Chapter 32

Kung-

Behind the Academy building, I had thrown down the Seven-Colored Bird.

Next to the Tyranno I hunted last time, it looked incredibly tiny despite not being small in size.

The magic power in its feathers wasn’t coming from the center but seemed to be something it had stored separately, as it was still being maintained.

I coated my dagger with aura and carefully tried to cut it.

Gagagagak-

Sparks flew everywhere, like when grinding a chunk of metal with a grinder.

When I finally managed to cut the feather, what was inside was a mana circuit spreading in a complex pattern.

So, this is how they made the exterior.

I feel like something’s coming to mind.

Hmm······.

I think I knew something similar to this.

“Ah. Right. That thing.”

“Huh?”

“The spirit sent by the Voice. The one that said it would grant blessings and all that.”

Now I remember.

Come to think of it, I haven’t tried the blessing yet.

Actually, after hearing about it, I spent a few weeks thinking about improving the blessing.

I didn’t try it, but I kept it in the back of my mind like homework I’d do someday.

But I forgot.

Why?

Probably because I doubted the usefulness of the auxiliary circuit called “blessing.”

Once, I met a fire spirit and received a blessing.

Well, not me, but Miho did.

However, the effect wasn’t that great.

It felt sketchy, like installing and running some random “computer-speed-up-program.exe” from an unknown source.

Luckily, nothing happened to Miho after I watched over her.

But in my mind, the goal of researching and improving the blessing’s structure disappeared.

But now, right in front of me, there’s such a great teaching material.

Each of the tens of thousands of feathers has a circuit, and the derivative effects they create are enough to make even me feel threatened.

Moreover, since there’s no central control, once you coat it with magic power, it doesn’t require additional maintenance.

So, how did they assign magic power to each feather without them being connected?

The answer was simple.

This creature knew how to handle Dimension Power.

It must have transmitted magic power through the resonance of Dimension Power.

I picked up a feather and channeled magic power into it.

The magic power spread through the circuit, repeating compression and amplification, and then coated the entire feather while maintaining a certain density.

Oh······.

What should I say? It feels more like a robot than a living creature.

It’s like looking at a well-made machine.

Though it’s the kind of killing machine you’d see in movies.

Then, Belva, who was observing the feather next to me, muttered softly.

It was a small voice, but I could hear it because she was close.

“Magical Engineering?”

“…Yes. I think I know which world this monster came from.”

An interesting introduction.

You can tell which world it came from?

When I asked about that part, Belva first talked about the dimension she lived in.

The giant trade dimension, Area.

A place that trades with over a thousand dimensions and helps with inter-dimensional travel, a kind of important hub.

For a dimension to be called “giant,” it must contain dozens of worlds.

Among those dozens of worlds, there’s one that focused on developing magical engineering, and Belva, as an envoy from a certain country, often interacted with that world.

“You were an envoy? You?”

“…I had a decent job, you know. Of course, I quit due to circumstances, but my job evaluations were pretty good.”

“Huh.”

That’s unexpected.

More than that, I’m curious about what this magical engineering thing is.

I didn’t quite understand how it was related to this monster.

“The technology used in this feather is almost identical to the magical engineering I’ve seen in that world. This monster probably absorbed the Dimension Power of that world.”

After that, Belva explained further.

When a cataclysm occurs in a primitive dimension, most Dimensional Stones lose all their Dimension Power and disappear.

However, the surviving Dimensional Stones become records, carrying the entire history and growth of that world over an immense period of time.

Dimension Monsters are creatures that devour such Dimensional Stones.

Meaning, they gain the records of that world.

Hmm······.

What a fascinating creature.

By absorbing Dimension Power, they can gain the knowledge of that world.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Listening to this, something’s been off for a while now······.”

“These Dimension Monsters or whatever, don’t they seem too similar to me?”

“You insolent thing. Hey. Hey. Aren’t you going to talk?”

“Ah! Wait, it really hurts! Really!”

“Be honest. Since when did you know?”

I had my suspicions, but now I’m sure.

It seems I’m not the human I thought I was, but one of the Dimension Monsters.

The ability to absorb Dimension Power. Using it to absorb the knowledge and abilities of others. Traits and growth that ordinary humans can’t have.

No wonder I found it odd when Belva mentioned there was a “personal difference” last time.

If that’s the case, there must be something else with similar traits, but Belva said no human had such characteristics long ago.

Meaning, Belva noticed similarities in something non-human and explained it to me.

“Right?”

When I asked, Belva nodded while holding her head with both hands.

