❛january (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
acperience) wrote2012-05-11 10:26 pm
acperience) wrote2012-05-11 10:26 pm
Entry tags:
lolheroes - dai dyd I; novel translation
dai denyuuden vol. 7 pg. 189-245
(Ryner dreamt of stuff like how he’s a monster and was afraid that his parents abandoned him, etc.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner looks at the figure who’s appeared before him.
It’s nighttime.
As everyone is asleep, it’s peaceful.)
Ryner: …
(He looks at the man before him, whom he’s seen in his dreams.
In the darkness of the night, that man stands before him.
He’s the same as Ryner, with sleepy eyes. Languid blue eyes. Soft blond hair. Slightly stooped body. Black suit. Leather briefcase. Aka Lieral.
Lieral looks kindly at him.)
Lieral: Hey. We finally meet… my beloved son.
(It’s the same voice from Ryner’s dreams.
Always reading to him—his father’s kind voice.
Ryner narrows his eyes in suspicion.)
Ryner: … Then, you’re really my dad?
(Lieral smiles and spreads out both arms.)
Lieral: That’s right~. Call me Papa and give me a hug?
Ryner: …
(Ryner frowns and doesn’t move. Instead, he stares at Lieral, who continues to release the Sleepiness mist that’s cast over everyone. It’s obvious that he’s responsible for this trick—the one who’s made everyone else fall asleep.
No, perhaps he’s also responsible for the fact that Ryner was unconscious for several days.
That’s why, without loosening up—)
Ryner: That cloud behind you…
Lieral: That’s right. I did that. Ryner, you can see its structure using your eyes—isn’t it interesting? It can be made by just one person~. I’ll tell you how…
Ryner: (interrupting) More than that, I want to ask why you used it here. Why did you make everyone fall asleep? No, you also put me to sleep before—that was you, wasn’t it?
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: … Yes. That’s correct. I put everyone to sleep—but look, it was so that no one would get in the way of our parent and child reunion, you see?
Ryner: You’re not leaving anything out, are you?
Lieral: Hmm~? What mean words, even though I didn’t leave anything out. But continue, Ryner.
Ryner: You’re not my dad. You’re just a useless hallucination, so stop. Who the hell are you? Are you a Goddess or another friend of Alpha’s?
(Lieral looks troubled.)
Lieral: No~pe. Why do you think that? It should be obvious from my figure that I’m your father… could it be that you still don’t have your memories back yet?
(He knows about how Ryner lost memories of both his parents.
Then he really is Ryner’s father.
His kind father.
He’s Lieral Lieutolu.
However, Ryner stares at him.)
Ryner: No matter how I look, you’re my father in figure only. Besides, my only memories of that are from when I was a child. But how many years do you think have passed by? Fifteen years. And yet you still look like you’re in your twenties?
Lieral: … I wasn’t sure which form to reappear as…
Ryner: Huh. You searched through my memories, then? So you impersonated the figure of my dad that you saw in them…
Lieral: That’s not it.
Ryner: Don’t tell me tha…
Lieral: That’s not it. I’m your father. You know that already, don’t you? That I’m not a hallucination. If I were, you’d see through it. It would be pointless against your eyes. Nothing in the world is obstructed from those eyes—the same lovely black eyes your mother had. Now, please look—am I a hallucination?
Ryner: …
(His eyes analyze. He invokes his eyes’ power. And with those eyes, he looks at the man in front of him.
There isn’t any hallucination magic. Just a man standing before him, alone.
A man with a sleepy expression.)
Ryner: …
(However, it’s strange.
If it really is his father and there’s no magic present, then why does he still look the same?
Then, as if reading his thoughts—)
Lieral: … Ah, of course. I’m using a special power. To become like this, I used a power. It’s not magic.
Ryner: Then, a Rule Fragment?
Lieral: No, no, Ryner’s eyes should already be able to pick up on Rule Fragments.
Ryner: Then, what…
Lieral: … Was your mother any older?
Ryner: …
(He remembers his mother’s figure from before she died. She’d still been young and beautiful—his kind mother.)
Ryner: … You don’t age?
(Lieral smiles and then snaps his fingers.
His figure changes. He now looks to be over seventy. Then he returns to his younger figure, back in his twenties, before smiling kindly.)
Lieral: I’ve stopped being entirely human… My years no longer taken from me, so right now, this isn’t my true appearance. I’ve held various appearances in Roland… well, it’s fine. Anyhow, right now, Iruna—ah, er, your mother—and I are the same. We’ve become composed of magic. That’s why our aging stopped.
Ryner: …
(And then his mother died.
In order to protect her son—desperately, in order to keep protecting him—she died.
Ryner stares at Lieral and then glares.)
Ryner: Then, as that’s not your true body, because of me…
(Lieral shakes his head. And with a kind expression—)
Lieral: Nothing is your fault. I want to do this. I want to protect my son. I want to protect my important family, and I… your mother and I wanted to do this, no matter how selfish it was…
Ryner: But—
Lieral: Listen now, Ryner. Will you hear your parent to the end?
Ryner: …
(To that, Ryner is silent.
His father’s kind voice—it’s the same as the one in his memory, so he’s silent.
His father smiles happily.)
Lieral: Fufu, that’s a good child. Well, from the start, you were the greatest child in the world to me.
Ryner: …
Lieral: (kindly) Then, you don’t need to worry so much about what I’ve done. Children don’t need to worry about the parents’ responsibility. We decided ourselves to put our lives on the line for our child. That’s our job. It can be said by anyone that it’s a job to be proud of. So you don’t need to blame yourself.
(Nevertheless, Ryner stares at Lieral with a face like he’s about to cry.)
Ryner: But I…
Lieral: Killed people?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: Many people?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: But it couldn’t be helped, could it?
Ryner: …
Lieral: If it couldn’t be helped, it couldn’t be helped. Humans aren’t gods. No one is strong enough to be all-mighty. Isn’t that how it is? Did you think that because you had special eyes, you had to become like a god?
Ryner: …
(Of course, that wasn’t what he thought. He’d never once been grateful for these eyes. Because of them, he’d killed friends and wrecked his mother and father’s lives.
Lieral stares at Ryner’s face with a somewhat sad expression.)
Lieral: You’re still bitter, aren’t you? Sorry, for not staying by your side.
Ryner: …
Lieral: But you saw. And you always endured. Even though you were left behind in this world, you remained truthful and walked down the best path. So be proud.
Ryner: … But I, to so many people…
Lieral: It was necessary.
Ryner: And Mom also…
Lieral: (interrupting) I know. And your mother was always happy, I believe. That you grew up into a fine young man. That you didn’t succumb to the demon and grew up to be strong. So we’re happy.
(Gazing at him, and saying things like because you grew up into a fine young man, we’re happy.
Looking at me, who was despised as a monster.
Looking at him, who was feared as someone who brought disaster, Lieral smiles kindly at him.)
Ryner …
(After enduring for so long and finally getting to meet with his father, he can’t hold back his tears.
Lieral smiles kindly.)
