Chapter – 33
“Then what about the other timelines?”
[“The Word that Constructs the World” replies that in the “Regressed Worlds,” your existence is erased without regard for narrative consistency.]
“Even from the protagonist’s memories?”
[“The Word that Constructs the World” says the “Axis of Regression” and the “Regressed Worlds” are separate.]
“Ah…”
Even if the regressed world changes, the axis of regression does not. In other words, the protagonist remembers me.
But I couldn’t feel happy about it.
According to the explanation, in every timeline except the 17th, I become someone who never existed.
From the protagonist’s perspective, wouldn’t that basically mean the entire world is gaslighting him?
At this rate, won’t the protagonist go insane?
[The “Inspector of Heavenly Secrets” clicks his tongue and asks if I now understand why you shouldn’t act recklessly during the tutorial period.]
Ugh. I slumped my shoulders.
While the Word was arguing with the Inspector—one saying who are you to intimidate my believer and the other saying educate your believer properly—Bianca returned after finishing her tour of the grave markers.
“Hias has been squatting in front of his headstone all day, and Agapan keeps wiping dust off his until the stone is worn down. The other skeletons aren’t quite that extreme, but they seem really happy too. Epidend said to thank you on their behalf.”
“That’s good.”
While setting up the gravestones, we had also given names to the seven skeletons. Bianca and I had carefully chosen them from flower names.
Hias from hyacinth.
Agapan from agapanthus.
Epidend from epidendrum.
By the way, the beautiful skull I gave the cultivation skill to is Epidend.
By the way, Bianca really understands the skeletons well. It amazes me every time.
Then something I needed to ask her came to mind.
“Bia, could you get me some holy water?”
“Holy water?”
To raise Elephantipes, divine power input is essential.
If I awaken divine power myself, I could make it directly, but that won’t be possible for another 943 days.
And that’s assuming I don’t collapse with divine fever again.
“So it’s a herb that requires a lot of effort.”
“Yeah. It’s worth it.”
It’s a key ingredient for a plague cure. I don’t know how successful the propagation will be, but at least I need enough for Bianca’s Gillette territory.
As if sensing my motivation, Bianca shared good news.
“The potion company is ready. I’ve secured distribution channels and retail partners. We just need products now.”
“Already? It feels like only a month since you said you wanted to organize it.”
“With the treasurer’s help it went quickly. Commerce is part of the heir curriculum. I asked Father if I could build a company as part of my studies and he gladly funded it.”
Impressive ability, drive, and perfect timing.
As I admired her, Bianca handed me a note.
“The first order is about this much… How about delivery in two weeks?”
“I’ll do it!”
With this much groundwork laid, I had to make it work.
“I’ll also talk to Mr. Rodeline through the treasurer. Since you’re still young, a guardian needs to be the official representative.”
“Right.”
“Hm… once business really starts, you’ll probably be too busy for the morning kitchen work. I’ll handle that too. Just make sure to personally thank Chef Peysha so she doesn’t feel hurt.”
“Ah, Bia… You take care of everything. Thank you so much!”
“…It’s nothing.”
I hugged her, overwhelmed with gratitude, and her voice became slightly shy. Smart and cute too.
At that moment, Epidend—the skeleton who had awakened the cultivation ability—approached as if wanting to say something.
Clatter clatter! Clack clack clatter!
Lots of gestures and jaw movements…
But I had absolutely no idea what it meant. Sorry.
Bianca translated:
“They say winter is coming soon to the dungeon farm. We need to prepare for the cold.”
“You understood that?”
“You saw how he was shivering.”
So clack-clack meant that.
While I was surprised, their conversation continued.
“Epidend says the winters there are bone-chilling cold.”
“They don’t even have flesh left, how would they kn— …okay that was harsh. Anyway it’ll affect farming, right?”
“Yeah. Should we build a greenhouse? What should we do?”
“Don’t worry. I picked up something useful.”
“Something useful?”
I confidently searched my satchel.
Ta-da!
What I presented was—
“A piece of charcoal?”
“It’s the core of a Hellfire Flower.”
I picked it up from the banquet hall fireplace in the south annex.
According to the Word, this Hellfire Flower is unusually a fallen demon.
Since it’s a demon uninterested in evil deeds, it shouldn’t be dangerous.
“Still, a demon is a demon. We should wake it and check its condition before deciding whether to use it.”
I lit the charcoal-like core.
✠
The vegetarian Hellfire Flower, Helberos, slowly regained consciousness, drawn by warmth.
Fortunately, he had not been extinguished. But the damage to his core had severe aftereffects.
Helberos was 300 years old, but his body had now shrunk to a small flame equivalent to about 50 years.
At fifty, he was basically an infant. I wondered if he would cry like a baby when he spoke…
<Hu… hungry…>
Not quite a baby cry, but his speech was slurred.
Three hundred years of accumulated power and status, gone just like that. If he had endured just a little longer he could have even achieved human form.
He felt like crying.
“You’re hungry?”
A girl’s voice came from nearby.
His vision was blurry, so Helberos curled up defensively, unsure who it was.
Then something was sprinkled over his flame. It crackled as it burned.
A pleasant herbal scent.
Dried plants. Vegetarian food.
<Yum… yummy!>
He forgot his fear and devoured it.
“He eats really well. He already finished a whole sack of herb byproducts.”
“He’s grown to fist-size already. Growing fast.”
“He’s kind of like a pet.”
“Should we say ‘good boy’?”
“No, Bia. He might bite.”
There were two girls.
His sight slowly improved enough to distinguish shapes and colors.
A pink-haired girl crushed herb waste and fed him.
“What’s your name?”
<H-Helberos.>
Facing a demon without fear. Unsure what rank they might be, Helberos answered obediently.
“Helberos, you can’t go back to the Orshu mansion dungeon. It’s closed.”
<I… don’t want to go back.>
“Yeah, you didn’t seem well treated there. I found your core rolling around in the fireplace. If I hadn’t, it would’ve fallen into the demon world junkyard when the mansion closed.”
<Hic…>
The demon junkyard was famously freezing cold. Just imagining it was terrifying.
“…When he cries his flame droops and steam comes out.”
“He looks like he’s sulking. Cute. Here, eat more.”
The black-haired girl offered a long thin stem. He carefully nibbled it, trying not to burn her fingers.
The pink twin-tailed girl said:
“Our Bia likes you, so I’ll make you a special offer.”
<A… offer?>
“You said you can go underground and generate geothermal heat, right? Do that for our farm and you can have all the leftover herb byproducts after harvest. Deal?”
<…!>
Helberos finally looked around properly.
An enormous farm stretched to the horizon.
The herb waste alone would be massive.
Nearby straw piles formed three small hills.
His flame sparkled.
<All… mine?>
“Yep. All yours.”
<I’ll… do it!>
This was his dream job.
He had grown tired of city life and had even been studying rural farming in preparation.
After years of adjusting the picky Rodrigo’s bathwater, he was confident in his precise temperature control skills.
“Good. That pretty skull skeleton over there is Epidend, the manager. Listen well and ask for lots of food.”
<Okay!>
And just like that, a new member was added to Ailet’s dungeon farm.
