Chapter 82: A Familiar Monster
Hurriedly visiting the dermatologist, contrary to her great worries, Yerina was reassured when she was told it was just peeling, a natural process.
He had always thought that shedding skin was something only lizard-like demi-human did.
It turns out, not just mammalian demi-human, but even some humans with certain ancestral genetic traits occasionally shed their skin.
This is because modern humans have mixed so much with other races’ genes.
“……”
However, Luke found it difficult to fully agree with that claim.
“Well, now I finally understand.”
Luke finally shed the flaky skin that covered her entire body like an outer garment.
Underneath the shed skin, her new skin was incredibly smooth and clean.
Had she really just shed her skin?
“Luke Irushi, what have you created?”
She muttered to herself.
Luke was not foolish.
Now she understood the condition of her body.
It was highly unlikely that there was a genetic trait for shedding skin in her ancestors.
After all, if she were truly trying to create immortality, she wouldn’t have used such a hybrid.
The best magical ingredients are always ‘pure’.
So there shouldn’t have been any unnecessary genetic traits.
Even if they were there, she would have surely removed them.
She was certain that if she had intended to use something for immortality, she wouldn’t have chosen such a material.
Nevertheless, why was her body shedding skin?
Horns, magic power, and… the shedding.
“Did I use a dragon as the material for this body?”
The reason why the 3rd circle never engraved was simple and clear.
She had always assumed her heart was a ‘human heart’.
Luke carefully placed her hand on her heart and muttered.
“This is a dragon heart.”
The enormous magic power she felt during meditation, the secret of this unbelievable amount of magic power, was just that.
Her heart was not a human heart.
Luke looked at her reflection in the mirror.
The horns she thought were those of a cow or a goat turned out to be dragon traits.
She was beginning to piece together the mystery of her body.
Her body was a ‘chimera’.
A magically designed optimal body for creating immortality.
A body made with the minimum requirements to contain a part of ‘infinity’…
“I really did something outrageous.”
She must have gone through quite an ordeal mixing a dragon and some unknown beast.
Even if immortality wasn’t completed, she might have created the strongest terrestrial creature.
A chimera using a dragon heart as its power source!
And now, she herself was the one operating it?
As a wizard, this was exciting.
To what heights could she reach?
And, how exactly did ‘I’ do this?
It is impossible to change species fundamentally.
A soul cannot inhabit another species.
That’s an inevitable law.
There have been records of attempts, but there has never been a success.
So, another possibility…
‘Did I just transfer my memories?’
However, there were many parts that seemed quite unclear.
Why would I transfer all my memories to a created chimera? Why would I have the ego to think of myself as ‘Luke Irushi’?
And in this small and fragile body?
Complete memory transfer is in itself an act of self-rejection.
‘An act fitting for a lich.’
The essence of magic lies in self-confidence.
A wizard must be arrogant and conceited, so they never engage in such acts as duplicating ‘themselves.’
So…
Luke spoke with a serious tone.
“Pie.”
-…?
“Could you step aside for a moment? I’m going to carve the 3rd circle from now on.”
The circle was already nearly saturated.
The amount of mana accumulated to the current limit was reminiscent of when she was an 8th circle wizard.
Even with this amount of mana, it’s only enough to cover the 3rd circle, so a serious mana storm is expected.
So it was appropriate to evacuate Pie, who was a spirit, as it would inevitably be affected.
Luke hummed quietly with a calm melody.
The emotion contained in it was…
‘Don’t worry.’
Perceiving that emotion, Pie glanced around as if worried, then nodded and disappeared from Luke’s sight.
Luke looked at Pie like that and closed her eyes.
Not with a human heart, but with a body possessing a dragon’s heart.
***
Yerina sighed as she recalled the time she had taken Luke to the hospital.
“I still can’t believe it when I think about it now…”
“You must have been really surprised.”
Dighton replied, seemingly trying to console Yerina.
Well, if suddenly a child’s skin starts shedding, I’d be surprised too.
Come to think of it, it’s really the first time I’ve heard that humans also molt. Now that I think about it, Diana used to shed a lot when she was hit. Maybe he also had some reptilian traits in his genetic makeup.
“Wait, she’s my little sister.”
Self-deprecation, huh? Dighton chuckled and lifted the meal basket Yerina had asked for.
“So, is this what you asked for?”
“After molting, it’s important to consume nutrients, you know. Thank you for helping me.”
“Well, no problem. I’m glad I could help. Haha.”
Dighton scratched the back of his head with a smug smile at Yerina’s pure gratitude.
“Then, I’ll take it inside. You should go back to your room and rest. You must have been tired from working and cooking.”
Indeed, Dighton had a day off today, even though he worked the night shift yesterday.
But he had come all the way here simply because Yerina asked for cooking.
Dighton managed to smile through his fatigue.
