Tales of the Old World Demon Lord

Chapter 37 – Dian Cecht

[Eternum Calendar 1971]

“Dian Cecht? I apologize but I’m not quite sure on who exactly you’re talking about. In any case I’m not such a person nor am I any kind of a ‘God’. I am simply a regular knight that has sworn undying loyalty towards the house of Fallon- that much I can guarantee without a shadow of doubt.”

Sipher ceased his advances as he sensed near life-threatening hostility coming from the two small figures in front of him. Upon the violent stage of haggard winds and chaotic maelstroms, it was also everything from A to Z had gone exactly as the small boy had predicted. Sipher threw up his hands with a wry smile as he resigned to the currently disadvantageous situation.

To this, Morgant’s only response was a cold, emotionless stare from his gleaming green eyes. None of the excuses Sipher had interested him; in the first place his mind had already been made. Through the deafening and smothering tension in the air, the only thing that penetrated was their unyielding contest.

Morgant shook his head in denial of Sipher’s excuse.

“No, leaving aside whether you’re ‘Dian Cecht’ or not, I can without a doubt say that at the very least you are not ‘Sipher’. More than anything else her presence here proves that something is amiss with you.”

Shifting his gaze from Sipher to Astaroth, Morgant replied with a sigh. Astaroth De Signa, the reigning [Demon Lord] of the entire northern continent, she had possessed a unique power known as [Precognition]; the ability to glimpse into the future. With this, both her position and ability meant that every action she took, no matter how whimsical, had some sort of meaning and intention behind them.

This was true even for the first time she had visited the small town of Snowdown. ‘To meet Morgant,’ that was her reason, a potentially significant figure that had the power to change not just the continent but to move the world. This time too was no exception, ‘Dian Cecht’ an opposing god, a notable figure. Though it was unknown to Morgant what exactly Astaroth had seen in her vision to make her come here, he trusted it was for the same reason he was here.

“How mean~ to treat people as though they’re only useful as detectors. I’ll have you know that I’m more than just my ability and that a splendid body comes along with the prize, okay? Morgant~”

Astaroth spoke in a deliberately playful protest as she turned back to give a quick glance accompanied by a ‘cute’ wink. There was no doubt that she had other ‘ulterior’ motives in coming to Morgant’s aide but for now she seemed content to just play along with this ‘interrogation’.

Morgant sighed once more as he looked back at her and silently cast his [Analyze] ability.

Astaroth De Signa [Title: Demon Lord]

Age - 189

Race - Succubus

Threat Level - 2041 (Highly Dangerous)

Affinity - Composite Element

Condition - Normal

Ailments - None

External Effects - Demon Lord's Blessing (Precognition)

“Certainly, it is a little hard to ignore you… in more ways than one.”

Morgant answered as he fell into deep contemplation. ‘Her threat level is higher than the previous demon lord’s… does it have something to do with her precognition ability?’ Threat levels were not a direct indication of destructive capability or skill, but a numeric representation of a combination of elements that could be troublesome to deal with. It was entirely possible for someone with a lower threat level to defeat someone with a higher value.

“Oh~”

Astaroth jumped slightly with joy before being having her happiness interrupted.

“W- wait, wait! How does her presence prove that something is wrong with em? I think you’re gravely mistaken- I really am the genuine article; I am ‘Sipher’. If at least you don’t believe my words then the princess can attest to the fact that I am.”

Sipher objected as his voice escalated to near desperation. Being denied both his existence and identity, a sense of frustration crept within him. His face soured in an obvious manner as if knowing it was a futile struggle to hold onto a fake mask in this situation.

“This place is rather far from Vertloch’s capital you see… and for its leader to come all the way out here this backwater town without a reason would be too odd. Her ability is [Precognition], I’m sure she’s seen something to motivate her enough to take the effort to come all the way out here.”

Morgant replied without even so much as an attempt at subterfuge. Truthfully speaking, he was almost absolutely sure that the person in front of him wasn’t who he claimed to be, but there was still something off. His action was near perfect and Morgant could feel genuine desperation and frustration from just his tone of voice alone. Whether this was simply because Dian Cecht’s disguise was that perfect or if he really was the genuine article, Morgant wanted to see it through. For this he had to take a rather forceful approach.