Lieral: You truly did grow up to be kind. Father is happy. This is the reason why we put our lives on the line.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Well, I wanted to create a good setting for this… That’s why I used the Sleepiness spell. If you’re worried over having killed so many people, you might be troubled by thoughts of suicide. If before meeting with me, you were thinking of dying. But think a little more on this? Hasn’t Ryner already noticed? You’re not a monster; you’re human… Moreover, that you’re a human who’s loved by his parents and friends—you’ve noticed, haven’t you?
Ryner: …
(Ryner can’t say anything. His voice has clouded up.
Lieral smiles. Then he looks up at the sky and spreads out his arms.)
Lieral: Ah, that reminds me, we didn’t hug for our reunion. Then let’s do it now? Come, let’s hold each other.
(Ryner smiles.)
Ryner: No way.
Lieral: What’s with that~. Hasn’t it been fifteen years? It’s only normal to be overcome with a desire to embrace one another.
Ryner … But.
Lieral: Embarrassed?
Ryner: A lot.
Lieral: You’re not still going through puberty, are you?
Ryner: No, no, I’m already past that.
Lieral: Ahaha, that’s right, you’re already twenty.
Ryner: Right.
Lieral: You’ve really grown.
Ryner: … Thanks to you, that is.
Lieral: Have you found a lover yet?
Ryner: Haa!? What’s with that, all of a sudden… anyway, there are other things we need to talk about.
(Lieral tilts his head.)
Lieral: What other things?
Ryner: Eh? Ah~ Um, what are you doing right now… uh, what the heck did you do to suppress my Alpha Stigma? And about the Goddesses and Alpha and the Demon?
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: It’s not very interesting.
Ryner: No, I think it is…
Lieral: To me, my son’s red face is far more interesting.
Ryner: Uh, the fact that’s interesting is a problem, you know…
Lieral: And, and—that Ferris is a pretty child, and Kiefer’s also a cute child, so which one’s your favourite…
Ryner: O—i!
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Did you know that your father was nineteen when he fell in love with your mother?
Ryner: I don’t need to know about that.
Lieral: No, you should. All right, let’s start from the beginning of your mother and my love story…
Ryner: I didn’t ask about that! Anyway, I don’t want to hear about that.
Lieral: No way~?
Ryner: Ah, geez, what’s with you!? You show up all of a sudden and this is what happens… it’s been a long time, and already dealing with you is troublesome.
(Ryner signs and wipes away his tears with his left hand, since his right arm is still gone.)
Lieral: Ah, you don’t have your right arm—that must be inconvenient. Someone hurt my precious son.
(Lieral lifts his left hand. He then proceeds to cut his right arm off. It falls to the ground.
Ryner’s eyes widen.)
Ryner: Haaaa!?
Ryner: Haaaaaaaaa!? You—what the hell did you…
(But rather than looking like he’s in pain, Lieral has a calm expression and murmurs something. Black insects fly from his mouth. They form letters.
The arm on the ground begins to coil around. Suddenly, the arm begins to float and flies over towards Ryner.)
Ryner: W-What the—
(Ryner tries to get away from it.)
Lieral: That, I give you. You’ll definitely use it well when it comes to magic, I believe.
(Ryner stares at where Lieral’s now missing an arm.)
Ryner: No, no, no, uh, your… what about your arm, Dad?
(Lieral has a surprised expression.)
Lieral: Ry—
Ryner: … Huh? Ry? What’s that?
Lieral: R-Ryner said ‘Dad’!
Ryner: Whaaat? Geez, that’s not important.
Lieral: Ahaha. Don’t worry about my arm, I can make do without.
Ryner: No, but… about that—to do a transplant in an instant… where in the world did you find that kind of magic?
Lieral: (easily) I made it.
(Ryner frowns.)
Ryner: Sooooo, it can’t have been easy to make… Well, you invoked this Sleepiness magic by yourself, right, Dad?
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: Geez, what a joke… you’re really a monster… Well, I do remember that you were called a magic genius… but to be at this level?
Lieral: Fufu, aside from being a magic genius, I had another alias. That’s how I was able to use that power to create this magic.
Ryner: You had an alias?
Lieral: That’s right.
Ryner: And that’s the secret behind your power?
Lieral: Possibly.
Ryner: Then, are you going to tell me this alias?
Lieral: Of course. Do you want to know?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: Then, I’ll tell you. What I was called by everyone.
Ryner: Mm-hmm.
Lieral: Your incredibly doting, kind father…
Ryner: Uh… why are you saying that now?
Lieral: I want to be spoiled by my son.
Ryner: Go die.
Lieral: I want to be praised.
Ryner: Soooo…
(Ryner stares at Lieral with half-closed eyes.)
Ryner: Ah—all right, all right, I get it already. My amazing dad… is this enough?
Lieral: Fufu. That’s enough. I’m happy.
(This is getting tedious to Ryner. Like this, it’s hard to believe that the man before his eyes is a genius.
He’s leading Ryner around by the nose in his attempts to find out more about the Alpha Stigma, Goddesses, Alpha, and the Demon.
Yet his magic level is far beyond Ryner’s.
He’s strange.
He doesn’t think like a normal human.
And everything he did was for his family.
For his child.
ALSO OH GOD I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M WRITING AFTER THIS. TAKE MOST OF IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT i'll make it sound better later.)
Lieral: Well, I’m happy to see my son again after a long time… but there's a heavy topic to be said.
Ryner: Heavy?
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: Right. But let’s not talk about that. Agreed?
Ryner: No, I wasn’t asking about that…
Lieral: Then I won’t tell you.
Ryner: Hey, uh…
(But Ryner gets it, so he nods.)
Ryner: … Ah, but I get it. Then you don’t want to talk about the heavy thing. But why not? Shouldn’t we talk about it…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Ahaha. That’s right, isn’t it? But it might be a bit difficult. I think it’s already impossible for me to talk about it… that’s why, let’s not talk about it.
(He has a somewhat sad expression but speaks in a strong tone.)
Lieral: But we’ll bear with it. I think you’re a strong child… so I believe it’ll be all right if we talk about it.
Ryner: You’re getting increasingly tense… It’s enough already. Let’s hurry it up and talk. It’s something you don’t want to talk about?
Lieral: Yes.
Ryner: Then, what will make you talk about it?
(Lieral nods and looks up at the sky—the dark night sky, where you can’t even see any stars. He has a somewhat sad expression.)
Lieral: … Truly, we couldn’t be exposed. If I’d gone with you, monsters would’ve noticed your existence. They couldn’t discover our relation. That’s why it was better that I didn’t go with you…
(Ryner doesn’t understand. Who are the monsters he’s talking about?
The Goddesses? The monster living in Glouvil?
He stares at his father’s kind face.)
Ryner: And that’s?
Lieral: Are you sure you’re ready?
Ryner: You’ve hidden enough about yourself and Mother. In order to protect me, what you had to sacrifice… tell me. Hurry up and tell me… that kind of thing, hurry up and tell me.
(Lieral smiles sweetly.)
Lieral: It’s fine for children to not know…
Ryner: I’m not a child anymore.
(Lieral smiles and nods.)