“No lifeform is exactly the same as Yeona. But some Dimension Monsters, when they grow beyond a certain point, undergo rapid growth like molting, and they can absorb Dimension Power, travel between dimensions, and so on. There are definitely many similarities.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me!”

“Kyaaah!”

Belva let out a clean scream as I put her in a serious armbar.

Seriously, how insolent.

The more I think about it, the more insolent it is.

Why didn’t you tell me?

It’s not like I’d be shocked or anything by this.

This is something I should know.

It was the kind of information that had to be dealt with.

If it wasn’t Belva who hid this fact but someone else, I would have tried every torture method on the spot until they spilled everything.

“Ah, it really, really hurts! Time out!”

Belva’s slender arm, caught by me, was bent at a precarious angle.

When Belva flicked her fingers, a strange force gently pushed me away.

I know what this force is.

The mysterious power in Belva’s shield or healing.

Judging by the wings on her back, it’s probably Divine Power.

Using Magic Power, I scattered it and changed my position, twisting the other arm.

“Not talking?”

“No, how can you…! More importantly, I’m talking! I’m about to explain now!”

After taking a mount position, I looked down at Belva, who was panting.

“What’s going on? Explain it simply.”

“Whew, just a second… I need to catch my breath.”

“You know me. I’m not the type to be shocked or depressed by something like this. There must be another reason, right?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Tell me.”

At my words, Belva took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

She turned her head slightly and began to speak.

“You know what race I am, right?”

I do. Watcher.

A race that watches over and manages a world.

However, they can’t interfere much and have restrictions, so they feel more like managers than rulers.

They are basically granted various powers and are likely connected to a God-like existence.

“…That’s right. And Watchers also have the role of cutting off abnormal, unnatural interference between dimensions.”

“Why?”

“The ‘abnormal interference’ I mentioned includes Beastmen as well.”

…What?

I frowned slightly.

I didn’t quite understand what I just heard.

“Explain in detail. So, you’re saying I’m included in the targets you need to cut off?”

Belva remained silent.

I took a moment to calm my breathing and organize my confused thoughts.

Hmm. What should I do about this?

I understand why Belva didn’t tell me.

Belva knows me better than anyone.

She is the one who understands me the most, the disgusting me who quietly creates an aura as soon as this situation arises.

I tapped my throbbing head and asked again.

“What exactly does ‘cut off’ mean?”

Belva remained silent again.

And in that silence, she whispered softly.

“Depending on the situation… if it’s a Beastman, it means… eliminating them.”

Sigh.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

Of all days, today.

My stomach churned noisily, feeling like I was going to throw up.

Let’s think.

Why did Belva reveal this secret to me?

Was it just a mistake?

If so, was her goal to kill me by seizing the opportunity?

But there are many flaws in that reasoning.

If she hadn’t saved me in the first place, I would already be dead.

Then, should I think that she only recently found out?

That she discovered I was a Beastman a few days ago and planned to eliminate me… that still doesn’t make sense.

I have a highly developed sense for detecting even the slightest changes.

It was an evolution and development to gain an advantage in psychological warfare, and now it’s a full-fledged ability.

To have deceived me all this time despite that?

That’s impossible.

The most likely possibility is that Belva handed the choice over to me.

After hearing all this.

To decide whether to save myself or kill myself.

That’s what it means.

I asked myself.

How much do I trust Belva?

Enough to betray a duty as fundamental as a race’s identity?

Is our bond deep and strong enough?

I have always eliminated uncertainty, and that’s how I survived.

I never left even a speck of anxiety.

But at this moment.

Faced with the danger of Belva, an unpredictable opponent, what choice should I make?

I looked down.

From the half-closed blue eyes turned to the side, tears were flowing.

That sight looked so pitiful that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Really.”

I raised my hand and swung it towards Belva’s head.

Thwack-

A crisp sound echoed refreshingly.

A perfect flick to the temple.

Belva, startled by the unexpected pain, jumped up.

Her wings fluttered.

Interesting.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Funny. What are you? Stronger than the monsters here?”

Arrogant. Very.

I reached out my hand to the bewildered Belva.

On the dimly lit ground, my hand shone brightly.

It was the lingering Magic Power from the scattered aura.

Seeing that, Belva burst into laughter.

Hmm… well. Even I think it’s a bit lame.

But still, isn’t it important that after all the deliberation, I chose to trust her?

“Let’s go.”

Still, I don’t know why Belva is going this far for me.

Even if I knew, I wouldn’t understand.

With those lingering questions, I walked forward again.

Belva followed behind.

Just like always.

Nothing changed.

Step, step-

The sound of white footsteps echoing in the quiet evening was somehow soothing my complicated heart.