“Haha, it’s okay. Without stamina, I’m nothing.”
“Yeah, that seems about right. But still, go rest quickly. You look exhausted.”
As Dighton raised his arm as if showing off his biceps, Yerina responded with a faint smile.
Dighton then says thank you for his concern and looks touched, which makes me feel like he’s a very strange guy.
Watching Dighton’s back as he entered the lodging, Yerina smiled softly.
‘He always seems so reliable.’
Actually, maybe a bit too much.
I don’t know why Luke likes him so much…
He’s definitely good at cooking, though. Maybe that’s why Luke likes him.
“I should try learning how to cook too.”
Though I’m not sure about the ingredients.
Right now, Luke cooks alone, but sometimes, watching her, I feel like I’m her guardian who’s failed her.
‘But it’s strange, the forest seems a bit too quiet.’
Not even the sound of birds chirping, it feels oddly silent.
“Well, probably nothing to worry about…?”
Well, the GPS is quiet anyway. It’s probably just a coincidence.
Yerina opens the door to her lodging a little further away, calling out.
“Lu, I’m back! Look, Dighton made some snacks for you….”
Thud.
And she didn’t finish her sentence.
The basket of food Dighton made falls to the ground, its contents—sandwiches and hamburgers—spilling out.
“What’s this…?”
Inside the lodging wasn’t Luke, but a large shadow.
And underneath, white and black pieces of cloth were scattered randomly on the floor.
Trembling, Yerina picks up the torn cloth from the ground, murmuring.
“T-this is…”
There’s no mistaking it.
It was Luke’s, the clothes she often wore, and the ones she was wearing last.
-Hm…
‘That thing’ turned its body.
***
“Phew….”
Dighton returned to the lodging and took a clean shower.
Feeling the sensation of water flowing down his body, he watched as it drained into the sewer.
This lethargy was surely a sign of tiredness.
“Definitely tired.”
He had woken up a bit earlier than usual to cook the meal Yerina had requested.
It was Yerina’s request, so he’d do it again if asked.
“Hehe, but it feels kinda nice to be worried about.”
Although he didn’t show any signs of tiredness for fear of worrying her, if being worried about could feel this good, maybe he should’ve shown a bit more.
‘No, Yerina likes manly things.’
Dighton shook his head.
He had definitely said that at the theater.
Seeing the muscular actor who played the highly intelligent golem from the future, he thought, ‘That guy is really cool.’
Since then, that muscular guy became his role model.
Though somehow, through exercising, he started to enjoy it from within…
‘Well, I’ve always been diligent about exercising…’
He was never really about getting ‘manly’ muscles.
As he finished bathing and was about to lie down, he suddenly felt a disturbance in mana.
“This isn’t Luke’s magic?”
A reaction drastically different from usual. Dighton realized something was off and extended his senses.
‘Luke’s magic is gone… and there’s a monster-like reaction.’
The source of that reaction was clearly Yerina’s lodging.
So Yerina must be nearby.
Dighton quickly put on his gauntlets and rushed out of the room.
As he ran with all his might, he saw Yerina standing in front of her lodging, staring blankly at the monster.
She seemed to snap out of it at Dighton’s call of her name.
“Dighton?”
Dighton shouted the physical enhancement spell and leaped into the midst of Yerina and the monster.
With the size of the monster larger than the door of the lodging, Dighton stood protectively, asking Yerina,
“Yerina, where’s the wand?”
“In, in the lodge…”
“…Darn.”
There was no choice but to lure it outside.
Dighton clenched his fist, slightly stooped his waist, and assumed a combat stance.
The sensed magical power was at least large-scale, and the appearance was a new monster never seen before.
“Yerina, I’ll lure it out, so go get the staff then.”
“Dighton, are you sure about handling this alone…?”
-Kkiyiiing.
With a step, it approached right up to the door.
Then the shadow draped over its body was slightly lifted, revealing its overall shape.
Its entire body is covered in platinum-colored fur, it has unidentifiable long, pointed ears on top of its head, and huge horns are exposed on the left and right.
Dighton clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Darn, what kind of fur-covered dragon is this?”
Can he win? Well, he’ll only know if he tries.
Dighton felt the magical power of the reinforcement magic surrounding his body and once again awakened all the muscles in his body so they could react immediately.
“Counting to three. One… two…”
Yerina looked at the eyes of the monster, which seemed even larger than her own head.
“Turquoise and gold…?”
Aren’t those odd eyes and colors too familiar?
And the bandage on that neck… … .
“Three!”
“Wait a moment, Dighton. Stop!”
“What?”
Thud!
Dighton suddenly realized he was falling to the ground.
“What is this…?”
A suppression method too familiar… Could it be?
“Luke?”
“Is that Luke?”
-Kkiyiiiing.
No, it wasn’t. Luke nodded her head.