Academy’s Weapon Replicator - Chapter 655



Odyssea

Aten stood before Sergio and looked at Lethe.

“What should I do now?”

“You just need to stay still.”

After speaking to Aten, Lethe shifted her gaze to Sergio.

“It’s you who needs to act, Sergio.”

“Me?”

“Now your four magicians have done their part. They have awakened not only you but also themselves to what is different between your past and present.”

The two mirrors of the dual magic circle.

Those mirrors reflect on both sides of Sergio, making him aware of his own flaws.

“The difference between you now as a monster and as a human is not just a matter of thought. You must now become aware of your sins. If you can acknowledge them purely, that is.”

Sergio must now bear the sins of his subordinates. They have all become monsters, and Sergio has become their center.

At this moment, Sergio must see not only himself but the entire unit as one monster.

So even if it is a sin he did not commit, he must accept it.

“……I understand.”

Sergio closed his eyes deeply.

He can command his entire unit. This is not communication as a human but rather a transmission as a monster. Without the need to articulate, his will is conveyed to the unit.

However, the soldiers who have drifted too far have surpassed his control, so he must now reach out to them as well. In reality, most of the killings would have been done by them.

Lethe spoke.

“Sergio. You, along with all the subordinates you are managing now, are you. Even if they have drifted away, if you concentrate, you will be able to find the scattered soldiers. Bring their sins.”

Following Lethe’s words, Sergio gradually expands his awareness.

His soldiers scattered across the continent, excluding the Empire. It may be difficult to give orders now, but if he recognizes them all as part of himself, he can bring forth their sins.

‘……It’s frightening.’

Phondior felt tense at the sight of Sergio concentrating.

This is close to Sergio’s self-awareness, but conversely, it is also a possibility that his control could extend across the continent.

Even Phondior cannot perceive this much territory.

It is likely a domain of dominance that only Sergio can achieve.

“Hmm.”

When Sergio let out a small sound, or rather, a vibration that could hardly be called a sound, at his lips.

The sound resembling the wind raced across the sky.

When he lifted his head, a hazy fog twisted from all directions and rushed toward the sky, with all those lines converging on Sergio.

“Ugh.”

As the fog seeped into Sergio, cold sweat trickled down his forehead. The more it flowed in, the more distorted Sergio’s expression became.

“Now, extend your hand.”

Lethe said.

“When you make contact with Aten’s body, Sergio’s sins will flow into Aten. Accepting the sin, sending it to Aten—everything is Sergio’s responsibility.”

“Then what should I do?”

In response to Aten’s question,

“Just endure.”

Lethe provided a simple yet cruel answer.

Sergio spoke while sweating profusely.

“Are you saying I should pass this kind of pain onto this girl?”

Sergio felt that the pain he was experiencing seemed far too burdensome for the girl named Aten. It was not something an ordinary human could endure.

“If you don’t, you won’t be able to become a spirit. You might even go berserk.”

Lethe said coldly.

“Now that you’ve come this far, you can’t stop halfway. That would be the worst. Whether it leads to death or survival, you must see it through to the end. If malice accumulates in a human, there’s a way to deal with it, but if this level of malice accumulates in a monster, it becomes irreparable.”

At Lethe’s words, Aten nodded.

“Now, your hand to me.”

Aten was the one to extend her hand first.

Sergio hesitated for a moment at Aten’s boldness but slowly reached out his hand.

“Ugh…!”

Aten’s expression contorted.

The pain was more than she had anticipated. Aten lowered her head.

Looking at her, Lethe said,

“It will probably hurt more than for an ordinary person.”

“Why is that?”

When Prondior asked, Lethe narrowed her eyes and replied.

“That child seems to be almost untouched by malice. Unfamiliar pain tends to hurt more.”

At those words, Prondior looked at Aten.

Aten’s white hair flowed down, hiding her face. Here, it is impossible to tell how much pain Aten is enduring, not even from her expression.

“Malice will continue to accumulate. Preparation will be necessary even after it’s over.”

Rethe said. Her gaze was directed at Emperor Bartello.

“Emperor, that child is your daughter, isn’t she? Call the healing mages immediately. After this is over, purification will be needed. This is necessary not because it’s Aten, but because it’s required regardless of who it is.”

“…….”

Bartello silently looked at Aten in response to Rethe’s words.

Aten, struggling with pain.

Yet Bartello does not move.

As Rethe found this suspicious,

“Look at that.”

Bartello said.

In his gaze was Aten, who still stood there.

However, the way she stood straight was somehow different from before.

The coldness was first sensed by Frondior.

‘……coldness.’

The coldness blooming around Aten.

Aten stood still, eyes closed, as if praying to someone, murmuring something.

Whether it was a spell or a prayer.

Yet, while Aten’s silent lips moved, her coldness grew denser.