Ryner: So hurry up and speak. I can handle it. I’m used to that kind of thing. So say it. Why do you have to put up with everything by yourself? I want to help… ah, geez, damn it. What is it?
(Lieral laughs with a “ahaha”. But he still looks worried.)
Ryner: … Why is it so hard to tell me?
Lieral: Because you’re kind.
Ryner: … I’m really not…
Lieral: No. But before, you made a mistake. You still don’t know. That’s why I came to tell you.
Ryner: I don’t know?
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: What is it that I don’t know? I don’t know the expression my dad is making, for starters.
Lieral: …
Ryner: …
Lieral: … Er, during the fight with Gastark, you used your powers, didn’t you? And the power in your eyes awakened. The power of the Demon in your eyes.
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: … Um, is the Solver of All Equations’s form a clown?
Lieral: Yes.
Ryner: Who the hell was that guy?
Lieral: What I placed in you. In the beginning, there was Ryner Eris Reed—a powerful monster. I split that Ryner Eris Reed into two and placed that part in you.
Ryner: So that I wouldn’t die when my Alpha Stigma went out of control…?
Lieral: That’s right.
Ryner: With the Demon, the Alpha Stigma won’t go berserk?
(Lieral looks troubled.)
Lieral: That’s a long story.
Ryner: I’m fine with that.
Lieral: But we’d have to start from the beginning.
Ryner: And talk about the heavy thing?
(Lieral looks sad.)
Lieral: That’s right. We’d have to talk about that.
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: … All right. I get it. Then let’s talk.
Lieral: All right.
Ryner: Let’s go back to before, then.
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: In you, I placed the “Ryner” half of Ryner Eris Reed.
Ryner: Right.
Lieral: The Goddesses were afraid of the Ryner half’s great power… as Ryner’s already seen. You couldn’t control it, could you?
(Ryner thinks back to the fight where he destroyed Alpha. Where, in order to stop Glouvil, he unleashed his power. He couldn’t control his power.)
Ryner: … That kind of killing power… I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop it, and yet with it, I…
Lieral: (interrupting) I understand.
Lieral: As I said before, it couldn’t be helped. It was to protect your friends. Without you, they all would’ve died.
Ryner: … Yeah.
Lieral: So don’t blame yourself.
Ryner: No, it’s impossible not to… but I get it. That it couldn’t be helped—I understand the reason behind it.
(Lieral nods. Ryner thinks about happened—how he killed hundreds of tens of thousands of people.)
Ryner: …
(He thinks about how he’s afraid to ask more, but he won’t run away. Everyone else has already endured, so now it’s his turn.
His mother, his father—they endured.
And as for him—)
Ryner: …
(Already, he can no longer run away. And so, he asks.)
Ryner: Well?
Lieral: When you used your power… when your power awakened and you used that power, you invoked my magic. The magic inside of you.
Ryner: Magic?
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: What kind of magic?
Lieral: Well, it’s rather difficult to explain. For example, as you were blaming yourself for that killing power, I put you to sleep.
Ryner: Ah, that really overprotective magic…
Lieral: Right, right. That overprotective magic.
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Though when your memories returned to you, the Demon was going to devour you, so there was a spell to prevent that… but it wasn’t invoked. It seems the Demon liked you, and so he didn’t devour your consciousness.
(Ryner remembers the Demon from when his mother died (see Vol. 6). Then that guy talked about Ryner protecting his friends.
<< That's what we've decided, right? >>
<< We want to save everything we see. If even monsters like us can save someone–then we'd want to save everything–we've decided, haven't we? >>
And then the Demon lent him his power.
And so Ryner used that power—that great killing power.)
Lieral: But when you used that power…
Lieral: In reality, your memories were slightly tampered with. (something about knowing/not knowing)
Ryner: … Because of your magic, Dad.
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: You tampered with my memories?
Lieral: So that you wouldn’t be found—if I said that, would it be all right?
Ryner: What the hell were you hiding me from?
Lieral: (hesitantly) Ryner should already have studied about this, but whenever there’s great power, there’s compensation…
Ryner: (interrupting) That’s enough introduction. Stop trying to delay this. There’s no point in worrying about the shock, seeing as how I’ve always been tense… so let’s talk about it already.
(Lieral is silent again for what feels like a long moment.)
Lieral: … What Gastark’s king uses—it devours his body every time he invokes its power. Did you see?
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: I saw. That snake, to his body… hey, hold on. Then when I used my power…
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: There’s compensation.
Ryner: But what did I lose? I didn’t see anything taken from my structure…
Lieral: Nothing?
Ryner Yeah.
Lieral: But that was because of my magic. You couldn’t see your structure properly because of that magic.
Ryner: T-Then, what did I lose? I can’t tell.
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: What was it? My life span? Something like how fifteen years were taken from me or what?
(Lieral has a sad expression.)
Lieral: Worse.
Ryner: … Worse…? Worse than losing part of my life span?
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: Then… then… I don’t know. But it seems like it’s something you’re definitely afraid of, to be so unwilling to talk about it.
Lieral: …
Ryner: Ah, no, but I won’t ask… well, that’s no good, actually… Ah~, damn it. No. Let’s talk about it. I’m ready. All right. I’m listening.
(Lieral looks straight at Ryner.)
Lieral: When Ryner used his power…
Lieral: When you used your power, the price was… the life of someone important to you was taken.
(In that instant—)
Ryner: Eh?
(That kind of stupid-sounding voice slipped out.)
Ryner: … The life of someone important to me?
Ryner: That’s…
Lieral: At that time, your mother…
Ryner: That’s impossible!
Ryner: Y-You have to be kidding… don’t screw with me! Then, then my mother…
Lieral: (interrupting) That’s not it. Your mother wished for that. It’s not your fault.
Ryner: But—
Lieral: It’s not your fault, Ryner! So calm down. You didn’t kill her.
Ryner: … That…
Lieral: Your mother wished that for you. From the very beginning, she requested from me that you use her life. And I responded to that.
(Ryner glares at him.)
Ryner: What the hell!?
Lieral: It was to save you.
Ryner: What… What’s with that kind of request!? And you’re saying it was to save me!? Throwing… Throwing away your life for me…
(His chest hurts. His head hurts. He can’t stand anymore.
He shakes.
What the hell did I do?
In order to protect my friends, I used my power.
In order to protect the people important to me, I used my power.
And because of that, my mother died.
I killed her.)
Ryner: I… Again, I…
(Suddenly, Lieral takes a step forward, shortening the distance between them. He raises his left hand.
—And then he swings his fist at Ryner’s face.)
Ryner: … Gua—
(Ryner falls down from the impact. Blood flies from his mouth. He then looks up at Lieral, glaring.
However, he’s then hit again.)
Ryner: …
(It was a hard blow. He almost lost consciousness there for a moment, but he managed to hold on.
He looks at Lieral again, not sure of why he’s doing this. Then he’s kicked in the face. And almost loses consciousness again. And then regains it. He’s been knocked onto the ground.
Lieral’s now sitting on his back with a troubled expression.)
Lieral: … Hum. Does it hurt? Sorry.
