Chapter 124 - Memory Garden 1 (2/2)

“…I may be old, but my heart will always be in its twenties.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Boo...”

Aris pouted as she looked downcast.

Agnes watched her and whispered into her ear.

“If you want to win Lord Asura's heart, learn to cook. Leifina seems to have poor cooking skills.”

”Eh? Is that true?”

“Yes, I've heard Lord Asura say that before.”

“Okay, then I’ll become the best cook and delight Lord Asura’s tongue and stomach.”

Since she lost in both age and body style, she had to make up for her disadvantage with housework.

Aris burned with enthusiasm as she watched Leifina getting supported by Woohyuk.

***

When the Soul Fragment incident was settled, Woohyuk immediately headed towards Angrboda’s sanctuary.

A gloomy fog weighed down on the forest.

To get rid of it, the chapel had to be destroyed. But he had something to do before that.

“Are you sure this is the right way?”

“Yes, if we walk a little more, you will see a hill.”

Alphone knew the geography of this area skillfully, because she had been serving Angrboda for a very long time.

While she guided Woohyuk's party, a huge silhouette appeared with the sound of heavy steps.

It was Silvator.

“Master, we have been waiting for you at the sanctuary as you had ordered.”

“If you see someone suspicious, report to me immediately.”

“Please leave it to me. If anyone tries to get inside, I’ll smack the soul out of them using a stick...”

Silvator showed off his shoulder muscles and pretended to hit an imaginary intruder.

Woohyuk nodded and pointed towards the area between Silvator’s legs.

“It better behave well. Otherwise, your precious things may disappear.”

It meant that you shouldn't even think about betraying Woohyuk.

Silvator gulped momentarily.

“I will keep it in mind. I am a faithful servant of my master.”

“...I’ll trust you for now.”

He didn’t expect much of him

He just needed him to report the situation outside while he was within the ruins, but that was it.

Woohyuk continued marching forward, leaving behind Silvator who was lying on the ground, showing his belly in a position of obedience.

“By the way, how did you get the ability to separate souls?”

“I was lucky. After running away from the village, I wandered around and...”

Alphone, who was only fifteen at the time, was begging on the streets, and with the help of a noble lady, she entered the Free City Craftsman Guild.

Afterwards, she created and sold dolls there to make a living.

She had no one to rely upon, since her father had been burned at the stack for colluding with the Witch Cult. She spent her days sleeping in her workshop.

Then one day, a man came to her.

His name was Aleister Crowley.

He was the head of the Golden Rose Society and the Witch Cult.

“Did he teach you those skills?”

“Yes, there was nothing he didn’t know.”

Aleister researched many magic books and reached the pinnacle of knowledge as a genius alchemist.

Alphone had learned the Soul Separation Technique from him.

“He’s truly an incredible person.”

“In a way, he’s more terrifying than the Witches of the Seven Sins. He is quite literally Lady Lilith's shadow.”

“Lilith?”

“Yes, a long-established witch who has existed since the Genesis.”

“That’s why he wouldn’t die.”

Woohyuk recalled what had happened in the Izuna Royal Library's secret section.

Although it was in the imaginary world, he was astonished and dumbfounded that Aleister would not die even if he were cut it in half by Verserios.

However, if he had made a direct contract with Lilith, Woohyuk could be convinced to some extent.

‘Back in the past, Lilith could neutralize all of my attacks.'

Before the regression, when he had defeated all seven witches and the 72 Demon King, Lilith had appeared and made a proposal to Woohyuk.

‘Will you destroy this world with me?’

Of course, Woohyuk refused and fought a fierce battle with her.

…At least, that was what it looked like on the surface.

‘Lilith was extremely powerful.’

If she had fought with all her might in a duel, the results would’ve been unpredictable.

However, he didn’t get a chance to try it out.

‘I’m certain she had said that she wouldn’t meet me before I reached the divine thrones.’

It means that he had to become a god, or an even higher existence if he wanted to kill her.

He was dubious and doubtful back then, but seeing Aleister, he was now certain of it.

As Nakron had said, it would be difficult to fight her unless he had complete control over all of the Demon God’s demonic energy.

'I have to find Eteria Rodinus.'

To overcome his future trials, he needed the secret knowledge they kept hidden.

First of all, he had to find the Sangreal Chronicles as Martinus had told him.

The Sangreal Chronicles contained information about the divine lineage and their guardians, which would help him meet Eteria Rodinus.

While Woohyuk organized his thoughts for a while, Alphone spoke to him.

“We are almost there now! Over there!”

On the hilltop she pointed with her index finger, there was a large old tree.

Leifina looked at it and seemed surprised.

“That's…”

“Do you know something, Leifina?”

“It’s a divine tree. The residents used to offer their sacrifices to the earthly gods beneath that tree. It contained a mysterious magical power.”

“… So it's not an ordinary tree.”

Woohyuk nodded as if he knew.

Later, as he whistled, a three-footed eagle was summoned in the air.

“I will head there first.”

“Wha, what about us!?”

Leifina and Alphone protested.

Since the tree was on top of a cliff, they had to take a detour for a long walk to the side of the slopes.

Like Woohyuk, it would be better to ride on an aerial anime to use the shortest distance.

However, that was only the case if they didn’t have flight abilities like Aris and Agnes.

“I'll lend them to you if you want.”

At Woohyuk's words, two undead gargoyles were summoned.

As Leifina and Alphone climbed on top of them with nervous expressions, they flew high, flapping their wings wildly.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Mo, Mommy!”

The two women screamed as if they were about to die.

Both of them had acrophobia.

Woohyuk, who had been flying earlier, looked at them in apology.

“Now that I think about it, there was no need to make you two fly as well.”

Leifina could teleport to his side through the Call to Arms skill, while Alphone hide herself within his shadow.

But the cup was already spilled.

Although he pitied, he couldn't help it.

'I'm sorry, Leifina.'

Become strong, so that you can always be by my side.