“For such anecdotal evidence? Couldn’t she simply be here on a whim? From her attitude it looks like she’s the kind of person who would do stuff like this based purely on a whim. Besides if you’re so distrusting of my words then let us return to town and have the princess prove my innocence.”

“Hardly, I don’t care what Este Fallon has to say, after all, she too is just an outsider. It’s perfectly logical to assume that you guys are in cahoots and are playing this entire situation.”

A cold reply.

“That’s absurd! You think I’m the main culprit just because I’m an outsider? There’s got to be a better way to prove that- I remember it so clearly, my entire life; my convictions, will and dispositions aren’t something that can be fabricated so easily!”

‘Certainly,’ Morgant thought at Sipher’s words. The words he spoke, the way he moved and even the small habits he had, they all seemed like something a genuine person would have from a long history. However that wasn’t enough to convince Morgant, because contrary to Sipher’s words, something like this was entirely possible to fabricate.

“The person known as ‘Sipher’ is not someone I ever knew so regardless of if you claim to have such a person’s memories it is meaningless since I cannot verify them. Naturally Este Fallon’s words are also subject to scrutiny for the same reason. That being said, even if what you say were true and you do indeed have that person’s memories it could very easily be explained away by the fact that your powers of transformation or possession is potent enough to siphon a person’s memories. You may not know it but memory extraction isn’t something so hard as to be impossible.”

To replicate a person’s entire identity through artificial means was absolutely possible for old humanity. While it was doubtful that the same means were used or if even such techniques existed in this new world, since there was already a real world precedent it was unwise to rule it out completely. Magic and psychokinesis had originated from the same point so it wouldn’t be too odd to find some points and techniques that had overlapped.

For this reason Morgant did not trust a word Sipher had said. Seeing his unrelenting attitude, even Sipher was on the verge of giving up in trying to convince him otherwise. He sighed and turned back for support from the people he had arrived with, Miko and the children.

“It seems that no matter what I say you’re already dead set on framing me as the mastermind. How about you, Miko? Are you also going to go along with what the boy is saying? Surely you must see the truth, that the real culprit is none other than that pathetic excuse of an Adventurer Association’s leader.”

Being suddenly prompted, Miko was unable to respond. ‘Trust’ that was the key principle that she upheld for all the children of the orphanage, however Morgant was a ‘special’ case. He was different, much too different than the other children for such a simple relationship.

The way he spoke and the way he carried himself with an overwhelming and unrelenting aura, no child should’ve had such a presence. He carried too many secrets and conducted himself in a manner unbefitting of his status, yet thinking back he had never once betrayed Miko’s trust. Every action he had taken was to ensure the safety of the orphanage’s members and on that single point Morgant and Miko found common ground.

She smirked as she thought about it, ‘so what if he’s different?’ Morgant was much a part of her life as she was in his, perhaps that’s all that really mattered. In the end she decided to differ to his judgment and ‘trusted’ him.

“I wonder… shouldn’t we hear out the entirety of Morgant’s words? I don’t… ah.”

As Miko was about to answer his question she witness in slow motion an unpredicted event. It happened so fast that even she wasn’t able to comment on it fast enough before it actually played out in front of her.

With violet and aquatic colored bursts of flames, an explosion erupted at the location of Sipher’s head. Dust and smoke rapidly expanded and engulfed the entire area in a sea of blinding ash. Unwilling to wait any further or continue on with the fruitless conversation Morgant had forced his hand to escalate the situation artificially.

Through curtain of winds, the massive amount of dust and smoke had been quickly swept away. As the smoke cleared the truth of Morgant’s suspicions had come to actualization. The knight formerly known as ‘Sipher’ stood silently as a large hole gaped through his head. That being said, it was not a gory scene, rather than blood and flesh that should’ve been it was more akin to a broken piece of ceramic.

