The place where Julian’s mother, Milena, was buried was indeed the tomb of the Crypart family, but it was situated in an outlying area. Originally, they had no intention of burying her at the main house. This was because Orun Crypart, the head of the family at the time, was vehemently opposed to it. However, Oben Crypart insisted on pushing through with this plan, saying he could not back down on this matter.
‘Such a spacious tomb, yet placed in such a remote area. It seems the generosity of the heart is much smaller than the vast storage space.’
Milena’s tomb was so small that the word “cramped” came to mind. It was within the Crypart family’s grounds, but it was so far on the outskirts that it was almost as if she wasn’t part of the family.
“Hmm…”
As I scanned the tomb, I felt a deep longing welling up from within. It was a familiar feeling, one that didn’t quite fit with Julian. However, the feeling didn’t last long. It dissipated, leaving me feeling unguarded.
“I originally didn’t intend to come here, but…” I found myself murmuring to no one. “I’ve come to apologize for using a part of the keepsake you left behind.” To heal Sombra, I needed the keepsake Milena had given me, specifically the Soul Stone embedded in the necklace. It’s not common to use something left by the deceased without permission. Even though I’m the child of the tomb’s owner, I couldn’t help but feel sorry.
I placed a single flower I brought on the tomb. “Forgive me. Or rather, it’s okay if you don’t.” Although I intended to ask for forgiveness, my words changed to say it’s okay if she doesn’t. It seemed Julian’s personality strongly influenced this, driven by a longing to see her even once.
“Lord Julian, Lord Herand has awakened.”
While I was briefly looking around the tomb, a servant from the Crypart main house informed me. Nodding at him, I made my way back to the main house.
**
When I visited the newly awakened Herand, his appearance was a mess, making me speechless. As time passed, his body began to swell, leaving no part unscathed, and his eyes were bruised.
‘It looks like he was thoroughly beaten.’
It was clear that Orun was not just an ordinary knight. He was capable of administering such a thorough beating.
“You look terrible, Brother Herand. Even beggars rolling around in the slums wouldn’t look this bad.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Looking at his face, he might have expected some kind words from me. But with a short laugh and a sarcastic tone, Herand flinched slightly.
“So, what brings you to the main house?”
“I came to retrieve something I had left here previously.”
“Something you left…? Ah…”
As if he realized something, Herand sighed and called for a servant to fetch something. A few minutes later, a valuable-looking jewelry box was placed on the table.
“You’re talking about Milena’s necklace. Here it is…ugh.” As he spoke, Herand grimaced in pain, letting out a groan.
Feeling sorry for him and a sense of pity, my ‘poker face’ trait hid my emotions well. Pretending not to care, I approached the jewelry box and checked its contents. There was a beautiful necklace with a Soul Stone embedded in the center. It was indeed what I had entrusted.
“Thank you, Brother Herand.”
“What’s there to thank me for? We are… that… what’s the word…” he trailed off, trying to say, “We are family.” Herand wore an awkward expression.
“By the way, what happened to the orchid I left with you?”
“O-Orchid?”
It seemed a question mark appeared above Herand’s head at the mention of the orchid.
“Yes, the potted plant.”
“Oh…!”
Judging by his reaction, he had forgotten about it. Although orchids don’t require much water, they don’t thrive without care. Feeling a bit disappointed, I voiced my thoughts openly.
In my original world, cultivating orchids was quite a common hobby, but it didn’t seem so here. Most people who had the leisure to cultivate something were likely nobles, and they often created entire gardens rather than raising a single plant.
“I’m sorry.”
Seeing Herand apologize in pain, I couldn’t help but feel pity for him.
“It’s fine, Brother Herand. You’ve done well enough.”
“R-Really?”
Nodding at his question, he let out a sigh of relief.
“…Thank you, Julian.”
“For what?”
“I heard from Joshua. If it weren’t for you, I might have been beaten to death by Lord Orun…”
Herand’s voice trailed off, perhaps feeling bitter. After all, Lord Orun was his grandfather, and the violence he inflicted was so harsh it didn’t seem like it was directed at family.
“There’s no need to thank me. You took good care of my belongings, didn’t you?”
“That’s…”
“It’s no big deal.”
It truly wasn’t. I had gone there by coincidence, and the situation escalated because Sombra was about to go on a rampage.
“Still, I want to thank you.”
With a faint smile, I stood up and took the jewelry box.
“Take care of yourself. There’s no need to see me off.”
“No, I should at least see you off… ugh!”
