Chapter 13 - The Mark of Defilement
I had unfolded <Void Step> and shifted myself to Mount Garan, a property of the Heisenberg family.
Before me stood the eerie research facility I had warped here from the Garzak Underground Prison.
“Alright, here we go.”
I tore the iron door from its frame with my bare hands and stepped inside.
As I walked down the dim, dust-laden corridor, I emerged into a large chamber.
Books and papers were strewn across the floor, magical formulae covered the walls, and enormous flasks held strange liquids that floated and swirled unnaturally.
In the center of that unsettling room stood a massive workbench—upon which a young girl lay.
She looked to be about my age—twelve or so—with hair of pure silver that shimmered like frost.
She was dressed in a white restraining gown, and on her chest glimmered a mark tainted by the Demon Lord—the Mark of Defilement.
Same as in the original... that crimson-black pattern. So that’s the Demon Lord’s curse.
This girl was a direct descendant of heroes—
A survivor of the noble bloodline that had felled the Demon Lord five centuries ago.
“Ugh... ah... haa... haa...”
Beads of sweat clung to her forehead as she writhed in pain, her voice breaking in anguish.
（……ふむ……）
...I see...
From what I could tell, the Demon Lord’s factor was corroding her body, while the hero’s blood within her fought desperately against it.
Inside her, destruction and regeneration repeated endlessly, trapping her in an unending cycle of torment.
An ordinary human would have perished in less than three days... but her vessel was far too sturdy, denying her the release of death.
The proud blood of a hero simply would not permit surrender.
“...Please... just kill me... already...”
Noticing me, the girl trembled, her tear-filled eyes pleading desperately.
The Demon Lord’s factor carried infinite potential—
For the development of unknown magic, the creation of new energy sources, even the recreation of the Demon Lord’s Unique Magic.
For that reason, research institutions across nations had poured every resource into analyzing it.
This girl had likely been imprisoned in the Garzak Underground Prison for years, subjected to inhumane experiments—until her spirit broke, until she longed for death.
...Kill you, huh...
That had been my original plan.
From the perspective of disposing of the Demon Lord’s factor, it was without a doubt the optimal choice.
...And yet, for some reason, the moment someone begged me to kill them, I felt an overwhelming—no, maddening—urge to do the exact opposite.
It wasn’t as though I had a contrarian streak.
If anything, I considered myself fairly straightforward... but in this case, I couldn’t help but want to go against the grain.
Well... I suppose this counts as an experiment too.
The Demon Lord’s curse was powerful.
Even High Priest Amour’s legacy magic, Holy Purification Light, could not break it.
But I had the knowledge of the original work—
Including the method revealed near the end of the main route for neutralizing the Demon Lord’s factor.
And I also possessed the skill to make it possible.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
I extended my right hand and touched the Mark of Defilement on her chest.
“—<Holy Purification Light>.”
Holy power poured forth, weakening the Demon Lord’s curse.
“Ah... ngh... aahhh...!”
Perhaps reacting violently, the Demon Lord’s factor thrashed inside her, making her convulse in pain.
“Endure it—this will be over soon.”
I immediately moved on to the next stage—the healing process.
I shaped my mana into fine threads, sending them into her body, and shredded the Demon Lord’s factor from within.
Since the fragments began regenerating immediately, I guided them to merge with her innate magical factor instead—
Not rejecting the Demon Lord’s factor, but making its wicked power a natural part of her body.
...Alright, that should do it.
The ritual concluded without a hitch.
The Demon Lord’s factor had fully assimilated with her own magical factor.
No more of that hellish agony.
I drew the sword from my waist and sliced through her restraints.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
The girl slowly sat up, staring down at her own body as if she couldn’t believe it.
“...No... way...”
A single tear slid down her cheek.
“For something like this... to be real... it’s not a dream... thank you...!”
She wept openly, her words trembling with gratitude.