‘It’s getting colder.’

Rethe observed her closely.

‘That’s not all. She is purifying the sins flowing into her by herself.’

The sins flowing from Sergio towards Aten.

The pure white of her washes away the malice that flows in.

Yet, she could not understand the principle behind it.

Rethe frowned at the situation that even a deity like her could not comprehend.

‘How is she doing that? Could it be healing? Is she healing herself to purify?’

Impossible.

Healing is meant to mend physical wounds. It has no other effects.

Moreover, if it were simple healing, the drop in temperature could not be explained.

“……Restoration.”

Lethe murmured.

Restoration.

At the familiar word, Frondior looked at Lethe.

“Can restoration purify malice?”

“No, rather…”

Lethe stopped mid-explanation, surprised as she looked at Frondior.

“Can that child use restoration?!”

“Yes. They can.”

Restoration was a unique skill that Aten possessed during the time Frondior played the game.

Aten’s restoration had such overwhelming healing effects that players went to great lengths to include Aten in their parties.

However, when the protagonist Aster first met Aten, their affinity started at a negative due to Phili’s magic, making it difficult to improve their relationship. Moreover, Aten couldn’t use restoration right away.

Thus, while Aten was an incredibly high-spec healer, they required a significant investment of time and resources, leading many players to form parties without Aten. That was the perception of Aten in the game.

However, for Lethe, restoration seemed to be a different concept.

“Restoration is a grand magic.”

Lethe asserted. Leaving Frondior, who was taken aback by her words, she fell into her thoughts.

“Can that child… Oh, now that I think about it, they are a descendant of Bala.”

“Does that matter?”

“Of course. Bala, who could see the past and future, must have descendants who can manipulate time in some way.”

Time?

Frondior narrowed his eyes and asked.

“So, Aten’s restoration is about ‘reversing time’?”

“More precisely, it borrows a part of it. It remembers the original state of the target and restores that original state using mana. It’s not too difficult for inanimate objects, but using it on living beings is a completely different story. And to use it on oneself? It’s not called grand magic for nothing.”

Frondior’s similar ability, ‘Restoration,’ was limited to inanimate objects.

The reason this was possible for inanimate objects was partly due to Frondior’s unique magic, ‘Weaving,’ but also because inanimate objects only needed to maintain their function, regardless of what they were. The restoration process didn’t interfere with their existence.

However, living beings are different. Especially when it’s done on oneself, it’s even more so.

Aten, who naturally performed restoration.

From any perspective, it was extremely close to reversing time. In that regard, it was undoubtedly grand magic.

“……When I first saw that child.”

Bartelo’s mouth opened.

The eyes were distant, as if recalling a far-off past.

“I considered Aten to be like snow. The pure, white snow that falls from the sky.”

That was a thought anyone could have, even if not Bartelo.

A pure white appearance, with corresponding grace and goodness.

Philly nodded and smiled.

“That’s right. Aten is truly pure inside and out, which makes her easy to tarnish. Witnessing human malice and ugliness while living in the palace, it was always Aten who was hurt the most.”

Philly’s three beloved daughters. Among them, the youngest, Aten.

She loved all three without discrimination, but it was Aten who worried her the most.

“However, now I know.”

Bartelo said.

“When you remove that white snow, there is a very transparent ice at Aten’s core.”

“It’s ice that will never break.”

Snow may be easily soiled.

But ice?

If it cannot be shattered or melted, how can it be tainted?

It is merely an endlessly transparent core.

“That transparency, that complete order and goodness, freezes the malice that flows in.”

“…Is that the child’s restoration?”

Lethe looked back at Aten with a doubtful expression.

Certainly, Aten’s restoration was not following a normal course. It was, after all, the realm of great magic. It was not something an ordinary magician could achieve.

Bartelo’s sins continued to flow into Aten.

Yet, Aten would never be stained by those sins.

In Aten’s realm, where the temperature gradually lowered. In a state of extreme cold that made one wonder if Aten herself was alright, she simply opened her pale eyes.

“Extreme low temperature… I thought she was just a magician who handled ice well. Is there a healing effect?”

“Does the low temperature help with restoration?”

“I don’t know the principle.”

Lethe shook her head.

“But as the temperature of the realm decreases, the purification is happening rapidly.”

Lethe could see it. The figure of Aten, untouched by a single speck of dirt.

There was no need for purification work. Basilio already knew that fact.

And finally.

Suuuh─

The fog that had been spreading from all directions completely vanished, and the fog that had been heading from Sergio to Aten also passed.

“…It’s over.”

Sergio slowly withdrew his hand and spoke.

During that time, Aten remained still.

“…Aten?”

Frondior called out to Aten.

Aten slowly opened his eyes and tilted his head to look at Frondior.

“Mr. Frondior.”

She smiled faintly.

“Do you owe me something?”