Chapter 146
Memories filled with pain and sorrow, feelings of misery and shame, surged into Raizel.
A life where it was difficult to find moments of joy or beauty.
Always doubting her own existence, denying herself, wandering in fear in search of something to rely on—only to find nowhere to settle.
It felt as if all misfortunes had descended upon this child like darkness, as if fate had deliberately sought to ruin her.
How could someone with the most beautiful soul in the world have lived such a life?
And conversely, how could she have endured such experiences and still maintained such purity?
Lia’s parents had only ever wished for their daughter’s survival, but if they knew how much suffering her life had contained, they might have wished for death instead.
And everything felt as though it had been orchestrated, like a carefully crafted script.
With a deep sigh, Raizel spoke.
⟨What I am about to tell you is a classified secret known only to the highest-ranking priests in the temple. It must never be revealed to the world—not even to your family.⟩
It pained Raizel to have to say this before Lia had even recovered from her shock, but there was no other choice.
Lia wiped her tears roughly with the back of her hand, bracing herself to listen.
⟨Please, go ahead.⟩
⟨…In ancient times, a demon residing in the underworld sought to become a god and ascended to this land. Bestowing power and fueling the desires of those who worshiped it, the demon drove them into endless slaughter. The suffering humans prayed to the divine, and in response, a saintess, wielding the power of the god, emerged and ultimately triumphed.⟩
Although Lia had only learned this story in her second life, it was a well-known myth among the empire’s people.
At first, she thought it was just a legend.
But she had been a victim of demon-worshippers, and above all, Diana was said to be the saintess’s reincarnation.
She could no longer dismiss it as mere myth.
Then, Raizel spoke words that caught her completely off guard.
⟨The demon is still alive.⟩
⟨What? But wasn’t it sealed away by the saintess…?⟩
⟨Yes, it was. But not the demon itself…only its soul, the source of its power. Unlike humans, demons can survive even when their soul is separated.⟩
⟨Then…⟩
⟨That’s right. The demon, stripped of its power, still remains in this world in human form…waiting for the day its soul is unsealed.⟩
Its soul.
The word sounded eerily familiar.
Why was this conversation about her soul suddenly shifting to the demon’s soul?
Even as Lia’s eyes wavered with unease, Raizel continued.
⟨You wondered, didn’t you? Why they didn’t take your mana.⟩
⟨…Yes.⟩
⟨It’s because what that gemstone sealed away wasn’t your mana…it was the demon’s power. That red gemstone is none other than the demon’s soul stone.⟩
⟨!⟩
Lia’s eyes widened in shock.
⟨W-Why do I have this? Why is the power inside it in my heart… Why is my soul here…?⟩
Overwhelmed, Lia’s face turned pale as she stammered incoherently.
⟨What are you thinking right now?⟩
At Raizel’s question, Lia, her eyes welling up again, clasped her trembling fingers together.
⟨Could I be… a demon…?⟩
She couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought.
Tears brimming, she hesitantly asked if she had lost her memories when her soul was sealed.
Seeing the absurd conclusion she had drawn in such a short span of time, Raizel let out a sigh and shook their head.
⟨No. There is a 0% chance that you are a demon. If you were, do you think the saintess would have ever kept you by her side?⟩
⟨But… my soul is bound to the demon’s soul stone. The power from it… is flowing into my heart…⟩
Despite Raizel’s firm denial, Lia couldn’t stop herself from sobbing.
Understanding her turmoil, Raizel hesitated before speaking again.
After a brief silence, Raizel ran a hand over their face and sighed.
⟨There is a figure missing from the myth, a person who was killed by the demon’s wrath. I believe that you are…⟩
Another long explanation followed.
The truth behind why even the highest-ranking priests in the temple knew of this only as a secret.
Why it had to remain hidden even from family.
The revelations were shocking enough to make sense of that secrecy.
Raizel also explained that the ancient texts and relics detailing the saintess’s curse upon the demon had long been destroyed by demon-worshippers.
The demon’s seal was about to break, and Raizel had given up his high priesthood to wander the continent in preparation for it.
⟨Do you understand everything I’ve told you?⟩
⟨…To some extent.⟩
Lia, still pale and shaken, answered in a trembling voice.
⟨First, we need to find out exactly what curse was placed upon the demon. And the conditions for the seal to be broken. That way, I can understand why I was kept alive… and why my soul was bound to this.⟩
⟨Maybe… even the reason I was granted a second life is connected to all of this.⟩
⟨Yes. And because of that…⟩
Though Raizel felt guilty for placing such a heavy burden on Lia, they had no choice but to say it.
