The Eminence in Shadow, Vol. 2 (Light Novel) Page 5

  Perhaps that was the reason.

  The day she became one of the possessed, the moment she lost everything, she was stricken with profound grief.

  She’d lost her reason to live, but she didn’t have the courage to die, either.

  On that day, as she dragged her rotting flesh along a mountain trail, Shadow appeared before her.

  “Do you seek power…?”

  His voice had been deep, as though it were echoing from a bottomless abyss.

  Epsilon’s mind was fuzzy, and she thought that perhaps she’d stumbled upon a demon.

  But she desired power all the same.

  With power, she could take revenge on all those who’d forsaken her.

  She could torture them to death. Make them regret what they’d done to her.

  “Then I shall grant it to you…”

  And with that, she found herself enveloped in soft magic with a blue-violet hue.

  Even now, she’d never once forgotten its light or its warmth.

  The warm, healing light felt almost nostalgic, and before Epsilon noticed it, she’d started crying.

  That day, Epsilon had been weak, ugly, and pathetic. Yet Shadow had saved her anyway.

  “If you wish to descend into madness amid a world of lies, then do so. However, if you wish to see the world’s true face…then follow me.”

  And Epsilon chased after him.

  After losing everything, she’d been hideous. But once he saved that version of her, she felt as though he’d acknowledged her true self.

  She didn’t need class.

  Neither did she need beauty nor pride in her talents.

  There were other things that were more important.

  After discovering the world’s true nature and meeting her four predecessors, though, she amended that assessment.

  It was true: She had no need for her heritage, but talent was essential.

  And her prized combat skills had her ranked second from the bottom.

  Furthermore, the slots above her were occupied by monsters and flawless superhumans she had no chance of surpassing.

  The intellect she regarded so highly was second from the bottom as well.

  The geniuses before her had shattered her confidence.

  Even when it came to being well-rounded, she was beaten by perfect specimens and human machines who never made mistakes.

  At this rate, there would be nowhere left for her to excel.

  Except beauty.

  For Epsilon, her looks were essential. Her beloved master was a man, after all.

  When she evaluated her attractiveness objectively, she realized she was heading into an uphill battle.

  If faces were the only relevant criteria, Epsilon didn’t have anything to be worried about, but she had to consider the future. The fact of the matter was, the women from her family had categorically been cursed with small, flat chests.

  Just as men lament their forefathers’ hairlines, so, too, did Epsilon lament her chest lineage. She knew if things kept going as they were, the day would inevitably come when she suffered a crushing defeat.

  And so, when Epsilon encountered a certain thing for the first time, she felt like she’d been struck by lightning.

  The slime bodysuit.

  It took but a glance for her to realize the possibilities contained within it, and her heart instantly belonged to the suit.

  Although she normally hung on Shadow’s every word, she didn’t pay a lick of attention when he was explaining the slime bodysuit to her. She couldn’t take her eyes off it.

  She realized something.

  She could push those puppies up.

  It only took her three days before she could control the slime bodysuit as she pleased.

  From that day forth, she wore the slime bodysuit everywhere under the pretext of practicing her control over it, and bit by bit, she added volume to her chest.

  The progress went little by little, so as not to arouse suspicion, but a smidgen audaciously, because she was, after all, a growing girl.

  Once they’d gotten reasonably large, though, she noticed something.

  They felt wrong to the touch.

  At the end of the day, slime was still slime. Her boobs felt different from the real thing, and the way they moved wasn’t quite right, either. From that day forward, Epsilon observed Beta as though performing reconnaissance on an enemy, and a few days later, she was able to perfectly control her slime to replicate the jiggle and feel of the real deal.

  By this point, Epsilon’s control over her magic had far surpassed even Alpha’s.

  Though the others acknowledged her superiority and dubbed her Epsilon the Faithful, she had long since stopped caring about that.

  Instead, she observed Beta with a discerning eye, trembling all the while.

  How did hers keep growing?!

  This called for war: a battle without honor or humanity between the natural and the artificial.

  In the end, Epsilon padded some more and eventually emerged victorious. Mankind is a beast that consistently triumphs over the horrors of nature.

  However, the price for that victory was steep.

  On that day, as Epsilon saw her reflection in a mirror and lost the small shred of pride she’d regained, she realized something.

  Her proportions were off.

  Much to her dismay, her build was petite and dainty.

  However, Epsilon set her mind to work and eventually came up with a solution.

  All she needed to do to balance her figure was to make her butt bigger, too.

  In the end, though, she didn’t just stop at the butt, which she used slime to reshape. She tightened up and corseted her belly. She used slime insoles to lengthen her legs and attain the best proportions. She… It would take forever to list out all the little things.

  In short, she used the slime bodysuit to obtain the perfect figure.

  It had taken incalculable effort, being constantly on guard without anyone knowing, and in the process, she developed the presence of a detestably worthy rival.

  More than anything, though, it had been a display of her feelings for her beloved master.

  Epsilon’s precision was nothing more than a byproduct of that labor. Her true power was the amazing physical protection her many layers of slime padding provided.

  The flashback ends.