(Ryner lifts his face.)
Ryner: … Get off.
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: It’s been so long since I got to see my son, so I won’t get off.
Ryner: Get off.
Lieral: … Then are you finished?
Ryner: …
Lieral: If you’re not finished, then I won’t get off.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Ah, well, it’d be impossible for it to be as simple as that… but listen to me, all right?
Ryner: …
Lieral: You didn’t kill your mother, Ryner. I did. I killed her.
Ryner: …
Lieral: After all, I couldn’t refuse her. We could’ve abandoned Ryner and lived together on our own instead. But we didn’t choose that.
Ryner: …
Lieral: However, what we decided on, you had nothing to do with. Before, you were all ‘What’s with that kind of request’~ to me… but it was your parents’ choice, you know? Because we love you from the bottom of our hearts.
Ryner: …
Lieral: We’d give up our lives for our child. That’s a parent’s privilege, understood?
(Ryner looks up at him.)
Ryner: But I… wouldn’t have wanted that.
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: I know~. But please listen to your amazing Papa.
Ryner: …
(With a face like he’s about to cry, he smiles wryly.)
Ryner: … I… I’m a brat, so I can’t understand, you know…
(Lieral smiles again.)
Lieral: Right, right. But didn’t we say that we love you? We’re happy that our child was born.
Ryner: … But.
Lieral: Your eyes aren’t genetic.
Ryner: …
Lieral: No, what am I saying? Even though you were born with cursed eyes, we were fine with doing everything we could to protect you. We were fine with giving up our lives to protect our child. So don’t worry—you didn’t ruin our lives. We wanted to be able to give up our lives for you. We were happy to work for that. Smiling each day because of the beloved child we created—we were happier than anyone else. And even though it inevitably led to all this… do you think we were fools?
(He strokes Ryner’s hair.)
Ryner: …
(As expected, he can’t speak. He doesn’t know what to say.
Lieral laughs with a “ahaha”. And stroking Ryner’s hair—)
Lieral: … Does that reaction mean it got through to you?
Ryner: …
Lieral: Ryner truly is a good child, huh? You’re just like Iruna.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Now then.
(He stands up, getting off of Ryner.)
Lieral: … That was the important part.
(Ryner looks up, confused.)
Ryner: Wait, it can’t be that…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Ah, the feelings of those words just now—they won’t disappear, I’d say? Then, will you be lonely? Ryner-chan isn’t going to be lonely without Papa, is he?
(Ryner frowns.)
Ryner: … T-That’s not it… but I want to know…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: It’ll be all right. In just a little while, I’ll be by your side. In just a little while.
(Ryner thinks about what Lieral said.)
Ryner: … Parents really need to shut up.
Lieral: But are you happy that we met?
(Ryner stands up.)
Ryner: … Yeah.
(Ryner doesn’t look at him, embarrassed, and instead looks up at the sky that’s gradually becoming light again. Still, because of the magic, people are asleep.)
Lieral: … Now then, gradually, the Sleepiness spell will wear off…
(Lieral stares at the cloud of magic.)
Lieral: … What’s this?
Ryner: Huh? What is it?
(Lieral points towards the cloud.)
Lieral: The magic is disappearing.
Ryner: You’re not doing that?
Lieral: No, I’m not. And it’s not supposed to disappearing like that… why is it?
(Ryner stares into the cloud.
He sees someone who looks about 2-3 years older than him, with black hair and clergyman-like clothing. Said person is looking his way with glowing eyes.
Aka it’s Tiir.
Lieral looks at Tiir with an unpleasant expression.)
Lieral: Iino Doue… I see, so you’re the one who ate the “sleepiness” magic.
(Tiir smiles.)
Tiir: Ha. Again humans… humans look down on us. Now, what was your intention with that?
(Ryner thinks about how Tiir hates humans.)
Ryner: (panicking) No, no, Tiir, that guy… um, this person wasn’t trying to do what you think he was. Um, my…
(Tiir just continues.)
Tiir: Your father, correct?
Ryner: Huh? You know?
Tiir: I know. We know everything.
Ryner: Then…
(Tiir interrupts him and continues.)
Tiir: However, Ryner has been deceived. That’s not your father. We aren’t human. To have a father isn’t…
Ryner: No, that’s not…
Tiir: Moreover, it’s not what it seems. That’s not your father.
Ryner: Eh—
Tiir: My leader said that this is the greatest danger… that he’s gone mad. That’s why he must be killed… now, immediately… for our important Ryner, who has been lured away…
Lieral: Now’s a bad time to say that I tricked Ryner…
Ryner: Che, you all, I don’t understand this. You’re all talking at your own convenience…
Lieral: No, about that—that girl, she was waiting for the right time to send an assassin after me… she saw something in the future with those Torch Curse eyes. So, it’s my fate to be killed here?
(Tiir nods.)
Tiir: That’s correct, monster.
Lieral: Monster, huh… well, you say that, but can you do it?
(Tiir smiles.)
Tiir: I can. At any rate, the leader already had a vision of you dying here.
(At that instant, Tiir moves. Ryner can’t follow his movements and Lieral can’t match him.
Lieral scowls.)
Lieral: … Damn it, against the Iino Doue, I can’t use magic…
Tiir: (from behind Lieral) You’re already too late, human.
(There’s a dull sound. Ryner turns to look.
Tiir’s stabbed through Lieral’s chest with his arm, now holding Lieral’s heart.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner screams.)
Lieral: … Sorry, but I won’t die like this. I’m not human anymore, you know.
Ryner: Don’t die!
(Ryner lets out a breath of relief.)
Ryner: Um, a-anyway, calm down. I don’t know the situation right now. Why are you fighting?
(No response.)
Tiir: That you won’t die from this—I know. Already, your body has lost its substance, so normal attacks won’t do anything… truly, you’re different. Your entire body is composed of magic. If that’s the case, my eyes… my eyes devour magic…
(Lieral grabs Tiir’s arm and tries to pull it out, but it won’t come out.)
Tiir: … It’s tedious, don’t you think? We with the Iino Doue—it appears that we were born for that. We were brought into this world as monsters only for the sake of killing you, whom no one could do anything about. The Priests created us as monsters only for the sake of killing you. For you, having gone mad throughout one’s entire life—we’re monsters. And so, let’s have our revenge. I’ll devour…
Ryner: Stop it, Tiir!
(Tiir's eyes open wide, Iino Doue invoked. Ryner can see the structure behind his eyes.
Tiir begins to absorb the energy from Lieral’s body.)
Ryner: Don’t, Ti…
Tiir: Disappear, human.
(Tiir devours the heart. Lieral collapses.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner screams.)
(Ryner dreamt of stuff like how he’s a monster and was afraid that his parents abandoned him, etc.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner looks at the figure who’s appeared before him.
It’s nighttime.
As everyone is asleep, it’s peaceful.)
Ryner: …
(He looks at the man before him, whom he’s seen in his dreams.
In the darkness of the night, that man stands before him.