I hadn’t intended to save her, but being thanked didn’t feel bad at all.
“Right... we have to get out of here quickly...!”
She must have thought we were still in the Garzak Underground Prison, because she rose in a fluster.
“No need to worry about that.”
“What do you mean...?”
“It’s faster if you see for yourself. This way—follow me.”
I turned on my heel and stepped out of the laboratory.
The girl followed me hesitantly, her eyes going wide in shock.
“...Huh...?”
All around us stretched an endless expanse of green—majestic, untouched wilderness.
Overhead, a great moon hung in the night sky, with stars glittering brilliantly around it.
“I used my Unique Magic to transfer the entire facility here. Now that we’re this far, you’re safe.”
“I see... that’s a relief...”
Letting out a breath of relief, she then voiced the most natural question of all.
“But... why would you help someone like me?”
Well, why indeed?
Saying I just had the sudden urge to do the opposite when asked to kill her... felt a little too blunt.
Since no convincing reason came to mind, I decided to improvise something that sounded appropriate.
“—Let me tell you a little story from long ago.”
I began speaking slowly.
“Roughly five hundred years ago, humanity stood on the brink of annihilation. Out of nowhere, the Demon Lord appeared, leading an army of countless minions to invade the continent. The Demon Lord’s forces were overwhelming, and people were slaughtered without mercy. Just when it seemed the end was inevitable, six extraordinary men and women appeared—later known as the ‘Six Legendary Heroes.’”
Standing still felt too plain, so I paced around her in a deliberate, almost theatrical circle.
“After a long and grueling journey, they finally destroyed the Demon Lord. But with his dying breath, he laid a curse—not upon the heroes’ bodies, but upon their magic factors.”
“Their... factors?”
“That’s right. As you know, magic factors pass from parent to child, and from child to grandchild. By cursing the factor itself, the Demon Lord ensured the eventual destruction of the heroes’ power.”
“So instead of targeting a single hero, he aimed to wipe out the entire bloodline... I see. That’s actually logical.”
She was sharp, grasping my point almost instantly.
“The legendary heroes were strong enough to bear the Demon Lord’s factor and live out their natural lives. But with each passing century, their blood thinned. Eventually, descendants unable to suppress the Demon Lord’s power succumbed to a mysterious illness.”
I gave her a pointed look as I continued.
“An individual carrying both the hero’s and the Demon Lord’s factors became ‘the most valuable research material in the world.’ There’s still much about these factors we don’t understand—they hold limitless potential. And so, a world that had long forgotten the heroes’ deeds began subjecting their descendants to cruel human experimentation, seeking to wring more wealth from their suffering.”
“Research material... you mean...?”
“Yes. I mean you.”
“...!”
She was at a loss for words.
“Is that... really true?”
“Who knows? If you want to find out, you should investigate for yourself.”
Of course, every word I’d said was true.
But thrown at her so suddenly, I doubted she could bring herself to believe it.
As I thought this, she pressed her hand to her lips, deep in thought.
...The story is consistent. And more importantly, he has no reason to lie...
After a moment, she clenched her teeth tightly.
“...I can’t forgive them...”
In that instant, enormous golden mana surged from her.
Oh? As expected of a hero’s descendant—what an incredible mana reserve.
“An order steeped in injustice and absurdity... A peace built upon someone’s sacrifice... both are fundamentally wrong. To destroy these worthless vested interests and create a new framework, I must fight against the world itself.”
“...Then I’ll fight too.”
“For that, you’ll need power—overwhelming force to defy this unjust scenario!”
I would clear my own route.
So she should focus on hers.
It would be difficult, but with that immense mana, she could surely get far.
Just as I turned my back and prepared to warp to the Heisenberg estate, she dropped an unexpected bombshell.
“Let me fight alongside you.”
“...Huh...?”
“Is that... not allowed?”
“Well... it’s not like it’s forbidden...”