  The swooping shadow brings down its blade.

  When it does, the crystallization of all of Epsilon’s hard work is lopped off.

  The two softest lumps of the slime bodysuit fly into the air.

  In that moment, Epsilon awakens.

  This can’t be happening here…

  No…!

  She refuses to be exposed for her shiiiiiiiiiit!!

  By manipulating the dregs of magic left in the two flying lumps, Epsilon forces them to retain their shape.

  To the trained eye, her ability to manipulate magic once it’s left her body is enough to take one’s breath away.

  At the same time, she yanks that magic back to her, instantly adhering the blobs back to their original position.

  Maintaining that level of inch-perfect control in the blink of an eye—it’s nothing short of superhuman.

  As a final touch, she makes them jiggle just the way real breasts would. Such is the power of Epsilon the Faithful.

  “Excellent work, Executioner Venom… Hmm?” Nelson takes another look at Epsilon.

  She was supposed to have been in bloody pieces, yet she’s standing there without a scratch on her.

  In fact, quite the contrary.

  “See anything…?!”

  “Huh…?”

  What’s with that terrifying intensity of hers?!

  Nelson’s knees start to rattle.

  “Did you…see anything?”

  “Ahhh… N-no! Nothing…!”

  “What about you two?” Epsilon’s question is directed at Rose and Alexia. They both shake their heads.

  “Good. Now come.”

 
Epsilon grabs Nelson by the scruff of his neck and drags him off.

  “Ahhh! What are you doing, Executioner Venom?! Hurry up and save me!!”

  “If you want the Executioner…” Epsilon leans in and talks straight into Nelson’s ear. “…I already killed him.”

  The Executioner’s head thuds onto the ground.

  “AAAAAAAH!!”

  With Nelson in tow, Epsilon vanishes behind the door.

  It’s almost shut.

  The moment before it can close, one more person rushes forward.

  “Alexia?!”

  Ignoring Rose’s admonition, she slips inside the gap.

  “Oh, heavens!”

  Rose dashes after her and tumbles inside. Immediately afterward, the door clicks closed.

  It then vanishes, leaving behind a faint afterglow.

  “Ack?!”

  Rose lands atop something strangely soft.

  Shaking her head and sitting up, she discovers there are two women pinned beneath her.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

  “Rose, will you please get off me as soon as humanly possible?”

  “Princess Alexia, I would ask you to avoid touching me.”

  The women in question are Alexia and Natsume, both of whom are glaring at each other despite their predicament.

  The moment Rose stands, the two of them instantly separate and look away from each other.

  Realizing the pair are on bad terms makes Rose feel worse.

  “You really shouldn’t fight… Oh.” After calling out to them, Rose finally realizes that people are staring at her.

  They’re occupying a space that’s dim and drafty, surrounded on all sides by women in black. Alpha, Epsilon, and the captured Nelson number among them.

  “Um, well…you see…” Rose raises her arms, realizing that fighting will get her nowhere. She forces a smile in an attempt to demonstrate she’s not hostile.

  Beside her, Natsume is cowering pitiably. When Rose decides she needs to take action, Alexia steps forward.

  “I’m so sorry. We tripped and fell. And when we did, why—there was a door right there. It really wasn’t our fault.”

  It’s in that moment Rose learns that having no shame can be persuasive in its own right.

  Alexia is obviously lying, but nobody can bring themselves to expend the effort calling her out on it, especially since she’s speaking with the haughty attitude of a demon lord who’s conquered the world.

  Whatever. Let’s just let her have it, they all think as they look at her.

  “If you agree to behave, you can do as you please. In fact, you probably have a right to know a few things,” says Alpha, shooting a glance Alexia’s way. Then, on her orders, the group in black fans out.

  “Hooray!” says Alexia as she quietly pumps her fist.

  The only ones left are Alpha, Nelson, Rose, Alexia, Natsume, and one other unidentified woman in black. She isn’t Epsilon, though.

  “What do you people intend to do here?” Still bound by the woman in black, Nelson glares at Alpha.

  Beneath her mask, the elf smiles. “It’s said the great hero Olivier once cut off the left arm of Diablos the demon and sealed it away here.”

  “And? What? Have you come looking for the arm?” Nelson laughs.

  “That sounds fun, but…that isn’t what we’re here to find out. We want to learn more about the Cult of Diablos.”

  Alexia visibly flinches at the mention of the organization. Rose casts a sidelong glance at her and sees her gaze has gone steely.

  “What are you talking about…?”

  “I knew you wouldn’t be able to tell us anything. That’s why we had to come see for ourselves, why we had to come searching for the truth—concealed from the very beginning within the shadows of history.” Alpha turns around, then begins walking toward a large stone statue. Her heels echo throughout the spacious chamber. “A statue of the great hero Olivier, I see.”

  Upon hearing Alpha, Rose cocks her head to the side. “Olivier…? Isn’t he supposed to be a man?”

  She’s right—Alpha had referred to a statue of a woman holding a holy sword aloft. She is beautiful, with the fierce divinity of a Valkyrie.