Herand, who tried to get up, winced in pain and collapsed back onto the bed.
“People might think I did this to you. Just rest, Brother.”
“Alright, thank you.”
I’m the one who should be thankful. Thank you for keeping it hidden so well.
Turning my back on Herand’s words, I prepared to leave the main house. I wanted to heal Sombra with the Soul Stone immediately, but doing so here would be insane.
***
Upon arriving at the mansion, I entered the office and opened the box to find the necklace with the Soul Stone. Sombra was the first to react.
Unlike the “Idel’s Soul Stone,” this one reacted quite actively. However, I didn’t want to leave it to do as it pleased.
“It’s a keepsake. You should treat it with respect.”
Thud.
When I pushed the clingy “Sombra” away with my hand, it lost its strength and flowed down like water. Considering it hadn’t received proper treatment yet, it wouldn’t be surprising if it disappeared at any moment.
Leaving it behind, I began to separate the Soul Stone from the necklace. “What’s important is not the Soul Stone, but the necklace itself.” Thinking that, I detached the Soul Stone and tossed it to “Sombra,” who eagerly wrapped around it and began to roll it around, looking like a child enjoying candy, almost making me laugh.
[Sombra is absorbing the Soul Stone.]
A familiar phrase.
[Sombra is reading the memories contained in the Soul Stone.]
“What… what is this?”
At the same time, strange images began to flash before my eyes. It was confusing, but I managed to stay calm as the scenery changed, resembling the “Crypart main house” I had seen earlier.
“No, this is that place.”
The furniture’s arrangement was slightly different, but the scenery was indeed the main house. While thinking that, a silver-haired woman wearing a familiar necklace passed by in front of me.
“That’s…”
A nostalgic feeling. It was even more poignant than when I saw Milena’s tomb at the main house. Could it be?
“Milena, don’t you think it’s time to stop? I now understand that your words were not mere superstitions.”
My guess was correct.
“Milena.”
Julian’s mother. So, this memory was showing what the Soul Stone of Milena held? How?
The man speaking to Milena was none other than Oben, the current head of the Crypart family. He looked much younger, making it hard to recognize him at first.
“But if you continue, your body will be in danger. Handling dark magic harms the body!”
Dark magic? Hearing Oben’s words echoing, I turned my gaze back to Milena. Upon closer inspection, she was not only wearing the necklace but also holding something in her arms.
“A baby…?”
A child still nursing. She was holding a baby who couldn’t even open their eyes properly. It didn’t take long to realize that this baby was me, “Julian Crypart Frason.”
The root of all evil. Or perhaps, the one who enabled me to survive.
As mixed emotions surged within me, I took a closer look at the young Julian’s face. Though comforted in his mother’s arms, he was small and pale compared to a typical baby.
“He’s dying.”
It was clear. The young “me” was dying. But if I had died then, the current me wouldn’t exist.
“If I don’t do this, this child will die.”
“If that’s the case, it is the law of nature.”
How could someone who is supposed to be a father say such a thing? My opinion of Oben plummeted at that moment.
“Oben, you’re no different from the other nobles of the empire.”
“If you stop, you can say whatever you like. Right now, Julian is so weak that it’s a miracle he’s alive.”
Oben, seemingly chased by something, urgently pressured Milena.
“We can have another child. But if you die…”
“Horrible. Oben, even if you thought that, you shouldn’t have said it.”
“You can call me a monster if you like. But stop refining dark magic… You’ve become so weak that even walking is difficult!”
Milena smiled at Oben’s concern and placed her hand on the necklace she was wearing. In this period of the empire, the red stone that hadn’t even been properly named started to flow with dark magic as Milena placed her hand on it, and it began to enter her body.
“Please… this is my child. And…”
Despite Oben’s pleas, Milena didn’t stop absorbing the dark magic from the Soul Stone into her body. When she thought she had absorbed enough, Milena passed the dark magic to the infant Julian in her arms.
“He’s your child too.”
“Milena…”
Pure dark magic, stripped of death’s essence, flowed into Julian. As this energy, more refined than mana, entered him, the pallor on Julian’s face began to recede, and he started to look more lively.
“A mother’s love.”
A storm of emotions surged through my chest, and I realized one crucial fact. Why the character Julian, the villain in the story, could become the “vessel for the Demon Lord.” How he could handle dark magic so naturally.
“It was because of this.”
Julian, regaining vitality by absorbing dark magic, had a small phrase visible above his head, something only I could see.
[⇒ You have gained a new trait: <Vessel of the Demon Lord>.]
Cliche Novel 