He’s the same as Ryner, with sleepy eyes. Languid blue eyes. Soft blond hair. Slightly stooped body. Black suit. Leather briefcase. Aka Lieral.
Lieral looks kindly at him.)
Lieral: Hey. We finally meet… my beloved son.
(It’s the same voice from Ryner’s dreams.
Always reading to him—his father’s kind voice.
Ryner narrows his eyes in suspicion.)
Ryner: … Then, you’re really my dad?
(Lieral smiles and spreads out both arms.)
Lieral: That’s right~. Call me Papa and give me a hug?
Ryner: …
(Ryner frowns and doesn’t move. Instead, he stares at Lieral, who continues to release the Sleepiness mist that’s cast over everyone. It’s obvious that he’s responsible for this trick—the one who’s made everyone else fall asleep.
No, perhaps he’s also responsible for the fact that Ryner was unconscious for several days.
That’s why, without loosening up—)
Ryner: That cloud behind you…
Lieral: That’s right. I did that. Ryner, you can see its structure using your eyes—isn’t it interesting? It can be made by just one person~. I’ll tell you how…
Ryner: (interrupting) More than that, I want to ask why you used it here. Why did you make everyone fall asleep? No, you also put me to sleep before—that was you, wasn’t it?
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: … Yes. That’s correct. I put everyone to sleep—but look, it was so that no one would get in the way of our parent and child reunion, you see?
Ryner: You’re not leaving anything out, are you?
Lieral: Hmm~? What mean words, even though I didn’t leave anything out. But continue, Ryner.
Ryner: You’re not my dad. You’re just a useless hallucination, so stop. Who the hell are you? Are you a Goddess or another friend of Alpha’s?
(Lieral looks troubled.)
Lieral: No~pe. Why do you think that? It should be obvious from my figure that I’m your father… could it be that you still don’t have your memories back yet?
(He knows about how Ryner lost memories of both his parents.
Then he really is Ryner’s father.
His kind father.
He’s Lieral Lieutolu.
However, Ryner stares at him.)
Ryner: No matter how I look, you’re my father in figure only. Besides, my only memories of that are from when I was a child. But how many years do you think have passed by? Fifteen years. And yet you still look like you’re in your twenties?
Lieral: … I wasn’t sure which form to reappear as…
Ryner: Huh. You searched through my memories, then? So you impersonated the figure of my dad that you saw in them…
Lieral: That’s not it.
Ryner: Don’t tell me tha…
Lieral: That’s not it. I’m your father. You know that already, don’t you? That I’m not a hallucination. If I were, you’d see through it. It would be pointless against your eyes. Nothing in the world is obstructed from those eyes—the same lovely black eyes your mother had. Now, please look—am I a hallucination?
Ryner: …
(His eyes analyze. He invokes his eyes’ power. And with those eyes, he looks at the man in front of him.
There isn’t any hallucination magic. Just a man standing before him, alone.
A man with a sleepy expression.)
Ryner: …
(However, it’s strange.
If it really is his father and there’s no magic present, then why does he still look the same?
Then, as if reading his thoughts—)
Lieral: … Ah, of course. I’m using a special power. To become like this, I used a power. It’s not magic.
Ryner: Then, a Rule Fragment?
Lieral: No, no, Ryner’s eyes should already be able to pick up on Rule Fragments.
Ryner: Then, what…
Lieral: … Was your mother any older?
Ryner: …
(He remembers his mother’s figure from before she died. She’d still been young and beautiful—his kind mother.)
Ryner: … You don’t age?
(Lieral smiles and then snaps his fingers.
His figure changes. He now looks to be over seventy. Then he returns to his younger figure, back in his twenties, before smiling kindly.)
Lieral: I’ve stopped being entirely human… My years no longer taken from me, so right now, this isn’t my true appearance. I’ve held various appearances in Roland… well, it’s fine. Anyhow, right now, Iruna—ah, er, your mother—and I are the same. We’ve become composed of magic. That’s why our aging stopped.
Ryner: …
(And then his mother died.
In order to protect her son—desperately, in order to keep protecting him—she died.
Ryner stares at Lieral and then glares.)
Ryner: Then, as that’s not your true body, because of me…
(Lieral shakes his head. And with a kind expression—)
Lieral: Nothing is your fault. I want to do this. I want to protect my son. I want to protect my important family, and I… your mother and I wanted to do this, no matter how selfish it was…
Ryner: But—
Lieral: Listen now, Ryner. Will you hear your parent to the end?
Ryner: …
(To that, Ryner is silent.
His father’s kind voice—it’s the same as the one in his memory, so he’s silent.
His father smiles happily.)
Lieral: Fufu, that’s a good child. Well, from the start, you were the greatest child in the world to me.
Ryner: …
Lieral: (kindly) Then, you don’t need to worry so much about what I’ve done. Children don’t need to worry about the parents’ responsibility. We decided ourselves to put our lives on the line for our child. That’s our job. It can be said by anyone that it’s a job to be proud of. So you don’t need to blame yourself.
(Nevertheless, Ryner stares at Lieral with a face like he’s about to cry.)
Ryner: But I…
Lieral: Killed people?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: Many people?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: But it couldn’t be helped, could it?
Ryner: …
Lieral: If it couldn’t be helped, it couldn’t be helped. Humans aren’t gods. No one is strong enough to be all-mighty. Isn’t that how it is? Did you think that because you had special eyes, you had to become like a god?
Ryner: …
(Of course, that wasn’t what he thought. He’d never once been grateful for these eyes. Because of them, he’d killed friends and wrecked his mother and father’s lives.
Lieral stares at Ryner’s face with a somewhat sad expression.)
Lieral: You’re still bitter, aren’t you? Sorry, for not staying by your side.
Ryner: …
Lieral: But you saw. And you always endured. Even though you were left behind in this world, you remained truthful and walked down the best path. So be proud.
Ryner: … But I, to so many people…
Lieral: It was necessary.
Ryner: And Mom also…
Lieral: (interrupting) I know. And your mother was always happy, I believe. That you grew up into a fine young man. That you didn’t succumb to the demon and grew up to be strong. So we’re happy.
(Gazing at him, and saying things like because you grew up into a fine young man, we’re happy.
Looking at me, who was despised as a monster.
Looking at him, who was feared as someone who brought disaster, Lieral smiles kindly at him.)
Ryner …
(After enduring for so long and finally getting to meet with his father, he can’t hold back his tears.
Lieral smiles kindly.)
Lieral: You truly did grow up to be kind. Father is happy. This is the reason why we put our lives on the line.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Well, I wanted to create a good setting for this… That’s why I used the Sleepiness spell. If you’re worried over having killed so many people, you might be troubled by thoughts of suicide. If before meeting with me, you were thinking of dying. But think a little more on this? Hasn’t Ryner already noticed? You’re not a monster; you’re human… Moreover, that you’re a human who’s loved by his parents and friends—you’ve noticed, haven’t you?
Ryner: …
(Ryner can’t say anything. His voice has clouded up.
Lieral smiles. Then he looks up at the sky and spreads out his arms.)
Lieral: Ah, that reminds me, we didn’t hug for our reunion. Then let’s do it now? Come, let’s hold each other.
