Chapter 64: Kind
This reminded Gray of the method to achieve Necromancy inside Berelith Urayh's manual.
It went like this:
"Similar to how Salt could preserve meat, they discovered it could not only preserve the corpses of other Nephilim, but even their last Emanation of Quintessence, allowing them to access it."
"…So as far as I understand, they are beings born anew?"
"Precisely. Even if the Owner's strength and resentment are exceptional, causing the Relic of Torment to retain their original memories and a sliver of their original intelligence, their consciousness isn't magically sent inside the newly formed Relic."
"For the owner, the world goes dark—but for the Relic, it begins."
Gray was astonished.
"…This is more than what I expected."
As the two talked, Felix attempted to sneak away.
After Franz caught him from the collar and sent him to fix more trinkets, the two Nephilim resumed their talk.
"As you can imagine, a resentment so strong that it has even birthed them, this makes them exceptionally hard to deal with."
Gray recalled the talismans he had seen deep inside Mnemosyne's Antiques.
"So those talismans were meant to seal these Relics?"
Franz gave a nod.
"Why not destroy them entirely?"
"That's because…if you can extinguish their resentment or appeal to their desires, you can borrow their powers for yourself."
Gray was stuck in thought.
"…Since they're beings born from evil, I suppose their desires will retain the same aspect."
Franz confirmed Gray's thoughts.
"Indeed. They are one of the most pressing examples the Nephilim of the Right-Hand Path should never follow."
Gray couldn't help but get all pensive once more.
"Then…those Relics of Torment inside Mnemosyne's Antiques—did they all have their wishes fulfilled?"
Franz raised his index finger.
"Not all, but some of them."
"If we had mindlessly fulfilled every desire they blurted out, Rosano would have been part of a genocide."
"…"
Gray unwillingly recalled The Monolith and His abomination of a threat.
To Him, the population of Rosano was nothing.
In his aeon-old play, the universe itself had crumbled apart.
Who knew how many had died back then?
"…But why not destroy the more powerful ones and keep the weaker ones?"
Franz understood Gray's point of view and explained further.
The more powerful the Relics of Torment were, the more they clung to life.
This made them astoundingly difficult to destroy.
Some Relics, the oldest, the ones who had been created by the strongest, most terrifying Nephilim upon death, were even known to be indestructible.
The only means of protection they could employ for them was using the most advanced sealing talismans, most powerful sealing techniques, and even the Relics based upon that aspect of protection.
Yet since the fully controlled Relics that did not have difficult requirements to fulfill, meaning they had been born from a weaker resentment than the strongest—it meant they were weaker than the other Relics of Torment.
This made Franz's stash of Relics of Torment rather tame compared to the many others.
Also, since the rogue Nephilim had no qualms about performing acts some may consider twisted and blasphemous to fulfill the Relic's desire, it made them have an edge against the members of the Right-Hand Path.
"It's not this simple." Franz corrected. "Using Relics of Torment opens your mind and soul to the Relic. This act makes their malevolent characteristics ooze inside you, endangering the sanity of those who use them. Every Nephilim—especially rogue ones—must acknowledge this fact and use the Relics' powers sparingly, only when its desperately needed."
"…Understood."
Gray furrowed his eyes as he remembered a crucial point.
He had always thought that Casanova had many abilities—this was a fact.
But now that he knew about these Relics of Torment, he hypothesized that the older Nephilim's supposed unlimited abilities were caused from an abundance of these Relics.
"So Dusk Catcher, the miasma and your bandages are Relics of Torment?"
Franz gave a slight nod.
"My bandages are a Relic of Torment while the miasma is a part of a bigger Relic, one of the most powerful in the hands of the Right-Hand Path."
"Dusk Catcher…however."
"It's a whole different thing."
"Years ago, back when Casanova was a ferocious and feared Nephilim, he personally gouged the eye of a Patron, taking Their ability to foresee the future for himself…!"
Gray's mouth hung low.
A patron?!
A being who lived inside a higher plane…A being who could foresee the future?!
"…"
Gray was astonished. No words could come out.
To think that this was the man who was training him…
To think he did all these things years ago!
Just how powerful was Casanova in his prime?
The small bell attached to Mnemosyne's Antiques door then rang.
Ding!
A different client then entered inside the shop.
"Welcome to Mnemosyne's Antiques." Franz said to the woman who looked no more than thirty. She had a maroon shirt under a leather coat and was wearing black, classy jeans.
She gave a slight nod as she glanced around the store, looking at many articles from far-away.
Gray, recalling the words of Sir Visconti, now knew what to do. Out of his own volition, he walked towards the woman.
"Good Evening—is there something specific you're looking for?"
The woman turned around.
"Yes…I'm looking for something to decorate my new apartment."
Gray touched his chin as he thought for a brief moment.
"We may have what you're looking for. Please follow me."
Gray led the woman towards the section full of jars and pottery. He grabbed one of them and raised it, allowing the woman to inspect it more carefully.
The vase was white, made of ceramic, and was patterned with many beautiful flowers.
"Could vase be to your liking?"
"Ah, yes! I like it!"
"If you desire so, I can also help you in finding other things to decorate."
The woman refused politely.
"No, it's fine. I'll take the jar."