⟨Do not tell your family that you died once and came back. If, one day, we uncover the truth of the curse and deem it safe… then, and only then—⟩
⟨I understand. I’ll keep it a secret.⟩
Seeing Lia nod so readily, Raizel could vaguely sense her emotions.
If it were him, he wouldn’t be able to tell his family about such a past either.
⟨But this gemstone… Why did the demon’s soul stone break? The seal hasn’t already been undone, has it?⟩
⟨I don’t know. That’s beyond my understanding as well. But I believe we won’t find the answer until we uncover the details of the curse.⟩
Lia, lost in thought with a serious expression, hesitantly asked.
⟨Is there any way to free my soul from this?⟩
Of course, the idea of her soul being bound to a demon’s soul stone must have been deeply unsettling.
Understanding her feelings all too well, Raizel masked his unease and answered.
⟨First, let’s begin the purification process and dispel your illusion magic. If my guess is correct, the illusion should soon dissolve on its own.⟩
⟨Really?⟩
⟨Yes. And as for your soul… it needs to recover first. It will take a long time. If the Saintess fully awakens, the process might be faster.⟩
⟨Oh…!⟩
Lia’s face lit up with excitement as she suddenly realized the true extent of divine power.
⟨I can’t wait for Diana to awaken! Just as she recognized my true form, I’m sure she’ll be able to completely restore my soul one day!!⟩
Was this really the same girl who had been crying in despair just moments ago?
Raizel let out a small, incredulous laugh as he watched Lia beam with admiration.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this personality of hers, this ability to find hope even in the worst circumstances, that her soul had remained so pure despite being shattered.
But that thought soon faded.
Raizel hadn’t told Lia the full truth.
Even if divine power could heal her soul, that didn’t necessarily mean it would be freed.
‘In the worst case… this could lead to disaster.’
“Great sage!”
At that moment, Lia’s voice pulled Raizel from his deep thoughts.
Standing before him was not the tearful, bright-eyed nine-year-old girl of the past but Adriana, now fully grown.
***
“I’m sorry. My mind wandered for a moment…”
Raizel offered a sheepish smile, and I could only return an awkward one in response.
Just from his expression, I could tell what he had been thinking about.
‘He was probably remembering my past.’
Raizel had once confessed to me that he had glimpsed fragments of my previous life.
His face had been twisted with guilt as he apologized for witnessing something so personal.
At the time, I had feared that he had discovered the truth about my death, and embarrassment had washed over me.
But he hadn’t seen my memories exactly—rather, he had shared my emotions and sensations.
So I briefly summarized my past for him: how I had lived in an orphanage before meeting Diana, how I had survived as a street beggar, and how I had later joined an information guild only to die during a mission.
Condensing it like that made my life feel even more pitiful and insignificant.
Back then, I had fought desperately, doing everything I could to survive.
‘If only I had lost the will to live back then…’
If that had been the case, I might never have clung to that necklace. I might have thrown it away long ago.
Perhaps sensing my thoughts—or maybe because he could still feel my emotions—Raizel praised me, saying it was impressive that I had become an elite agent despite my mana being sealed.
Then he cursed Duke Elard, the man who had driven me to live as a beggar, calling him a cold-blooded monster.
Feeling embarrassed, I retorted, ‘Have you forgotten that I abandoned Diana back then?’
But Raizel simply reassured me, saying that I had been young and powerless, so it was only natural.
Still, I wasn’t oblivious to the silence that followed.
Perhaps the reason my life had been so full of suffering from beginning to end was because it had all been part of the demon’s plan.
‘They say demons excel at brainwashing and controlling minds… Maybe even Duke Elard fell victim to it.’
I didn’t want to believe that it had not only kidnapped me and cast illusions to abandon me at an orphanage but had also been watching and tormenting me all along.
But it was hard to deny the possibility.
Because Raizel and I already had a strong suspicion about the demon’s true identity.
We had a vague idea of how deeply it had been involved in my past life.
‘If anything, it would be strange not to suspect it.’
It wielded magic even more skillfully than my father, the renowned grand mage.
If I ignored that and refused to suspect my former master, I would be nothing more than a fool.
Perhaps because he knew how much I had once trusted and followed my master, Raizel often looked at me with pity whenever our conversations stalled, or the situation felt hopeless—like today.
‘But I’m fine.’
Saying it wasn’t difficult would be a lie.
In my past life, I had struggled, suffered, and at times, wished for death.
But despite it all, I had fought to survive.
‘Though… I never realized how badly my soul had been damaged.’
“Hah, should I just go and talk to that greedy emperor?”
Raizel muttered irritably, rubbing his temples.
Thank you Djm for the Ko-fi! I was so surprised 😂, I didn’t see it coming.