(Ryner smiles.)
Ryner: No way.
Lieral: What’s with that~. Hasn’t it been fifteen years? It’s only normal to be overcome with a desire to embrace one another.
Ryner … But.
Lieral: Embarrassed?
Ryner: A lot.
Lieral: You’re not still going through puberty, are you?
Ryner: No, no, I’m already past that.
Lieral: Ahaha, that’s right, you’re already twenty.
Ryner: Right.
Lieral: You’ve really grown.
Ryner: … Thanks to you, that is.
Lieral: Have you found a lover yet?
Ryner: Haa!? What’s with that, all of a sudden… anyway, there are other things we need to talk about.
(Lieral tilts his head.)
Lieral: What other things?
Ryner: Eh? Ah~ Um, what are you doing right now… uh, what the heck did you do to suppress my Alpha Stigma? And about the Goddesses and Alpha and the Demon?
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: It’s not very interesting.
Ryner: No, I think it is…
Lieral: To me, my son’s red face is far more interesting.
Ryner: Uh, the fact that’s interesting is a problem, you know…
Lieral: And, and—that Ferris is a pretty child, and Kiefer’s also a cute child, so which one’s your favourite…
Ryner: O—i!
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Did you know that your father was nineteen when he fell in love with your mother?
Ryner: I don’t need to know about that.
Lieral: No, you should. All right, let’s start from the beginning of your mother and my love story…
Ryner: I didn’t ask about that! Anyway, I don’t want to hear about that.
Lieral: No way~?
Ryner: Ah, geez, what’s with you!? You show up all of a sudden and this is what happens… it’s been a long time, and already dealing with you is troublesome.
(Ryner signs and wipes away his tears with his left hand, since his right arm is still gone.)
Lieral: Ah, you don’t have your right arm—that must be inconvenient. Someone hurt my precious son.
(Lieral lifts his left hand. He then proceeds to cut his right arm off. It falls to the ground.
Ryner’s eyes widen.)
Ryner: Haaaa!?
Ryner: Haaaaaaaaa!? You—what the hell did you…
(But rather than looking like he’s in pain, Lieral has a calm expression and murmurs something. Black insects fly from his mouth. They form letters.
The arm on the ground begins to coil around. Suddenly, the arm begins to float and flies over towards Ryner.)
Ryner: W-What the—
(Ryner tries to get away from it.)
| Lieral: Don’t move, Ry… ah, well… Come, Toruudo Sruera. (Ryner doesn’t know what he’s saying. Grass extends at his feet and coils around his leg, restraining him. Using his eyes, he can see that the magic has a complex structure. However, it’s developing so quickly that he doesn’t have time to read it. And so, he can’t dodge the flying arm. His father’s severed arm sticks to where Ryner lost his. The black stuff coils itself around Ryner’s arm and starts to tear the skin.) Ryner: O-Ow, ow… (In the next instant, it’s done. Ryner stares at the arm. It’s a bit paler than the rest of his skin, but otherwise, it looks like it’s his own arm. Ryner moves it around. It’s just like it’s his own arm. Staring the forcibly transplanted arm—) Ryner: … What is this? |  |
Lieral: That, I give you. You’ll definitely use it well when it comes to magic, I believe.
(Ryner stares at where Lieral’s now missing an arm.)
Ryner: No, no, no, uh, your… what about your arm, Dad?
(Lieral has a surprised expression.)
Lieral: Ry—
Ryner: … Huh? Ry? What’s that?
Lieral: R-Ryner said ‘Dad’!
Ryner: Whaaat? Geez, that’s not important.
Lieral: Ahaha. Don’t worry about my arm, I can make do without.
Ryner: No, but… about that—to do a transplant in an instant… where in the world did you find that kind of magic?
Lieral: (easily) I made it.
(Ryner frowns.)
Ryner: Sooooo, it can’t have been easy to make… Well, you invoked this Sleepiness magic by yourself, right, Dad?
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: Geez, what a joke… you’re really a monster… Well, I do remember that you were called a magic genius… but to be at this level?
Lieral: Fufu, aside from being a magic genius, I had another alias. That’s how I was able to use that power to create this magic.
Ryner: You had an alias?
Lieral: That’s right.
Ryner: And that’s the secret behind your power?
Lieral: Possibly.
Ryner: Then, are you going to tell me this alias?
Lieral: Of course. Do you want to know?
Ryner: Yeah.
Lieral: Then, I’ll tell you. What I was called by everyone.
Ryner: Mm-hmm.
Lieral: Your incredibly doting, kind father…
Ryner: Uh… why are you saying that now?
Lieral: I want to be spoiled by my son.
Ryner: Go die.
Lieral: I want to be praised.
Ryner: Soooo…
(Ryner stares at Lieral with half-closed eyes.)
Ryner: Ah—all right, all right, I get it already. My amazing dad… is this enough?
Lieral: Fufu. That’s enough. I’m happy.
(This is getting tedious to Ryner. Like this, it’s hard to believe that the man before his eyes is a genius.
He’s leading Ryner around by the nose in his attempts to find out more about the Alpha Stigma, Goddesses, Alpha, and the Demon.
Yet his magic level is far beyond Ryner’s.
He’s strange.
He doesn’t think like a normal human.
And everything he did was for his family.
For his child.
ALSO OH GOD I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M WRITING AFTER THIS. TAKE MOST OF IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT i'll make it sound better later.)
Lieral: Well, I’m happy to see my son again after a long time… but there's a heavy topic to be said.
Ryner: Heavy?
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: Right. But let’s not talk about that. Agreed?
Ryner: No, I wasn’t asking about that…
Lieral: Then I won’t tell you.
Ryner: Hey, uh…
(But Ryner gets it, so he nods.)
Ryner: … Ah, but I get it. Then you don’t want to talk about the heavy thing. But why not? Shouldn’t we talk about it…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Ahaha. That’s right, isn’t it? But it might be a bit difficult. I think it’s already impossible for me to talk about it… that’s why, let’s not talk about it.
(He has a somewhat sad expression but speaks in a strong tone.)
Lieral: But we’ll bear with it. I think you’re a strong child… so I believe it’ll be all right if we talk about it.
Ryner: You’re getting increasingly tense… It’s enough already. Let’s hurry it up and talk. It’s something you don’t want to talk about?
Lieral: Yes.
Ryner: Then, what will make you talk about it?
(Lieral nods and looks up at the sky—the dark night sky, where you can’t even see any stars. He has a somewhat sad expression.)
Lieral: … Truly, we couldn’t be exposed. If I’d gone with you, monsters would’ve noticed your existence. They couldn’t discover our relation. That’s why it was better that I didn’t go with you…
(Ryner doesn’t understand. Who are the monsters he’s talking about?
The Goddesses? The monster living in Glouvil?
He stares at his father’s kind face.)
Ryner: And that’s?
Lieral: Are you sure you’re ready?
Ryner: You’ve hidden enough about yourself and Mother. In order to protect me, what you had to sacrifice… tell me. Hurry up and tell me… that kind of thing, hurry up and tell me.
