"Ren is that kind of person—honest, with a character that puts one at ease."
"I suppose so. He’s quite bright, especially to a man like me who spends most of his time cooped up in ruins."
Though he spoke teasingly, Ragna didn't stop there, given that this was a personal introduction from Radius. After a deep sigh, he took two sips of the tea Ren had brewed.
"My specialties are archaeology and ancient magicology. While I believe I’m well-versed in Holy Magic as well, I can only say that the power of Holy Magic as a standalone element is exactly what Ren described."
"Then—"
"Yeah. The holy power itself is remarkable, but it has no other distinct characteristics. That’s just how it is."
It wasn't that the magic was worthless or weak. The conclusion was simply that it possessed no hidden special powers beyond what Ren had already surmised.
As I thought, it’s not an effect of Holy Magic itself. Maybe I should focus on the nature of the White Saint rather than the magic. But I want to hear a little more.
Ren looked down at Eupeheim through the large window, reaching a conclusion on his own without showing his face to the others.
"Changing the subject," Ren said as he turned around. "I’ve fought the Demon King Cult several times."
"I know. Radius has consulted me about them often. I’ve lent him a hand more than once because he wanted to analyze their power."
Thinking this was a good opportunity, Ren spoke, mixing in a bit of embellishment.
"Those affected by the Mark of the Demon King Cult had their physical abilities and magic enhanced. I feel like there were even cases where some individuals lost their sense of self. What are your thoughts on this?"
"The so-called Power of the Demon King is being scattered about; that’s likely the root cause. Those affected die because they cannot withstand the rampage of the power they were granted. I’d say the physical changes that occur along the way simply vary by individual."
"Then, what about the cases where they lost their sense of self?"
"Who knows? It’s probably something like a change in the nature of a mana stone."
"A change in the nature of a mana stone?"
Ren listened intently, determined not to miss a single word of Ragna’s explanation. This was specifically because Licia also had a mana stone inside her body.
"In the case of monsters, the mana stone undergoes a major change during evolution. If they cease to be the original monster, it’s not uncommon for their ego to change as well. It’s not that their previous memories vanish, but there are changes to a greater or lesser degree."
"But the Demon King Cultists don't have mana stones in their bodies."
"Exactly. That’s the crux of the matter," Ragna continued, answering Ren's question without hesitation. "This is how I see it. Their marks are functionally the same as mana stones for monsters—they were engraved as a vessel to store power."
"Wait, Ragna! I haven't heard anything about this!" Radius interjected.
"Because this is the first time I’ve said it. It’s a hypothesis I came up with just the other day while I was off chasing adventure. I just figured I might as well talk about it today."
"Ah... I see."
The small Shelgardian brought the conversation back on track. Both Radius and Ren were surprised to hear such an unexpectedly interesting hypothesis, but they focused on the main topic first.
"The difference between the Mark of the Demon King Cult and monster evolution is that the mark erodes the body in order to forcibly strengthen the one who bears it. Instead of accepting change through one's own strength, the host accepts change brought about by external factors. Of course, whether one can accept it or not depends on the individual's own power."
The word "forcibly" piqued Ren's interest. It seemed very similar to the phenomenon that had occurred with Licia.
"Is that... unavoidable?"
"I don't understand the intent of your question. At what stage are you talking about? Are you asking for a way to refuse being forcibly strengthened, or are you asking about the erosion of the body?"
"Fundamentally, I’m asking if there’s a way to avoid the phenomenon that affects the ego."
"They could just die," Ragna said bluntly. "The mark is likely like a parasite that feeds on the host's mana. If they die, the mark disappears."
As one method of resolution, it made sense if the goal was simply to erase the mark. However, it wasn't the answer Ren was looking for.
"Then, is there a way to escape the compulsion of the mark without dying?"
"—And what would be the point of that?"
It was a pure question from Ragna, who seemed genuinely puzzled from the bottom of his heart.
"Is there a cultist you want to save?"
"No, it’s for future reference. Even when Radius and I capture cultists, many of them end up dying."
"So it's to squeeze as much information out of them as possible? You say some pretty gruesome things with such a cute face."
Ren didn't particularly try to argue with the amusedly laughing Ragna. Ragna thought for a moment, differing from his previous demeanor, and chose his words carefully.
"The latent power triggered by the concept of 'compulsion' which also influences the ego... To put it another way, that happens because the wielder cannot fully suppress their own power."
"I see. Is it similar to the story of the Blighted Princess?" Radius asked.