  “We have a general understanding of what happened. However, there is still some uncertainty: the historical truths, the real objective of the Cult, and”—Alpha reaches out toward the statue and gently strokes its face—“why Olivier’s face is identical to mine.”

  Alpha turns around. The mask that was covering her face is gone.

  “You’re an elf…?” someone murmurs. It’s unclear who.

  However, as their breath is collectively taken away by her beauty, they all realize something. Alpha’s face looks like the mirror reflection of Olivier’s.

  “Impossible! You’re that elf who… But the possession should have killed you…”

  “See? You know what I’m talking about after all.”

  “…!” Nelson quickly shuts up.

  “We know the truth about the possessed, too. For a cult that wants to control society, that must be quite the thorn in your side, no?”

  Nelson looks down, refusing to answer.

  Rose can’t make heads or tails of their conversation. However, it looks like Alexia is picking up on a bit, and the things Alpha is saying certainly don’t sound like nonsense.

  It’s hard to believe these two powerful organizations are dabbling in archaeology just because. There must be some important reason. The Shadow Garden must have an agenda, and the Cult of Diablos must have one of their own.

  The recent attack on her school immediately floats to the front of Rose’s mind. There’s no way that’s unrelated to all this.

  A war between two powerful organizations is unfolding in the shadows. Rose shivers at this realization.

  If their conflict becomes more intense, Rose strongly doubts the uninformed government officials will be able to deal with it.

  “We’d suspected the Cult’s objective isn’t as simple as just resurrecting a demon. However, we aren’t certain. That’s why we came to see for ourselves.” As she speaks, Alpha channels magic into the statue. As her magic surges, the very air starts vibrating.

  “…You are one of the possessed. Your powers. Did you awaken on your own…?”

  When Rose sees the exceptional quantity of magic at work, a chill runs down her spine. If that woman were to turn her power against the nation, it would take an inordinate amount of military resources to stop her.

  “There was a great battle here in the past. The hero sealed away the demon, and many valorous lives were lost. Afterward, the demon’s and the warriors’ magic twisted together, trapping all the memories that had lost their destinations. This land is a resting place for those ancient memories and that demon’s wrath. A graveyard.”

  The statue begins glowing, reacting to the magic. Ancient letters rise to its surface, and colors start spreading across it.

  “Olivier, our great hero, I knew you would answer my call.”

  And there stands Olivier, the spitting image of Alpha.

  “Impossible… This can’t be…” Nelson’s legs tremble.

  Olivier turns her back to them and begins walking. Her destination fills with light, and before long, it illuminates the entire area.

  “Now, then. Let’s take a little journey to the world of fairy tales.”

  Alpha’s voice is the last thing they hear before the world floods with light.

  Upon defeating Violet, I sprinted away from my pursuers, fled Lindwurm entirely, and took refuge in the mountains. Just to be safe.

  After deciding the coast is probably clear, I return to my normal getup and let out a sigh of relief.

  Looks like I managed to pull it off somehow. Back at the stadium, the only thing anyone’s talking about has to be Shadow the mysterious badass. That nobody from the Academy for Dark Knights must be long erased from the public imagination.

  I pulled out all the stops today, so I think I’ll just h
ead back, take a dip in the hot springs, and go to bed. Just as I stand up to leave, though, a weird door suddenly appears right in front of me.

  A dirty door is just floating out in the middle of the mountains. Huh. And it’s covered in dark stains. Clearly dried blood.

  “What’s that?”

  This is dodgy in the extreme. Even I know better than to mess with this.

  I turn on my heel.

  “Hey!”

  I turn around again.

  “No way.”

  I leap back.

  “Are you for real?”

  The door is following me…with a vengeance!

  It doesn’t matter how far I get from it. It doesn’t matter which way I turn. It doesn’t matter if I do a hundred backflips in a row. The door keeps appearing in front of me.

  I guess that only leaves one choice.

  “Time to slice ’n’ dice.”

  As soon as that leaves my mouth, I draw my sword and cleave the door in twain.

  But…the moment I bisect it, it’s back to normal.

  I put my katana away and think.

  Obviously, I can’t head back to town with this seedy-looking door in tow. It would stick out like a sore thumb.

  And what even is this thing? I don’t sense anyone else around, so I doubt it’s some kind of weird prank. And there isn’t anything behind it.

  “Is it, like, their version of D—remon’s Anyw—ere Door?”

  This door is acting pretty desperate, so if I go in, I imagine this will all get resolved. I really just want to go soak in the hot spring and call it a day, though.

  I give it thirty seconds of earnest thought, then come to a decision.

  Fine. Whatever. Let’s get this over with.

  When I open the door up, I’m greeted by a dark abyss that makes me feel like I’m gonna get sucked in. Praying this isn’t that trope where I die the moment I enter, I take the leap.

  I find myself in a room built of stone.

  It’s pretty barren. There’s just a door and a woman bound to the wall. Oh, hey, it’s Violet.

  “’Sup,” I say to her. She looks at me, and her eyes go wide in surprise.

  “…’Sup,” she eventually mimics. “Short time no see.”

  “Uh-huh. Hey, are you the one who called me here?”