein never went back to normal.’
He would never smile at her again.
“It’s okay.”
“!”
Did he know what she was thinking? Deculein called out to her warmly, then placed his hand on her head. Yeriel looked up. He met her gaze with a bright smile.
“Just like you’re still Yeriel…”
In that dark and empty void, Yeriel stared blankly at him. His current expression, smile, and voice were things she had never seen before.
“I am still me.”
“…”
Yeriel clenched her teeth, holding back tears. It was easy. Hiding one’s emotions was a basic of negotiating. Of course, this wasn’t a place for negotiations or trading, but… anyway, it sounded like gibberish, but…
Yeriel nodded resolutely and grabbed the key with both hands, willing them to remain steady.
“Yeah. I know.”
She shoved the key into Deculein’s chest. It slid into him softly and stopped with a click — it was caught on something. At that moment, Deculein wrapped his hands around hers. Yeriel glanced up, feeling the warmth emanating from him wash over her heart.
“…Bye.”
Crackle-!
She twisted the key.
Whoooosh…
A golden air current and mana rose from the key, the particles permeating into Deculein, who held his eyes shut.
Craaaack–!
At about the same time, Decalane’s rift was fully opened. However, it was strangely quiet.
Swish—Swish—
His tentacles fluttered as he stared at Deculein. Appearing to sense his change, he had fallen into a strange observing posture.
“…”
There was only silence. Yeriel looked at Deculein standing next to her. His eyes were very different from before; his atmosphere had already been fully reversed. Eyes forged like the sharpest blade, the dignity of a nobleman, and a face full of self-confidence bordering on arrogance. It was the exact figure of Deculein that had been carved into her memory since long ago.
“…”
He looked around without a word. He ruffled his tangled hair up, coaxing it into a neat form. He then fastened the disheveled buttons on his sleeves and adjusted his clothes. Not a single misplaced strand or wrinkle left. He pathologically patted away all dust under a stern gaze. He didn’t show even the smallest of gaps as he meticulously tidied himself.
Yeriel lowered her head with a slightly sorrowed expression.
“Deculein.”
Decalane’s personality spoke. And then, Deculein, again as Deculein ‘proper’, faced Decalane.
“…”
Silently Deculein felt out his inner self. It was like he had been unaware of becoming a mere tool that was created. Looking at that rotten garbage, such filth…
Several emotions soared up, including hate, contempt, anger, and disgust, which Kim Woojin had not felt moments ago. Deculein expressed the totality of his negation as he regarded Decalane with loathing.
“…You worm-like bastard. How dare you put my name in your mouth?”