“I always thought Elle had a lot of magic, but not that she was that special. In any case, the Demon Lord—or more like the person who made that magic circle—was outta their mind. They’re essentially trying to revive their long-since-decayed body, right? For that matter, doesn’t resurrecting that way make them similar to a homunculus? It’s not like they will get to keep the same abilities, personality, and memories from hundreds of years ago.”
“Aela’s special magic is needed for that purpose. Those powers will create a body different from a homunculus. You saw what she did earlier. The way Regulus’s arm regrew. It is extremely likely she will revive the Demon Lord with his full abilities, personality, and memories.”
Julius’s answer silences the room.
I can’t argue with that theory after seeing how awesome and unreal Aela’s power is.
Aela, having calmed down a bit, finally speaks. “I might actually…be capable of fully reviving someone with their memories intact if I have an endless supply of magic, but something is decisively missing for me to do that. The source of the body—that is, a part of the Demon Lord’s body. And it can’t be decomposed.”
“What? Did the Demon Lord not predict that far?” Regulus interjects, excited by this new piece of information. “More than five hundred years have passed since Analia was founded. Even if the body was stored somewhere, it’s likely a decomposing mummy by now! Doesn’t that make reviving the Demon Lord impossible?”
Julius douses his hope with a hard shake of his head. “Unfortunately, no. A large piece of the Demon Lord wanders the heart of Analia without aging.”
“What piece?”
“The DemiOracle. When we create homunculi—not just create homunculi, but use any large-scale spell—we offer our blood to better control the magic once it’s released outside of us. I strongly believe that the Demon Lord used a lot of blood to create the homunculus we call DemiOracle. His blood has been preserved all this time within the DemiOracle’s body, unaffected by the elements. The proof lies in the DemiOracle using magic in a similar vein as Aela. It can make healing elixirs that may pale in comparison to her powers but is closer than anything else we have seen.”
Gasps come from every Analian at the table.
“So Clark’s going to use the Demon Lord’s blood preserved in the DemiOracle to bring him back to life…,” Sereniel summarizes, bringing silence to the room once again.
The Demon Lord shared his lifeblood with the DemiOracle in preparation for the day he would be revived. This entity we call Demon Lord has been carefully preparing for this moment from hundreds of years ago, in ways we can’t even begin to comprehend. His magical power is surely higher than anyone in the world today. Probably even Julius.
What will happen to us if the Demon Lord returns? I think back to the magic circle I saw in the Demon Lord’s castle. In the back of my mind, I see the sorcerers controlled by the magic circle and the Gaeans made to suffer solely to produce magic.
I squeeze the sides of my red velvet skirt.
The Demon Lord must never be allowed to return. Never. And that’s not just because he needs my heart to do it.
The Demon Lord’s ideals and vision for the world makes a mockery of those of us who have eked out a living in this land. We can’t let it happen.
I sweep my gaze around the table. Tension and nerves have hardened their faces. They might be coping with the new reality that we are facing a bigger enemy than any of us realized.
So I stand up in a whoosh of skirts. “Don’t let this news steal your spirit! I’m sure you have all already come to this conclusion, but there is a super easy route we can take to prevent the Demon Lord’s resurrection,” I announce in the cheeriest voice I can muster. Julius frowns.
“Elle, what are you going to say?”
“Do you have to ask? I’m going to say what everyone is thinking. You can prevent his resurrection by burning my heart. Then there won’t be a perpetual magic generator to power the Demon Lord’s revival for some time.”
“I’ll never let that happen!” Julius thunders, slamming the table and flipping his chair over when he springs to his feet.
“J-Julius, calm down. I-I’m not too keen on dying, either. It’s a last resort!”
“I won’t allow it even as a last resort!” Julius roars, showing more anger than I’ve ever seen from him.
Aela shoves back her chair and stands, too. “He’s right, Elle! Besides, if it comes to that, the plan works just as well with my death, right? Isn’t my magic necessary for the Demon Lord’s revival?”
Guido shakes his head. “…No, if it’s the Demon Lord’s bloodline that’s needed, then there are probably a lot of replacements for you, Aela,” he says, his expression bleak. “If the small village you grew up in was established by the Demon Lord long ago, almost any of the villagers could have the same hidden power. Should you die, they will just awaken your replacement and teach them how to do it.”
“N-No!” Aela cries and looks at me, the pain on her face saying more than words can. “B-But we can’t just let her throw away her life…!”
So says the girl who just offered to throw away her own life when she thought it was a viable option. Her kindness is real. And that is exactly why my decision won’t change.
“My magic-generating heart is probably a mutation. I can’t say it won’t happen again, but seeing as the Demon Lord hasn’t rezzed yet, it’s not common. So by burning my heart, we might put off the Demon Lord’s revival for a while if not forever… But I’ll say it again: I don’t plan on going down without a fight! I just wanted to put it out there as a last resort. All we’ve got to do is take down Clark and smash Analia’s magic circle before it gets to that point. Or we eradicate all the DemiOracles. And let’s face it, as long as that magic circle exists, the hellish world the Demon Lord envisioned is still a possibility even if he doesn’t come back. Am I wrong?” I say and look in turn at each person at the table.
Aela is so worried about me her face has crumpled with tears. Guido and Golem have their hands on her shoulders to give her support.
Questions fill Laurent’s gaze, as all of this is news to him. Readiness to take on whatever comes brims in the looks I’m receiving from Sereniel and Regulus. And then there’s Julius at my side.
Anything is possible with this group. I mean, this is the all-star cast from my favorite manga! A dream team including both the good and the bad side. Nothing is impossible when you gather this many aces!
“Together we will end the Demon Lord—end the kingdom of Analia! Just think of it like you’re already on the winning side. After all, you have beside you the glorious mayor who loves Elle Village most and is most loved by Elle Village! Me, the gorgeous and adorable grand sorceress Elle!” I declare in the brightest voice possible and smile.