My goal had been to destroy the Demon Lord’s factor, hinder the Grand Magus Cult, and delay the Demon Lord’s revival.
That was supposed to be the main objective this time.
Though this situation is already straying quite a bit from the original plan...
Still, in terms of obstructing the Grand Magus Cult, keeping her close had value—especially since the Demon Lord’s factor still slumbered within her.
And considering how the story will unfold from here, the more pieces I have on the board, the better.
Her proposal... wasn’t bad at all.
“I’m truly grateful to you. I know full well I’m in no position to ask for anything... but, if it wouldn’t be a burden, I’d like to fight alongside you.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Thank you. Um... what should I call you?”
“Me? Hm... then let’s go with ‘Void.’”
I didn’t feel right giving my real name, so I went with the first alias that popped into my head.
Void—because I wielded the Void.
Sure, naming myself after my ability was a little lazy, but hey—clarity had its merits.
And besides, I was getting tired of keeping up the act.
Speaking like some pompous villainous noble really burned through my calories.
“By the way... huh?”
Now that I thought about it... what was this girl’s name again?
I racked my brain, trying to dig through my knowledge of the original story.
Long silver hair... pointed ears... a beautiful half-elf face... she wasn’t just some nameless extra. She was definitely a named character.
...Nope, nothing.
In the main route, she either got kidnapped by the Grand Magus Cult and killed, or died after failing to endure human experimentation... basically meeting a tragic end early in the story.
Her screen time had been so short, she’d left no lasting memory.
“Hey, you—what’s your name?”
“I...”
She froze with her mouth half open, then gave a small shake of her head.
“—I threw it away.”
“Threw it away?”
“My parents sold me for three copper coins. I don’t need a name given to me by people like that.”
“Ah... yeah, I get that.”
Those who manifested the Mark of Defilement were treated as less than livestock from that moment on.
I could only imagine what she’d suffered at the hands of her own parents.
“You saved me, Void. If you don’t mind... I’d like you to give me a name.”
“H-Huh...?”
Naming someone was no small task.
It was the kind of thing that could shape their entire life—not something to decide on a whim.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes. Please.”
Her eyes were dead serious.
A girl’s name, huh...
Ayumi... Kyōko... Yukari... Shiho... Saori...
No, those were Japanese names—not suited for the world of Ronzolkia.
“You don’t have to overthink it. Just name me based on what you see.”
“Hmm... then how about... Dia?”
“Dia?”
“It’s the name of a beautiful gemstone. I thought of it because of your clear, shimmering silver hair... but maybe that’s too obvious.”
“...Dia...”
She repeated it under her breath like she was tasting it, then smiled with quiet joy.
“It’s a lovely name. Thank you—I’ll treasure it.”
Looked like she liked it.
“Like I said before, we’re going to have to fight against the whole world. For that, we’ll need overwhelming strength. Dia, I’ll need you to get stronger.”
“Of course. That’s my intention.”
Dia gave a firm nod, then tilted her head slightly.
“How strong is Void?”
“Hmm... about this strong.”
I said that as I released the mana I usually kept tightly sealed.
In an instant, a murky, sludge-like darkness surged out like a broken dam, devouring Mt. Garan with terrifying speed.
The world was swallowed in the wicked mana befitting Hollow von Heisenberg, the villainous noble.
What... is this...? This isn’t even a matter of strong or weak—this is a different dimension of existence altogether...
When I’d shown her just a moderate amount of my mana, Dia collapsed on the spot with a soft thud.
She hugged herself tightly, trembling in small jerks, her face drained and frozen in fear.
“Ah—sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I–I’m f–fine... This was my idea, after all...”
Dia took a deep breath and slowly got back on her feet.
Ah... that was a mistake.
This girl had been imprisoned in an underground cell for who knew how long, subjected to inhumane experiments.
Physically and mentally, she was clearly worn down.
Even if I had held back considerably, showing her mana like that was bound to frighten her.
