“By the way.”
Jin D, who was currently conversing with the spiritual lifeform—the other personality inhabiting the body of Markitus—voiced a doubt that had just occurred to him.
“As a spiritual lifeform… you’re surprisingly rational, aren't you?”
He added that he had expected someone far more destructive.
“Hmm. Now that you mention it, perhaps that is so,” the spiritual lifeform admitted. “I certainly recall having a much more frenzied way of thinking before.”
Jin D agreed. He found it hard to believe that this particular personality had truly intended to destroy the world.
“…Did something happen?”
“Nothing in particular. Although… if I had to say… Yes, Jin Nidou, would you try casting healing magic on Markitus’s physical body?”
“Hm? Sure, I don’t mind.…‘Cure.’”
Since there was no specific injury to address, Jin cast a beginner-level healing spell that served for both surgical and internal purposes.
“…Just as I thought.” The spiritual lifeform’s persona nodded as if convinced of something.
“What do you mean, ‘just as you thought’?”
“Jin Nidou, your magic… or rather, your mana… contains sub-ether waves.”
“What?”
“Your mana contains a slight component of sub-ether waves. It seems that thanks to that, I have regained my sense of self.”
“In my mana?” Jin couldn’t hide his surprise. “Could you use it once more so I can be sure?”
Jin was also curious.
“Yeah, alright.…‘Heilverfahren.’”
Using the Shouro Empire-style incantation, Jin D cast a high-level internal healing spell.
“Oh, this is pleasant. There is no doubt. Your magic and mana contain sub-ether waves.”
＊ ＊ ＊
“Sub-ether waves in my mana…?”
Back on Hourai Island, Jin was draped in astonishment.
『It is a plausible explanation, My Lord,』 Laojun affirmed. 『Perhaps that is one of the qualifications for being a Magi Craft Meister.』
“But… is there a possibility that I became able to use them—or rather, was influenced—because I went to that otherworld?” Jin pointed out another possibility.
After all, Ichi and the others hadn't mentioned anything like that.
『No, I do not believe so. Your magic pattern is the same now as it was before,』 the response came back.
“…I see.”
Jin thought about it. For Ichi and the others, handling sub-ether waves was likely more natural than breathing was for humans, so it might not have been something they felt the need to point out…
And perhaps this was the reason why a Magi Craft Meister had never appeared among his descendants. Possessing a magic pattern that included sub-ether wave components was likely a very rare trait. It was easy to imagine that humans with such an aptitude rarely appeared.
“That aside, once this commotion is over, I really need to go see my descendants…” Jin swore this to his heart once again.
＊ ＊ ＊
“…‘Heilverfahren.’”
Jin D repeatedly cast healing magic on Markitus’s body. Since Jin D was a Doppel powered by a magi-reactor, he did not grow exhausted no matter how many times he cast the spell.
“Hmm, my strength has returned!”
The fragment of the spiritual lifeform possessing Markitus seemed to have recovered its original condition.
“Looking at it this way, this personality known as Markitus was quite distorted.…And I suppose I am partly to blame for that…”
Markitus’s slavedoll bowed its head. Jin felt that the spiritual lifeform, now returned to normal, seemed to have a fairly decent personality.
(Ichi and the others were a peaceful lot, after all…)
“Jin Nidou, it seems Markitus himself has something he wants to say. I shall switch with him.”
“…Eh?” Caught off guard while lost in thought, Jin was taken aback by the suddenness of it.
“…Jin Nidou. You really are a disagreeable fellow.”
“…Guillermo Marukitasu?”
“Indeed. Though that is a name I gave to my slavedolls; the name I received from my parents is Golbart Marukitasu.”
“I see.”
After taking a breath, Golbart Marukitasu spoke. “I hate you. You always stay one step ahead of me in everything,” he spat out. “I studied the super-technology of the past and went to Avalon with the pride of being the best in the world, only to find that you had created things far more incredible.”
“Of the past?…Then this wasn't the only Progenitor ruin you knew about.”
“Of course not. There was one in the town where I was born, and others remained in the surrounding areas. Though they were on an extremely small scale.”
“…In that case, was your birthplace what was formerly known as the demon territory? Or perhaps Fusou Island… no, New El?”
At Jin’s reaction, Golbart Marukitasu’s face contorted. “You even know about those places…” His expression turned into one of resignation. “I really do hate you.”
“Even if you say that…”
But surprisingly, Golbart Marukitasu let out a small laugh. “Though it is merely my own selfish obsession.”
Jin understood that the man had essentially been shadowboxing alone this entire time.
“…For a long time, I felt as though I were trapped in a bad dream, but everything that happened was by my own hand. I understand that.” Golbart Marukitasu admitted to all of his past conduct. “…It seems my life has been prolonged slightly thanks to your healing magic, but I don’t have much longer.”
Golbart Marukitasu smirked again. “My apologies. It seems I won't be judged by your laws.”
“Golbart Marukitasu…!”
“My thoughts are clearer now than they have ever been. Therefore, I admit that what I have done was wrong. However, I do not understand why I did such strange things.” I don’t even know myself, he said, smirking once more. “I believe it was after I was possessed by that spiritual lifeform you were speaking with… a part of my mind became exceptionally sharp. But it seems other parts became dull.”
The man analyzed himself, suggesting that this imbalance had driven him to his eccentric actions.
“That doesn't mean I expect to be forgiven. And I will not budge on the point that living things should ultimately aim to become spiritual lifeforms.” However, he added that humans were still too immature for that to happen right now.
“Jin Nidou, I still don’t quite understand your true identity. But I can at least tell that you are not an enemy of humanity.” Though I wouldn't call you a complete ally either, he added, wearing that same smirk again. “I wanted to sit down and talk with you once, but by the time I went to Avalon, you were already gone.”
“Yeah, I suppose I was.”
“…I don’t know how you are standing there in that form right now, but I am satisfied that I was able to speak with you like this.”
They say hatred is the reverse of love. In his case, it wasn't exactly love, but he seemed to harbor a feeling toward Jin that bordered on respect.
“As I said before, I don’t have much longer. I have no intention of being judged by your laws.”
Leaving it at that, Golbart Marukitasu closed his eyes.