Chapter 29 - Secre Swallowtail

Few days prior visiting the heart kingdom, Caelum had gone towards the mountains to train his bloodline. He didn't want anyone to realize he's a Devil or Demon and needed to find how powerful the bloodline is. Caelum had acquired the [ Demonic energy ] that circulating around his abdomen where at the center was his Mana core. Caelum couldn't create a core using the other energy as they act similar to Ki which is just naturally emanated by a person with life while Mana is completely different. 

If it was the same then Asta would have died long ago without Mana. He couldn't fuse the energy that resulted in backlash that could harm his body. Caelum needed to strengthen his power and connection with his bloodline before proceeding to his dangerous experiment. 

To compare the process is mixing water with oil which is near impossible because of how hydrophobic oil could be. It's possible to somehow mix the two but they would always have separation. Regardless, Caelum concentrated that started to cause his flesh, blood, organs and skin chang into completely different form and witness his hand producing metallic carapace then full transformed his body acquiring a rather androgynous faces with his hair growing longer. He acquired horns that arc up appearing like a crown. 

Caelum held out his hand revealing energy that was rather violent and sinister than [ Dragon Energy ]. The energy from the dragon was overbearing and straight forward in ways it is used while energy of a Demo was rather unpredictable.

He merely stood yet the surrounding seemed to become dark and those who were nearby would either run or freeze up seeing his form. Caelum tested his body by using [ Shundō ] where the speed was faster than his base and estimated it was 10x to 50x while his dragon form would be 100x to 200x boost. 

'Cereza, show me my status.'

•「 Status 」

•「 Name: Caelum Mercer 」

•「Title:『 One of The Holders 』||『  Fianceé of The Supreme Goddess 』 ||『  Son in law of Omni Emperor 』 || [Blank] || [Blank] 」

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•「Race:『 Transcendent Human  』||『 Source(sealed) 』」

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•「  Gender: Male 」

•「Rank: Middle Rank Foundation Establishment 」

•「 Bloodline:『 Dragon 』||『 Demon 』」

•「Mana Core Rank: Integration 」

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•「Unique Skills:『 Creator 』||『 Magia Erebia 』|| 『Gluttony 』|| 『Shapeshift 』||『Cook 』||『Predator 』|| 『Unlimited prison 』||  『Absolute Severance 』||『Usuper 』||『 Merciless 』||『 Foresight 』 」

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•「Racial Skills:『 Dragon Haki 』||『 Higher Comprehension 』||『Mind palace 』 ||『 Split mind 』||『 Enticement 』|| 『 Dragon Transformation 』|| 『 Higher Mind Protection  』|| 『 Demon Haki 』|| 『 Demon Transformation 』||  」

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•「 Basic Skills:『Shundō 』||『 Koku Shundō 』||『Ki sense 』||『 Mana Sense 』|| 『 20+ others 』」

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•「Magic Skills: 『 Element Magic 』||『Space and Time Magic 』 || 『Concept Magic 』|| 『Anti-Magic 』|| 『Star Magic 』||『World Tree Magic 』|| 『Light and Dark Magic 』||『Nature Magic 』|| 『Dream and Illusion Magic 』|| 『Paint Magic 』||『 Word Magic 』|| 」

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•「 Energy:『 Mana 』||『 Dream 』||『 Dragon 』||『 Demonic 』|| 」

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•「 Inventory: Tempest Blade  」

Caelum understood that the racial skill was simple enough to understand and decided to test something. He held out his hand to produce the silver aura yet its color was completely different than before appearing more purplish and violent then instantly causing the air moisture to turn into ice from a single swing of his arms.

He discovered that by using the energy of his bloodline then added the magic was able to be molded into those attributes. Though, it was simply too chaotic and without any control that Caelum saw it as being too dangerous to be used when he was still proficient.  

He decided to put it to the test and the aftermath speaks for itself. Caelum trained the energy to be used with his skills and the result had turned the mountain side into an inhabitable place. The whole place had turned into nothing but ice yet he grasped it enough to avoid injuring anyone or himself.

This was the first time he tried it considering he's been far too occupied from training his foundation to try doing new things. Caelum can't just keep changing considering the result would cause him to be severely weakened. Furthermore, if he had tried performing his magic skill using the other energy without establishing a proper foundation then the result would be catastrophic. 

Caelum proceeded to maintain his form trying to grasp it further than before and training in order to gain some connection. He executed every strike, chop, movement, and everything in between that made it more easier to use. 

He decided to head back since he's been far too long and arrive at where Secre was on a balcony looking at the night sky. She was lost in her thoughts while Caelum moved closer until she noticed him arriving and looked at him with her emotionless expression. 

"Caelum…"

"Don't mind me but you seem really in your thoughts. Anything bothering you?"

She fell silent looking at Caelum who quietly leaned at the railing. Secre did not answer immediately and looked into the moonlight that shone the night. It was cold yet seemed so warm at the same time. 