(Lieral smiles sweetly.)
Lieral: It’s fine for children to not know…
Ryner: I’m not a child anymore.
(Lieral smiles and nods.)
Ryner: So hurry up and speak. I can handle it. I’m used to that kind of thing. So say it. Why do you have to put up with everything by yourself? I want to help… ah, geez, damn it. What is it?
(Lieral laughs with a “ahaha”. But he still looks worried.)
Ryner: … Why is it so hard to tell me?
Lieral: Because you’re kind.
Ryner: … I’m really not…
Lieral: No. But before, you made a mistake. You still don’t know. That’s why I came to tell you.
Ryner: I don’t know?
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: What is it that I don’t know? I don’t know the expression my dad is making, for starters.
Lieral: …
Ryner: …
Lieral: … Er, during the fight with Gastark, you used your powers, didn’t you? And the power in your eyes awakened. The power of the Demon in your eyes.
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: … Um, is the Solver of All Equations’s form a clown?
Lieral: Yes.
Ryner: Who the hell was that guy?
Lieral: What I placed in you. In the beginning, there was Ryner Eris Reed—a powerful monster. I split that Ryner Eris Reed into two and placed that part in you.
Ryner: So that I wouldn’t die when my Alpha Stigma went out of control…?
Lieral: That’s right.
Ryner: With the Demon, the Alpha Stigma won’t go berserk?
(Lieral looks troubled.)
Lieral: That’s a long story.
Ryner: I’m fine with that.
Lieral: But we’d have to start from the beginning.
Ryner: And talk about the heavy thing?
(Lieral looks sad.)
Lieral: That’s right. We’d have to talk about that.
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: … All right. I get it. Then let’s talk.
Lieral: All right.
Ryner: Let’s go back to before, then.
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: In you, I placed the “Ryner” half of Ryner Eris Reed.
Ryner: Right.
Lieral: The Goddesses were afraid of the Ryner half’s great power… as Ryner’s already seen. You couldn’t control it, could you?
(Ryner thinks back to the fight where he destroyed Alpha. Where, in order to stop Glouvil, he unleashed his power. He couldn’t control his power.)
Ryner: … That kind of killing power… I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop it, and yet with it, I…
Lieral: (interrupting) I understand.
Lieral: As I said before, it couldn’t be helped. It was to protect your friends. Without you, they all would’ve died.
Ryner: … Yeah.
Lieral: So don’t blame yourself.
Ryner: No, it’s impossible not to… but I get it. That it couldn’t be helped—I understand the reason behind it.
(Lieral nods. Ryner thinks about happened—how he killed hundreds of tens of thousands of people.)
Ryner: …
(He thinks about how he’s afraid to ask more, but he won’t run away. Everyone else has already endured, so now it’s his turn.
His mother, his father—they endured.
And as for him—)
Ryner: …
(Already, he can no longer run away. And so, he asks.)
Ryner: Well?
Lieral: When you used your power… when your power awakened and you used that power, you invoked my magic. The magic inside of you.
Ryner: Magic?
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: What kind of magic?
Lieral: Well, it’s rather difficult to explain. For example, as you were blaming yourself for that killing power, I put you to sleep.
Ryner: Ah, that really overprotective magic…
Lieral: Right, right. That overprotective magic.
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Though when your memories returned to you, the Demon was going to devour you, so there was a spell to prevent that… but it wasn’t invoked. It seems the Demon liked you, and so he didn’t devour your consciousness.
(Ryner remembers the Demon from when his mother died (see Vol. 6). Then that guy talked about Ryner protecting his friends.
<< That's what we've decided, right? >>
<< We want to save everything we see. If even monsters like us can save someone–then we'd want to save everything–we've decided, haven't we? >>
And then the Demon lent him his power.
And so Ryner used that power—that great killing power.)
Lieral: But when you used that power…
Lieral: In reality, your memories were slightly tampered with. (something about knowing/not knowing)
Ryner: … Because of your magic, Dad.
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: You tampered with my memories?
Lieral: So that you wouldn’t be found—if I said that, would it be all right?
Ryner: What the hell were you hiding me from?
Lieral: (hesitantly) Ryner should already have studied about this, but whenever there’s great power, there’s compensation…
Ryner: (interrupting) That’s enough introduction. Stop trying to delay this. There’s no point in worrying about the shock, seeing as how I’ve always been tense… so let’s talk about it already.
(Lieral is silent again for what feels like a long moment.)
Lieral: … What Gastark’s king uses—it devours his body every time he invokes its power. Did you see?
(Ryner nods.)
Ryner: I saw. That snake, to his body… hey, hold on. Then when I used my power…
(Lieral nods.)
Lieral: There’s compensation.
Ryner: But what did I lose? I didn’t see anything taken from my structure…
Lieral: Nothing?
Ryner Yeah.
Lieral: But that was because of my magic. You couldn’t see your structure properly because of that magic.
Ryner: T-Then, what did I lose? I can’t tell.
Lieral: Right.
Ryner: What was it? My life span? Something like how fifteen years were taken from me or what?
(Lieral has a sad expression.)
Lieral: Worse.
Ryner: … Worse…? Worse than losing part of my life span?
Lieral: Correct.
Ryner: Then… then… I don’t know. But it seems like it’s something you’re definitely afraid of, to be so unwilling to talk about it.
Lieral: …
Ryner: Ah, no, but I won’t ask… well, that’s no good, actually… Ah~, damn it. No. Let’s talk about it. I’m ready. All right. I’m listening.
(Lieral looks straight at Ryner.)
Lieral: When Ryner used his power…
Lieral: When you used your power, the price was… the life of someone important to you was taken.
(In that instant—)
Ryner: Eh?
(That kind of stupid-sounding voice slipped out.)
Ryner: … The life of someone important to me?
Ryner: That’s…
Lieral: At that time, your mother…
Ryner: That’s impossible!
Ryner: Y-You have to be kidding… don’t screw with me! Then, then my mother…
Lieral: (interrupting) That’s not it. Your mother wished for that. It’s not your fault.
Ryner: But—
Lieral: It’s not your fault, Ryner! So calm down. You didn’t kill her.
Ryner: … That…
Lieral: Your mother wished that for you. From the very beginning, she requested from me that you use her life. And I responded to that.
(Ryner glares at him.)
Ryner: What the hell!?
Lieral: It was to save you.
Ryner: What… What’s with that kind of request!? And you’re saying it was to save me!? Throwing… Throwing away your life for me…
(His chest hurts. His head hurts. He can’t stand anymore.
He shakes.
What the hell did I do?
In order to protect my friends, I used my power.
In order to protect the people important to me, I used my power.
And because of that, my mother died.
I killed her.)
Ryner: I… Again, I…
(Suddenly, Lieral takes a step forward, shortening the distance between them. He raises his left hand.
—And then he swings his fist at Ryner’s face.)
Ryner: … Gua—
(Ryner falls down from the impact. Blood flies from his mouth. He then looks up at Lieral, glaring.
However, he’s then hit again.)
Ryner: …
(It was a hard blow. He almost lost consciousness there for a moment, but he managed to hold on.
