Chapter 164: Good Abduction (2)

For a moment I thought Enzo died for real…

Nonetheless, Seiya nodded with satisfaction and whispered in Enzo’s ear.

「Hey. Can you say your name? 」

「I am…Enzo. 」

「Okay. First, change my profession from a Fire Magic Warrior to a Magic Warrior with earth attributes.」

「Yes. I understand… 」

Enzo was willing to accept, despite his unfocused eyes.

「It…It resembles a hypnotic state…」

Even though he was so reluctant before, Enzo changed Seiya’s profession as he was told to do. Seiya’s body emitted a light and he changed his visual to a Magic Warrior with earth attributes. Seiya, whose change was nostalgic to me, immediately created an earth snake from his right hand.

「Ah, the earth snake! How nostalgic! 」

「First the earthworm, and now a snake. This is getting creepier and creepier.」

「It’s okay, Celseus! Earthworms aside, Seiya’s earth snakes don’t behave weirdly like that! These snakes protect us by sneaking into our chests and hiding in our crotches! Well, sometimes they bite with a force capable of tearing the skin!」

「…!? That’s incredibly creepy!! 」

While talking with Celseus, Seiya told Enzo to change his attributes several times over. Eventually, he clenched his fist and muttered.

「Great. Now I know how to change professions. 」

「So you can do it yourself now. Your learning capability is as fast as ever.」

「In fact, it feels like remembering something that I once forgot.」

「Now that you remembered it, will you return Enzo to the twisted world?」

「No. Rather, the true investigation is about to begin. I want him to tell us about the current situation of Exfolia. With his state, I don’t have to worry about false information.」

「By the way, Seiya. Isn’t your actions a bit on the wrong side? I’ve never seen a hero abducting someone, much less extracting information by force…」

「Lista. There are good and bad abductions… And this is a good abduction.」

「I see…No, wait a minute!! There’s no good abduction!! 」

I pointed to Enzo and shouted aloud. Enzo shook his head and looked at Seiya with terrifying eyes.

「Ba…Bastard…! You did something strange to meeeeeee…! I will kill you…!」

「Seiya! This old man has regained his consciousness! He looks so angry!」

「Yeah. The effect is weakening. It can’t be helped. Let’s put another one but on the left ear… “Death Confession”.」

「Yahh!? Guwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! 」

Ugh…How brutal…! Bu…But, it was important for us to know more about the current situation of the Twisted Exfolia…!

Enzo became quiet again while my heart was in conflict. Seiya spoke to Enzo then.

「Okay. Tell us the rough history of Exfolia. How did the current civilization develop?」

「From…300 years ago…One mage brought magic to the civilization of Exfolia. This genius mage created the foundation of the current magic technology and made the magical machine by himself…」

「Mage…? Hey, Seiya, is this person perhaps…?」

「Yeah. The mage is probably the cause of the twist corrupting Exfolia. In other words, I presume it is the incarnation or the companion of an evil god.」

「The mage was…He was a genius, but he wasn’t a good person…He tried to revive the ancient Demon King Artemaeus and use magical techniques to amplify the power of the demon king to rule Exfolia…」

“The Demon King Artemaeus”…My chest hurt when I heard that name. Artemaeus annihilated Seiya’s party, including Princess Tiana, my human version from my previous life. That vile demon king killed even Kiri, the baby who was inside Princess Tiana’s belly.

「But the mage had a miscalculation…The power of the Demon King Artemaeus was stronger than he imagined it to be, and he could not completely control it…Artemaeus, whose magical power had been amplified, had become a powerful magical weapon, the Artema Menace, and he ran away…」

「Artema Menace…Ah, what? Enzo? 」

At this point, Enzo drooped his head and couldn’t speak anymore. Celseus scratched his cheek.

「Hmm. He stopped right when the story was getting interesting.」

「Okay, let’s put another one through the nose… “Death Confession”.」

Oh gosh, Seiya kept doing this cruel act!! Bu…But, I also wanted to know what happened next in the story!! I’m sorry, Enzo!!

An earthworm went through Enzo’s nostril. Enzo, who began convulsing violently, eventually calmed down and continued to speak.

「The mage somehow managed to weaken Artema Menace…And with the help of the evil god whom he worshiped, the mage succeeded in dividing the main body of the Artema Menace into Artema’s four different types… 」

「What are Artema’s four different types? 」

「Thunder Beast Artema. Powered Artema. Cursed Artema. Life and Death Artema…A jewel that divides the power of Artemaeus. After using it, the mage managed to seal the weakened Artema Menace…」

…After that, according to Enzo, the mage was killed in a confrontation when sealing Artema Menace. Even so, the power of Artema Menace could not be completely suppressed, and thus, Artema Menace revived every 100 years. Enzo said that the people of Exfolia joined forces to combine the four types of Artema to seal the Artema Menace each time it revived.

「But in the last few decades…With the development of magical mechanics, the human mind got disturbed. Right now, each country has an Artema only for the sake of its own country…And, argh.」

「And argh!?」

I was surprised by Enzo’s ending and I spoke aloud. Soon, Enzo vomited foam from his mouth and fainted. Seiya was trying to put in a new earthworm, but I came over and spread my hands in front of Enzo.

「Stopppppp!! Seiya!! Just stop it for now!! 」

「Okay then. But, one last question. I want to know how much time has passed between the original Exfolia and the Twisted Exfolia.」

「You don’t have to ask that! The mage brought magic to the civilization 300 years ago! It means that the Twisted Exfolia is a world 300 years into the future from the original Exfolia!」

「Hey, Lista. Then, who is this guy? 」

Seiya pointed to the fainted Enzo. I wondered if Seiya was mocking me. I spoke with a heated tone.

「Ah? This guy is obviously Enzo! The Enzo of the Twisted Exfolia! 」

「Did you not feel a contradiction in your words? The civilization here has certainly developed. But, we have found Enzo in a world 300 years in the future.」

「Eh…Now that you mention it…Bu…But…what does that mean?」

「It means that the Twisted Exfolia is not 300 years into the future from the original Exfolia. Rather, it is…」

While saying those words, Seiya casually put an earthworm into Enzo’s ear. Enzo convulsed violently.

「Enzo. This is the last question. Does a country called Tarmine exist in your world?」

「Yes…Of course. 」

「If so, then who controls the current Tarmine?」

「Why…Why are you asking him that question…?」

I couldn’t understand the intention behind Seiya’s question. However, Enzo opened his mouth and answered Seiya’s question.

「The ruler of the Kingdom of Tarmine is Carmilla, the Steel Queen…Along with…the heir of the crown, Princess Tiana…」

On this very moment, Seiya’s eyes sharpened. My heartbeat increased tremendously.

…Princess Tiana…!? No…No way!! Did that mean that the Twisted Exfolia was the world where I was still alive in my previous human life…!?

I misunderstood because of the current development of this magical civilization. The Twisted Exfolia was not taking place in the future. Rather, it was a world from the past timeline whom we saved before.

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Ohh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What do you readers think of this reveal?

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