It was ironically an even more dreadful scene than if actually blood and gore had occurred. The hole in his head revealed a hollow inside filled with nothing but a miasmatic and eerie black mist. The contents of the dark mist started to leak out as the hollow body of the knight moved once more, albeit in a tired and clunky manner. As though a rusted clockwork doll on verge of breaking down, he trembled as he stared back at Morgant through the black mist. A small burning red dot appeared in the empty eye socket as it danced in both rage and excitement.

“Haah… hahahahaha ha… My, that was a really dangerous move, what would you have done if you were wrong? Be glad that you have such strong instincts but next time why don’t you make absolutely sure that I really was someone else. An ordinary human would never have survived something like this.”

Sipher continued to talk as though the hole in his head wasn’t even there. With each passing second more of the black mist leaked out and shrouded around his body. As more the mist was released the body of the knight started to slowly break down; it had begun to disintegrate into dust and sand and being swept away by the winds.

Morgant scoffed as a sense of accomplishment welled through his body. He was ‘right’, of course he was; there was not a time when he was never not.

“Instincts? Are you mocking me? Even I wouldn’t move because of some innate ‘instinct’. Something like this isn’t even worth being called a ‘challenge’; you’re the one who’s been careless in how you conducted this entire mess. Your biggest flop was leaving this idiot in charge.”

Morgant replied with a sigh as he placed attention towards Gerald’s deceased body once more. Some time had passed since he had officially ‘died’ and as a result even he was starting to be subjected by the Golden Monolith’s parasitic curse. His body started to contort in all the right places to create a disgusting and horrific scene. His body had been overtaken by the crystalline parasites as it began to rupture itself and ooze terrible yellow fluids. Small crystals started to protrude and pierce out from beneath his skin, signifying the completion of the crystalline curse.

In a way he had somewhat gained his most desired ‘immortality’. Raising from the dead he locked his gaze onto the target of his vengeance in life. The crystallized body of Gerald slowly inched his was awkward body towards Morgant specifically. Some of his innate hatred and will had been left to linger within and as a result it had targeted Morgant.

“M- Morgant! Behind you!”

Shouted Ren as he quickly tried to warn Morgant, yet such a worry was unnecessary as this turn of events had long been foreseen. Only barely acknowledging the threat, Morgant had not even turned around and simply snapped his fingers. Several dozens of rocks crowed around him as they emitted a hypnotizing blue tint.

The crystallized body of Gerald continued to harp ungodly sounds, that was not even recognized as intelligible speech. Once he had carefully stumbled his way into the assault range of Morgant’s [Psionic Fission] the stones that had been gently floating about had flung themselves at full force into Gerald’s body.

Riddle with countless holes Gerald’s body fell head first onto the floor. Not truly dead yet not truly alive either; the majority of his brain had been destroyed rendering him completely and uselessly immobile. For a period after this display of brilliant lithomancy there was a tense silence.

It was Dian Cecht who had spoken out first to break the tension and resume conversation as if nothing had happened.

“I see, so I’ve been rather careless in my approach, is it? Please do forgive me, I had previously thought that this continent was inhabited by mindless beasts but to think I’ve found someone that may even be worthy of being called a ‘threat’. I’m actually rather impressed; you’ve even gotten the little Demon Lord dancing on the top of your palms.”

As he spoke Dian Cecht’s body held no more traces of Sipher as it had all been swept away as ash into the wind. What was left was an amorphous mass of black mist that produced a low humming growl. Gradually the mist shifted itself into a humanoid form, a figure reminiscent of death, an ironic representation of the god of ‘healing’. A character completely embraced head to toe in darkness, with the only point of note being contrasting white mask of a plague doctor on its face.

Through hollow eye sockets a red glow ogled at them with dark exhilaration.

“So? Was it possession? Or may it was transformation after all… Perhaps the person called ‘Sipher’ never actually existed either.”

Morgant continued the conversation, deliberately not paying any heed to the new form.

“No, ‘Sipher’ was a person that really did exist at one point… that is until the Fallon family was annihilated. All their members, retainers and guards perished, well except for one notable exception. I used their situation to my advantage and tried to pick up a few new puppets but… I’m actually glad you intervened; now I know of your existence, an even greater ‘threat’.”