He looks at Lieral again, not sure of why he’s doing this. Then he’s kicked in the face. And almost loses consciousness again. And then regains it. He’s been knocked onto the ground.
Lieral’s now sitting on his back with a troubled expression.)
Lieral: … Hum. Does it hurt? Sorry.
(Ryner lifts his face.)
Ryner: … Get off.
(Lieral shrugs.)
Lieral: It’s been so long since I got to see my son, so I won’t get off.
Ryner: Get off.
Lieral: … Then are you finished?
Ryner: …
Lieral: If you’re not finished, then I won’t get off.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Ah, well, it’d be impossible for it to be as simple as that… but listen to me, all right?
Ryner: …
Lieral: You didn’t kill your mother, Ryner. I did. I killed her.
Ryner: …
Lieral: After all, I couldn’t refuse her. We could’ve abandoned Ryner and lived together on our own instead. But we didn’t choose that.
Ryner: …
Lieral: However, what we decided on, you had nothing to do with. Before, you were all ‘What’s with that kind of request’~ to me… but it was your parents’ choice, you know? Because we love you from the bottom of our hearts.
Ryner: …
Lieral: We’d give up our lives for our child. That’s a parent’s privilege, understood?
(Ryner looks up at him.)
Ryner: But I… wouldn’t have wanted that.
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: I know~. But please listen to your amazing Papa.
Ryner: …
(With a face like he’s about to cry, he smiles wryly.)
Ryner: … I… I’m a brat, so I can’t understand, you know…
(Lieral smiles again.)
Lieral: Right, right. But didn’t we say that we love you? We’re happy that our child was born.
Ryner: … But.
Lieral: Your eyes aren’t genetic.
Ryner: …
Lieral: No, what am I saying? Even though you were born with cursed eyes, we were fine with doing everything we could to protect you. We were fine with giving up our lives to protect our child. So don’t worry—you didn’t ruin our lives. We wanted to be able to give up our lives for you. We were happy to work for that. Smiling each day because of the beloved child we created—we were happier than anyone else. And even though it inevitably led to all this… do you think we were fools?
(He strokes Ryner’s hair.)
Ryner: …
(As expected, he can’t speak. He doesn’t know what to say.
Lieral laughs with a “ahaha”. And stroking Ryner’s hair—)
Lieral: … Does that reaction mean it got through to you?
Ryner: …
Lieral: Ryner truly is a good child, huh? You’re just like Iruna.
Ryner: …
Lieral: Now then.
(He stands up, getting off of Ryner.)
Lieral: … That was the important part.
(Ryner looks up, confused.)
Ryner: Wait, it can’t be that…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: Ah, the feelings of those words just now—they won’t disappear, I’d say? Then, will you be lonely? Ryner-chan isn’t going to be lonely without Papa, is he?
(Ryner frowns.)
Ryner: … T-That’s not it… but I want to know…
(Lieral smiles.)
Lieral: It’ll be all right. In just a little while, I’ll be by your side. In just a little while.
(Ryner thinks about what Lieral said.)
Ryner: … Parents really need to shut up.
Lieral: But are you happy that we met?
(Ryner stands up.)
Ryner: … Yeah.
(Ryner doesn’t look at him, embarrassed, and instead looks up at the sky that’s gradually becoming light again. Still, because of the magic, people are asleep.)
Lieral: … Now then, gradually, the Sleepiness spell will wear off…
(Lieral stares at the cloud of magic.)
Lieral: … What’s this?
Ryner: Huh? What is it?
(Lieral points towards the cloud.)
Lieral: The magic is disappearing.
Ryner: You’re not doing that?
Lieral: No, I’m not. And it’s not supposed to disappearing like that… why is it?
(Ryner stares into the cloud.
He sees someone who looks about 2-3 years older than him, with black hair and clergyman-like clothing. Said person is looking his way with glowing eyes.
Aka it’s Tiir.
Lieral looks at Tiir with an unpleasant expression.)
Lieral: Iino Doue… I see, so you’re the one who ate the “sleepiness” magic.
(Tiir smiles.)
Tiir: Ha. Again humans… humans look down on us. Now, what was your intention with that?
(Ryner thinks about how Tiir hates humans.)
Ryner: (panicking) No, no, Tiir, that guy… um, this person wasn’t trying to do what you think he was. Um, my…
(Tiir just continues.)
Tiir: Your father, correct?
Ryner: Huh? You know?
Tiir: I know. We know everything.
Ryner: Then…
(Tiir interrupts him and continues.)
Tiir: However, Ryner has been deceived. That’s not your father. We aren’t human. To have a father isn’t…
Ryner: No, that’s not…
Tiir: Moreover, it’s not what it seems. That’s not your father.
Ryner: Eh—
Tiir: My leader said that this is the greatest danger… that he’s gone mad. That’s why he must be killed… now, immediately… for our important Ryner, who has been lured away…
Lieral: Now’s a bad time to say that I tricked Ryner…
Ryner: Che, you all, I don’t understand this. You’re all talking at your own convenience…
Lieral: No, about that—that girl, she was waiting for the right time to send an assassin after me… she saw something in the future with those Torch Curse eyes. So, it’s my fate to be killed here?
(Tiir nods.)
Tiir: That’s correct, monster.
Lieral: Monster, huh… well, you say that, but can you do it?
(Tiir smiles.)
Tiir: I can. At any rate, the leader already had a vision of you dying here.
(At that instant, Tiir moves. Ryner can’t follow his movements and Lieral can’t match him.
Lieral scowls.)
Lieral: … Damn it, against the Iino Doue, I can’t use magic…
Tiir: (from behind Lieral) You’re already too late, human.
(There’s a dull sound. Ryner turns to look.
Tiir’s stabbed through Lieral’s chest with his arm, now holding Lieral’s heart.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner screams.)
Lieral: … Sorry, but I won’t die like this. I’m not human anymore, you know.
Ryner: Don’t die!
(Ryner lets out a breath of relief.)
Ryner: Um, a-anyway, calm down. I don’t know the situation right now. Why are you fighting?
(No response.)
Tiir: That you won’t die from this—I know. Already, your body has lost its substance, so normal attacks won’t do anything… truly, you’re different. Your entire body is composed of magic. If that’s the case, my eyes… my eyes devour magic…
(Lieral grabs Tiir’s arm and tries to pull it out, but it won’t come out.)
Tiir: … It’s tedious, don’t you think? We with the Iino Doue—it appears that we were born for that. We were brought into this world as monsters only for the sake of killing you, whom no one could do anything about. The Priests created us as monsters only for the sake of killing you. For you, having gone mad throughout one’s entire life—we’re monsters. And so, let’s have our revenge. I’ll devour…
Ryner: Stop it, Tiir!
(Tiir's eyes open wide, Iino Doue invoked. Ryner can see the structure behind his eyes.
Tiir begins to absorb the energy from Lieral’s body.)
Ryner: Don’t, Ti…
Tiir: Disappear, human.
(Tiir devours the heart. Lieral collapses.)
Ryner: …
(Ryner screams.)