Perhaps because of his experience teaching the Third Prince, or perhaps because of his love for lore, Ragna knew the folktale of the Blighted Princess.
"She was different. She maintained her will because she was controlling her power."
"Then how is she different from those who go berserk?"
"The Blighted Princess is just a fairy tale, after all. So I don't intend to argue the specifics here, but in my opinion, she was controlling her power."
"Then why do you think she eroded her surroundings?"
"When a person breathes in, they must then breathe out. It’s just that something that was normal for her had a negative impact on those around her. She eroded her surroundings just by being there; that’s all. If anything, to her, everyone else was the one who wasn't normal."
However, as Ragna said, there were too many uncertainties to reach a definitive answer. It was merely his brief insight offered as a single example.
"Let’s get back to the topic," Ragna said, returning to the main question Ren had asked. The answer was something important to Ren, not just regarding the marks. "The most effective way is to keep resisting that compulsion and maintain your sense of self. If you lose, your ego vanishes and the power runs wild as it pleases. Simple, right?"
"By any chance, if someone manages to endure it, is there any guarantee it won't happen a second time?"
"If you keep resisting without losing, every element that constitutes you as an individual will adapt and grow. This is probably close to the answer you’re looking for, isn't it, Ren?"
"Close... that might be true. But 'adapt'?"
"The example we're using is a phenomenon where power the body can't handle takes control of the body. So, if the body grows to the point where it can handle it, there's no problem. The same power won't trigger a second rampage. After all, it's being controlled."
"R-Really!? But is there a way to judge if someone has successfully endured it!?"
Ren's voice went up an octave. Licia had once resisted a mysterious compulsion and returned to Ren's side. He couldn't say for sure if that phenomenon should be treated as the same thing as the Mark of the Demon King Cult or monster evolution, but it was undoubtedly a piece of information he had been craving.
"If you can use the power you couldn't fully manage before, you can say you’ve endured the power's rampage. From a magical perspective, it can be judged that the body has adapted to the power."
In other words, the fact that Licia used powerful Holy Magic during the latter half of the fight with the Sword Demon was exactly that. Past events flashed through Ren's mind.
Resisting might be a bit different, though. The two who appeared in the Baldur Mountains were able to manage their marks.
There was a man named Kai, one half of that pair, who was characterized by his crude way of speaking. That man had collapsed because he couldn't manage his power after the Power of the Demon King was amplified by Fiona's Black Priestess power. That was likely the same concept as something having an effect on the compulsion.
After thinking for a while, Ren continued his train of thought.
That’s right. Roses Kaitas was the same.
Roses Kaitas, and the Time Cage. In that space filled with the power of the Goddess of Time, it would be accurate to say that Licia's power went berserk independently of her will. If that incident was in the same category as the Baldur Mountains Incident, then power filled with divinity had brought about some kind of change in Licia.
And then Licia resisted, returning as if responding to Ren's call. That is why she was by Ren's side now. Ren exhaled as he organized this information. For now, it seemed he could rest easy.
Thinking back, the Holy Magic Licia used when the fight against the Sword Demon reached its climax was much more refined than before. She hadn't used it lately due to a sense of aversion, but what Ragna said felt increasingly persuasive. Licia, who had fully resisted the mysterious power, was undoubtedly experiencing physical growth as well.
"...Thank goodness."
A sigh of relief escaped him.
"Regarding the cultists, it's a different story if the Demon King were to be resurrected in some form," Ragna added. "With the Power of the Demon King from the legends, the cultists might all lose their minds without exception."
"Ah... now that you mention it, that’s true."
"But Ragna, the powerful cultists were able to act on their own will, rather than just resisting the Power of the Demon King, weren't they?" Radius asked.
"Who knows? If the Power of the Demon King was truly immense, that might not be the case next time. At worst, they could become mindless death-soldiers. That goes for the executives I heard about, and the Cult Leader as well."
"Ultimately, we won't know until we reach that stage, I suppose."
"Yeah. Stories about the Demon King are full of wonder, but there is a decisive lack of information."
"Phew... what a troublesome era we've come into."
"It can't be helped. The Power of the Demon King was tremendous. He was the only one who held a blade capable of rivaling a Divine Sword."
At this point, Ragna spoke as if cursing. He boredly dismissed the Elfen Church.
"If those priests of the Elfen Church could have protected that Holy Relic, things would have been settled much more easily."
"Hmm? Which Holy Relic are you talking about?"