"…"
"It's all good then!" Gray smiled after a brief moment. "Let me handle it for you."
Gray placed the vase on the counter under the close inspection of Franz, hoping to make a good impression.
Franz let him do all the work, as he knew that learning by himself would help Gray to become more experienced.
The woman handed Gray the money—the total amounted to 17 euros.
Gray's brain started to lag as he tried to figure the cash register out, making him slow. The air grew slightly awkward as the woman waited with a polite smile on her face.
After a long minute, he gave her the receipt with shaking hands and packaged the vase for her.
The woman then went out satisfied.
Gray's face was beet red as he tried to recover from the embarrassment, causing Franz to give a brief chuckle.
"…Even Selene was like that at first."
"…Really?"
"Yeah."
The image of the bedridden girl appeared inside his mind.
He then questioned, blurting out a kind of unexpected question.
"…What kind of person is Selene?"
At first, Franz was slightly taken aback, but then his lips slowly curved upwards as he started to reminisce.
And so, he spoke—his voice melancholic.
"Selene is…"
"An incredibly stubborn girl. It's been this way since she was a child."
"I know it may seem impossible for you, but behind all the anger you've seen, lies a kind person—one who doesn't want anyone to go through what she did."
"The Nephilim children you've seen are a testament to my words."
"Since I constantly had to train her in controlling her powers…I could never give her a normal childhood."
Franz gave a sigh.
"And since I wasn't her true father, I could never bond with her as Casanova could've done. Nevertheless, she made sure to provide them a childhood. She became a kind of safe house for them, becoming the older sister they never had."
If Selene hadn't tried to kill Gray on their first meeting, he would've thought she was a good person.
This made Gray feel rather conflicted.
Let's say Selene attacked him.
Would Gray cut her life short?
Now that Sin was off the books, it would be easier than ever.
…But.
Gray felt a pit of doubt form in his stomach as he remembered the teary-eyed, chubby faces of the Nephilim children.
What would they say?
They had burst into tears and were prepared to fight Gray with their cleaning gear after he had hurt her!
What would they do if Gray killed her?
Their little hearts would explode!
And to him…
One who was shaken to the core by the sheer thought of losing his sister, the act of causing those children to lose their own older sister felt like a blasphemy against himself and everything he stood for.
Although she could not hear him, Gray silently pleaded to Selene.
He pleaded for her to not harm him or Kathy—he pleaded for her to not do so, as it would mean forcing his hand, forcing Gray to kill her.
His heart stirred.
Gray didn't want those children to know how it felt to lose their sister—the only person they loved in this entire world.
…
As Gray's first shift in Mnemosyne's Antiques ended, he returned home.
Since it had been a while since it first opened, a few clients had arrived. This made Franz decide it would be best to send Gray in the libraries only when the traffic was slower.
The same could be said for his personal training.
Gray unlocked his door, the keys jingling, producing a sharp sound.
He reached for the handle and opened it.
A dim, orange light filled the room.
'Uh? Kathy's home? I was sure I turned every light off…'
"Kathy?"
Nobody replied.
'Hm. Maybe she's in the bathroom.'
Gray walked around, placing his things on the floor. He removed his coat and then put it on a chair.
He yawned.
'I'm tired…'
Kathy still hadn't rushed over and saluted him.
How come?
This was pretty strange.
And so, Gray figured it would be best to look around the house for her.
"Kathy?"
The more he moved closer to her room…
the more he could hear faint sobs.
Gray's face drained of color.
As he opened the door, he saw Kathy huddled on the floor, her face teary-eyed, her soft sobs resounding across the room.
Gray's face contorted. He called out, his voice breaking.
"Kathy?!"
Kathy stood up and rushed over, hugging Gray tightly, her tears and snot flowing over his shirt.
"Gray…!" she sobbed.
Gray felt a lump on his throat.
"W-Who hurt you?"
Kathy sniffed a few times and said,
"…That fucking asshole piece of shit…I thought he loved me…!"
"Eh?"
Kathy hugged him tighter.
"Wait. Tell me what's going on!"
"That stupid…idiotic man…!"
Kathy hugged him even tighter, almost shattering his bones.
"Agh! Kathy, wait! Let me go! Let me go!!!!!!"
…
Gray sighed.
"…So that's what you meant by a woman's business when I asked you of why you entered inside mother's library…"
Kathy sniffed, wiping her nose.
"I was learning how to put makeup just for him…! How dare he…!"
She held the glass of water she held tightly, shattering it completely, its contents spilling out.
Gray coughed dryly.
"…But Kathy, who is he?"
"He's this guy I met in the restaurant…his name is Derek…" Her eyes produced more tears. "He was always nice to me, always giving me compliments, asking for me out of every waiter…"
"He even said he would take me on a date…!"
She grabbed a glass-shard, carving the table with it.
"He had a girlfriend this whole time…! He even brought her to our restaurant…!"
"How dares he…!"
She swiped the glass shards away from the table.
"…I can't even punch the shit out him because I will get fired if I do…!"
"…"
"Kathy."
"Do you perhaps know where he lives?"
"Yes but…" she sniffed "Why are even asking me…?
"Oh, nothing. I just want to pay him a visit sometimes."