I feel bad about that... Alright, I’ll make it up to her by letting her eat something she likes later.
Sushi, ramen, yakiniku—okay, those were more my tastes.
She was a girl, so maybe something healthy, light, and sweet would be better.
I could just ask my maid, Miss Sistie, for suggestions—she’d know exactly what to prepare.
While I was mulling over my atonement plan, Dia murmured softly.
“...Void, you’re strong. Strong enough to destroy the world already.”
“Haha, that’s an exaggeration. I’m nowhere near that level yet.”
“Is there anyone stronger than you?”
“Well... who knows?”
I lifted my head and let my gaze wander to the stars scattered across the night sky.
Hollow von Heisenberg had always been a fixture in Ronzolkia’s “strongest character” debates.
A master of the all-purpose Unique Magic <Void>, capable of handling any situation. A body that had surpassed the limits of human strength. Mana so deep it seemed infinite.
He possessed it all—a genius, a peerless prodigy whose hand could reach the very pinnacle of power.
Given enough time and careful cultivation, he could surely have been unbeatable.
But... Hollow always died.
Even in the longest-lasting route, he eventually succumbed to “that thing” in the end, and was killed by the protagonist.
—Sloth and Arrogance.
Like a curse, that debuff always dragged Hollow toward the promised land—his bad ending.
To snap every death flag and still arrive at paradise... the bad ending.
That was why I had decided to live humbly and steadily.
“Alright, let’s decide what to do from here on out.”
“Mm.”
After a short discussion, Dia decided to stay in Void Town.
There, she could hide from all sorts of threats, starting with the Grand Magus Cult.
And when her exhausted body and mind had fully recovered, I would begin her training.
Hero power plus Demon Lord power... honestly, I’m more than just a little curious.
While teaching Dia how to fight, I’d secretly analyze that unusual power of hers.
I might even find a clue to becoming stronger myself.
Still, that Garzak Underground Prison raid was ridiculously profitable.
I’d collected real-battle data for <Void>, gained the descendant of a hero as an ally, and even managed to delay the Grand Magus Cult’s goal of resurrecting the Demon Lord.
By any measure, that was the best possible outcome, wasn’t it?
While I nodded in satisfaction, Dia suddenly asked me a question.
“Hey, Void... are there others like me?”
“There are a few here and there... but cases as bad as yours are rare.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, first of all, just being from a hero’s bloodline doesn’t mean you’ll manifest the Mark of Defilement. This affliction, for better or worse, is a ‘proof of talent.’ Because you were born with a strong concentration of the hero’s factor, you inherited an equal amount of the Demon Lord’s factor—and that’s what triggers it. My guess is, your parents were probably healthy, weren’t they?”
“...Not exactly a talent I’m happy about.”
After muttering that, Dia fixed me with eyes burning with resolve.
“When I get stronger through training, I want to help people who suffer from the Mark of Defilement. If you ever find another descendant of a hero, will you break their curse too?”
“Sure, I will.”
“Thank you. Because of you... I have a reason to live now.”
“You’re welcome.”
The more Demon Lord factor we could gather, the better.
The more I held, the more it would throw the Grand Magus Cult into disarray.
The descendants of heroes were scattered across the world, and finding them one by one was tedious... but if Dia took on that search, and all I had to do was remove the Mark of Defilement, it would be ideal.
“Well then, shall we head to Void Town?”
I raised my right hand, and with <Void Step>, a swirling black vortex appeared before us.
“Th-this murky black... thing leads to the town?”
“Yeah. It might startle you at first, but you’ll get used to it.”
“...Alright.”
Whether it was trust in me or simple courage, Dia nodded once and stepped into the vortex.
Alright... in just three years, the main route will begin, and I’ll finally cross paths with the protagonist.
I had to get everything I needed done before then.
With that resolve burning quietly in my chest, I stepped through to Void Town.
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