Dian Cecht scoffed haughtily behind his white beaked mask.

“That so? Good for you then.”

Indeed. Now then, since you’ve had the pleasure of asking a lot of questions, allow me to ask you one. You said that I was careless in my approach, but how exactly did you figure out that I wasn’t the real Sipher? My disguise should have been perfect down to the mannerisms of the person.”

As Dian Cecht asks, it was Morgant who giggled back with an arrogant stare.

“The possibility of a third party had came to my attention fairly quickly, after all, no competent person would seriously put this idiot in charge to conduct all of this precious ‘experiment’.”

At Morgant’s flawless argument Dian Cecht couldn’t help but nod cheerfully. Not even a shred of pity or sympathy was extended to the corpse that laid sorrowfully upon the ground.

“Truthfully, still that’s not reason enough. Surely there is more.”

“Well, aside from the fact that he was practically chanting out your name, I also heard some interesting information from a ‘credible’ source.”

“Interesting information?”

“Quite, about a mysterious group of self-righteous crusaders having covertly enter into this continent. I believe they were called the [Crimson Knights] or something similar to that effect. The curious thing is that you and Este had also arrived at this town at roughly around the same time. Truly curious, is it not?”

“Just because of that? You must be joking, if that isn’t instinct then I don’t know what is.”

Morgant’s sense of humor starting to wane on Dian Cecht.

“No, not instincts, ‘observation’. Above all I am a scientist, I’ve already thoroughly conducted detail background checks into each and every person living in this town and have cleared my suspicion of them. The only suspects left were you and Este, but admittedly it was only after she appeared that my suspicions were fully actualized.

Morgant explains as he subtly shifts his gaze towards Astaroth.

“The fact that you’re either working with or a part of the Crimson Knights are as plain as day. Perhaps if you didn’t come to this town you may have avoided suspicion but that’s a moot point, since you would’ve had to come here regardless.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Isn’t that obvious? When conducting research you need to witness the experiment closely or you’ll lose valuable chance to collect data. Considering what a bumbling dolt Gerald was, you’d be an even greater idiot if you really relied on him for all of the experiment’s results.”

Unable to hold it in, Dian Cecht chuckles once more as he nods.

“Hahaha! Certainly, I would never have let that idiot run all of this on his own.”

“Well, if I had to state one more reason… it was probably to cause a ‘distraction’.”

“Distraction?”

The smile on Morgant’s face faded as he asked.

“Hey, leaving behind their god to be surrounded by enemies; where do you think the rest of the Crimson Knights are? If I had to hazard a guess they’re currently marching their way through the demonic continent and towards the demon capital.”

At Morgant’s suggestion Astaroth’s eyes twitched a little as she glanced back at him. No longer with her playful expression she now wore the face of a truly concerned leader. At such a worried face, Morgant smiled back and whispered to her, ‘it’s probably fine to leave them be for a little while, they’re traversing foreign grounds so even they will have to move slowly and cautiously.’

Astaroth sighed as she decided to trust in his insight.

“Hmm, a curious guess, I would almost like to ask if you were just there while the plan was being conceived. Well no matter, this current situation is of more importance to me right now. So then, how should we proceed with this deadlock? Neither you nor I have any intentions of letting the other go right?”

“That’s right… but why don’t we take care of this first.”

With another snap of his fingers Morgant summoned even more stones, [Psionic Armor Piercer]. Morgant pointed behind him and sent those dense rock clusters straight into the large Golden Monolith that gently floated about. Previously thought to be nigh indestructible, the stones dug through the large monolith as though rushing through butter and firmly planted themselves.

A few short seconds later, along with a distinct spectrum of blue hellfire the Golden Monolith was reduced to mere dust. As a result even the crystalline curse that had been infecting Gerald’s body had dissipated.

“Heee~ that’s a great idea, how about we do this as well?”

Astaroth joined in with a playful tone of voice as she too snapped her fingers in imitation.