"The one stolen from some temple a while back. That’s it—the 'Tears of Elfen'. Leomel has many Holy Relics. They’re not just in temples; they’re often held by nobles across the land. I don't know what the Demon King Cult is thinking, targeting only Leomel, but this probably has something to do with it."
A special liquid imbued with the power to purify anything—that was the Tears of Elfen. It was the Holy Relic stolen by the Cult Leader himself when he attacked a temple of the Elfen Church.
"With the divinity that liquid is said to possess, it could have completely purified the cultists along with their marks."
"Even so, there's nothing to be done about what was stolen. However, as I’ve thought before, that must be quite a potent poison for the Demon King Cult. Did they steal it for self-defense after all?"
"Well, I don't know if the Tears of Elfen truly has the power the rumors claim."
"What's wrong, Ragna? Have you started finding fault even with Holy Relics?"
"Quiet. This is as a researcher, from an academic standpoint. The Tears of Elfen is an unmistakable Holy Relic, and it's said there are no flaws in the power of a god, but living creatures have flaws. I just have doubts about how much the power of purification would actually take effect."
"I think you realize this, but those words are contradictory," Radius said. "If there are no flaws in the power of a god, wouldn't its effects transcend human flaws?"
"Contradictory? Exactly. The world cannot exist without contradictions. That’s why I said 'it's said'."
Ragna boasted a boldness that didn't even fear the gods. He didn't stop, even as Ren looked surprised and Radius gave a wry smile.
"Because God himself is contradictory. Therefore, it's only right for a Shelgardian to have one or two contradictions as well. Nothing I’m saying is wrong."
Ragna spoke cynically without hesitation. It wasn't that he specifically had a grievance with the Main God Elfen, but he was a realist. For better or worse, he didn't care for talk that wasn't grounded in reality.
"God has no flaws—God makes us believe that. But if he were truly an omnipotent being with no flaws, would the Main God go out of his way to create a Hero? He would have done something before the Demon King was even born, wouldn't he?"
"It seems you dislike the convenient phrase 'trials granted to humanity'."
"I hate it. All that’s there is a manufactured story. There’s not a single bit of interest in it. If there’s any conclusion to be drawn, it’s that a god with a twisted personality is probably sitting back and smirking. I enjoy watching a play, but I have no intention of becoming an actor."
"Is it really okay to say such things, assuming God was the one who brought people into this world?"
"If I’m wrong, perhaps the omnipotent God will correct me." Ragna didn't stop there; he continued. "Ah, no, it's fine even if he can't correct me. If he can't, then it proves that God isn't omnipotent. That would satisfy one of my intellectual curiosities."
He finished his thought completely—words that would likely get him beaten if heard by an Elfen Follower. The Third Prince didn't seem to mind much, and the boy magic sword user only listened with a wry smile.
"Ren, you're starting to understand this man now, aren't you?"
"Ahaha... I think I’ll refrain from answering that."
"Don't give me that answer. That's a phrase troublesome nobles often use in parliament."
A tired expression appeared on Radius’s face as he sighed. The fact that he looked tired wasn't actually something that started just after coming here. As Ren had noticed several times recently, Radius had been looking exhausted.
"On another note, you've been quite busy lately, Radius," Ragna noted.
"...What about it?"
"Nothing. If I had to say, I’m sensing signs that a great change is about to visit history..."
Radius didn't respond to those meaningful words. The next time he spoke, it was to say, "Speaking of which, Ragna, I heard you've been spending a lot of time in Eupeheim lately yourself."
"Yeah, because something interesting was excavated."
"Something interesting even to Ragna? It seems you found something quite good."
"Indeed. Do you want to take a look if you're curious?"
When Radius said "By all means," Ragna walked across the room. When he placed his hand on an especially large shelf, a glowing pattern appeared on the shelf doors. He was also chanting something that sounded like an incantation.
From behind the doors that opened to the left and right, a glass-covered showcase was pushed forward. Inside the showcase sat a single circlet.
"Over here," Ragna called.
Ren and Radius stood before the showcase.
"Before I explain the things that were recently excavated, there’s this. This is a circlet found in the Old City decades ago."
According to him, the material was mithril—a special metal that boasted corrosion resistance superior even to gold. When processed by a master craftsman, it surpassed most expensive alloys. Most of the mithril existing in this world was material mined on the Demon Continent, where the Demon King's Castle stood.
However, something was wrong with this circlet. The entire thing had been eroded by black.