"You may already know this but….let me tell you my story."

Caelum ear perked up concentrating to Scere next words since he may know the story but did not mean it included every possible detail. He wanted to hear her story from her own mouth.

''I am human but I used forbidden magic which made me pay the price''

Secre said as she pointed her horns, she was trembling from the memories of her life while looking at Caelum. He felt compelled to stop her but knew she would like everything for him.

''Five hundred years ago, I had to use forbidden magic to seal a demon. Lemiel the previous Wizard King and Licht the Leader of the Elf tribe were deceived by this Devil. At the wedding of Licht and Tetia the sister of Lemiel, many elves were slaughtered and among them Tetia died, a unknown group who envied them launched a surprise attack against them.'' 

Secre grimace from the images of all the people who had died because of the devil. Caelum may act to what he desires but always try to lessen the sacrifice if he is able to. 

''So it was a separate group and a devil that caused this problem between humans and elves'' 

Caelum already knows this and is merely trying to feign ignorance not wanting them to know that their life may be just some work of fiction. He planned to create a space where time is isolated and place them there for the time being until he finds a suitable place for them to live in. 

He understood that most if not all of his women would not like to fight like he does and desire a peaceful life which is why he'll place them in dimensions that act as their home.

''Yes...Licht hoped that humans and elves could come to understand each other at some point and even begin to live together, but those hopes were immediately destroyed. After that massacre, he used the stones to become a gigantic demon, and attacked the Clover Kingdom. Lemiel was trapped while all the massacre was happening but he managed to free him and was able to protect the kingdom being seriously injured, so I decided to seal it with magic stones until that devil tries a move again'' 

"I'm sorry…living for 500 years means that you're immortal."

Caelum realized that reading and actually hearing the story from someone who was alive made it more painful to hear. Her eyes were full of loneliness and longing for death. It was amazing that she still remained sane. He has a higher mind that would combat the years of his life since his body could live for several hundred years.

"You don't have to be."

Secre shook her head then surprised when Caelum moved closer to hug her that calmed her down. 

"Thank you, Caelum."

"You don't have to continue-"

"No, it's fine. As for my immortality, I don't age but can still be killed and rarely does my body develop a bit and I am left with the appearance of an 18-year-old woman. As I knew this, my family would end up getting old and dying, besides that because of my appearance they would think that I am possessed by a devil, which would scare them a lot because in those times people were quite afraid of demons. So I decided to stay in my bird form for those 500 years.''

Secre said hug him back tightly. Caelum vowed that he'll make her happy and see the life she deserve, so he decided to tighten his embrace even more,  

''...'' 

Secre exhibited a small smile as she placed her head on Caelum's chest, she knew very well what he was thinking because she had spent several months with him and could understand how he thought.

''I had already accepted and understood that good things were not waiting for me after using forbidden magic, so the impact was less painful. The only thing that kept me going was that I had a goal and a dream, my goal is to kill that devil and my dream is that humans can live together with elves without problem. Just like Lemiel and Licht wished.'' 

"Then now that you've achieved that dream and goal, what are you going to do now?''

''Mhmm, I haven't thought about it very well. Maybe I should rest after so many years?'' 

Secre said with a complicated expression, but in reality it was the opposite, she wanted to continue living and enjoy more of her time with Caelum and the girls. Since they became like her second family.

''No''

''Mhm?"

Secre tilted her head in confusion, her big eyes met Caelum and he felt his breath hitch for a moment.

''You can't fool me, What do you want to do after fulfilling your dreams?'' 

Caelum asked, his eyes looked at Secre mesmerized by it and tempted to tell the truth while her heart was pounding nonstop.

''I want to stay with you and the girls'' 

Secre said as she bit her lips, her eyes began to water a little. Her concern was that the same situation would repeat itself as years ago, at some point they would grow old and she would have to see them die.

''There's still many things to do, Besides, do you want to leave after me and the others found out that all this time you were a human?'' 

''I know but…." 

''But now that you've shown yourself I won't let you go'' 

''You know you're being very selfish, right? and possessive'' 

Secre said as her pale cheeks turned a reddish color. She had already felt closer that Caelum would not accept no for answer and always saw him with a blissful smile spending time with the others while the girls hardly complained.

''You are worried that we will get old and at some point repeat the same situation that happened with your family, right?'' 

''Yes...'' 

She was worried that they'll leave her like how those who were important to her had long disappeared in the world. Caelum chuckled and raised her head then gave a tender kiss while showing the truth of what his goal and reason being this strong. Secre eyes widen learning what kind of man Caelum was and what he is trying to achieve.

"That's…."

"Yes, the others already know this and I'll eventually leave the world to travel to a dangerous world in pursuit for power to protect those who are important to me. Ageless is nothing to worry about but I want you to decide if you'll follow me or not."