Genes, Age, or Stress?

The place is a battlefield. But there are no warriors here.

In that battlefield filled with corpses colored madder red by a setting sun, there stand several men in labcoats around a black thing.

Olivie is nowhere to be seen.

Alexia and the others follow Alpha, who is already making her way towards that black thing.

"What is this..."

So asks Rose in a murmur.

The black thing is revealed to be a gigantic arm. A very black, very thick, and horribly enlarged arm of a monster. The sharp claws extending from it are plastered all over with bits of flesh.

"That's Diabolos' right arm. Even though it was cut off, it is still alive, to this very day."

Just as Alpha says, the arm is indeed still alive.

One of the men in labcoats carelessly gets too near, and is instantly impaled by one of the claws. Though the arm is restrained with chains and stakes, a massive amount of magic is still leaking out from it.

"The Order was able to seal Diabolos' right arm by using powerful artifacts. However, the sealing was imperfect, such that a distortion was generated, which eventually became the so-called 'Holy Ground.' But that's a topic for another day. What is important here is that the Order is after the astonishing vitality of Diabolos cells."

The men in labcoats are drawing blood and slicing off pieces from the sealed arm.

The drawn blood and cut off parts regenerate after a short while.

"Through their research of Diabolos' right arm, the Order is developing a medicine that can strengthen humans. At the current stage, that medicine still causes side effects, but it can be used by men."

Alpha takes out a lozenge from her chest pocket, and flicks it into the air.

After drawing an arc in the air, the lozenge rolls on the ground, until it bumps into Nelson's shoe and stops. Alexia recognizes that red lozenge.

"This has become a pillar of strength holding the Order up, but it is not the real source of the Order's strength. After sealing Diabolos's flesh, they spent numerous months and years researching it, until they finished a certain medicine."

The scene changes.

They are now in a white laboratory. More men in labcoats are huddled around a single table, fervently waiting for the moment when that is finished.

Then a single drop of something falls into a small vial.

"That brilliantly red liquid is said to seem almost like the living blood of Diabolos."

The liquid in the vial is indeed a beautiful, vivid red, not unlike real blood.

The men can be seen rejoicing and cheering. Then the one who seems to be their leader licks it up.

"Anyone who licks that liquid gains enormous strength... and a body that does not age. Apparently our speculation was correct after all."

Alpha looks at Nelson, who is looking downwards as if to hide his face.

"Now then, a question. Who here thinks that the man in a labcoat over there..."

So saying, Alpha points towards a certain person standing near the edge of the group in labcoats.

"... bears resemblance to Acting Archbishop Nelson over here?"

"...!"

Alexia hurriedly looks at Nelson's face.

Just as Alpha points out, Nelson's face and the face of that man in a labcoat is the splitting image of each other. The similarity is so great that it's gone beyond the level of 'looking alike,' to the point where it is almost certain that they are the same person.

"So what is the name of this wonderful medicine?"

"...The Tears of Diabolos."

So mutters Nelson.

"Thank you. But actually, this Tears of Diabolos is also not a perfect product. In fact, it has two large flaws."

Alexia has already realized one of those flaws. The current Nelson is bald. But the Nelson in the memory...

"Acting Archbishop Nelson had hair in the past. It seems that the unaging property is imperfect."

Alexia laughs.

"That is incorrect."

Alpha denies Alexia's speculation.

"Me being bald is because of stress."

So declares Nelson with certainty.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Alexia apologizes.

"The first flaw is that the Tears of Diabolos must be taken regularly, or else its effects will be lost. It that correct?"

"Once a year, yes."

"As we'd speculated. And the second flaw is that its production is extremely limited."

"12 drops every year."

"12 drops. And if I remember correctly, there are exactly 12 seats in the Knights of Rounds."

"Hmph..."

Nelson barks out a laugh while still looking down.

"The Order has 12 knights possessing exceptional power called the Knights of Rounds. Everyone in the Order aims to join the Rounds, seeking the eternal life that such a position promises. Isn't that so?"

Nelson continues laughing, a disturbing laugh emanating from the back of his throat.

"The Order is putting an enormous amount of resources into the research to perfect the Tears of Diabolos. The key to that research is the sealed body of Diabolos, and the heroes' descendants who have strongly inherited the blood of their hero ancestor. Like me, for example, who strongly inherited Olivie's blood."

"Correct on all counts. And... I am the 11th Seat of the Knights of Rounds, Nelson 'the Avaricious'."

Nelson lifts his face up, revealing glowing red eyes.

Feeling an enormous amount of magic swirling into motion, Alexia drops into a stance.

That instant, a jet black blade pierces Nelson's chest. That woman who had been restraining Nelson had reaped his life without any hesitation whatsoever.

Nelson falls to the ground, all strength leaving his body.

"Sorry, Alpha. But Delta felt that this man needed to be hunted down."

(T/N: Delta refers to herself in 3rd person. This is something mainly done by children, so when a non-child character does this, it is an indication of relative mental immaturity.)

It was a voice that sounded somewhat soulless.

"Delta..."

"Delta is good at hunting. Just recently, there were these boars on a mountain..."

"Be quiet."

Delta clasps her hands to her mouth and looks around ruefully.

"Too late. And also, look at your prey carefully."

Nelson's body is crumbling. Starting from the side, it gradually disappears entirely into nothing.

That is not the way a person dies.

It is almost like a mirror breaking...

"Incoming."

Alpha's warning and Delta's response happened at the same time.

Right before being bisected by a greatsword, Delta drops to the ground, then springs forward like a beast.

Delta's fangs clash with the greatsword.

"You beast...!"

"Delta is really good at hunting."

So Nelson exclaims, to which Delta laughs wildly.

Delta's canines are stained with blood, blood from the scratch on Nelson's face. However, Nelson merely wipes the blood off his cheek as if it's of no consequence. Indeed, the wound has already healed.

Delta greatly extends her jet black blade, then crouches on all fours, ready to pounce at any moment.

But right then.

"Delta, wait."

Alpha's voice causes Delta to jolt in surprise.

"Your ears are showing."

"Ah...!"

Delta's furry ears are protruding from a gap in her bodysuit. Incidentally, the bottom half of her face is also revealed.

As she flusteredly covers back up, this time it's her white behind that gets revealed. Her bushy tail swings back and forth.

"Beast person..."

So gasps Rose.

"Ah, um, Alpha-samaa~, I feel like my magic is being sucked awaaayyyy~~~"

"That's because we are close to the center of the Holy Ground."

It is Nelson who answers Delta.

"The Holy Ground is our territory. The closer to the center, the more power you fools lose."

Nelson's voice is blurred. Before anyone had noticed, Nelson had become two. Or so it had seemed, but now he is only one.

"I had wanted to make my move a bit closer, but no matter, this will suffice. Allow me to formally introduce myself once more."

Lightly resting his greatsword that is about the length of the average person's height on his shoulder, Nelson briefly bobs his head.

"11th Seat of the Knights of Rounds, Nelson the Avaricious. You all shall now learn to regret having bared your fangs against the Order."

His face is not that of a man of the cloth. Rather, it is filled with the ferocity of a warrior.