Is That My Alter Ego - Chapter 107



Chapter 107 – The False and the True

As the blue window suddenly materialized before them, the three women glared at one another.

“What the hell is this nonsense—! Are you the one? Or are you the one?!”

“…What nonsense! Isn’t this your doing?!”

“…..Huh?”

Once again, the women thought their foes were employing some bizarre trick, yet they exchanged glances that spoke of confusion regarding the blue window.

Of course, it was possible that the women before them were bluffing to toy with them.

But… if that were the case, then why did they display such genuine expressions of rage and hatred?

“”………..””

The anger and hatred they felt. Observing a similar phenomenon without the ability to mask its intensity, they fell into silence.

[Whoa, whoa! Everyone, calm down! You must not fight each other!]

“…What?”

“What in the world is this…”

“…Damn it! Are you serious?! Bring my master here right now…!”

They still could not comprehend the words of this blue window. Yet Ariel and Seris continued to watch the beast-woman, who was still seething with rage.

Her mention of ‘master,’ and her cries for him to be returned, her fury—those movements, that voice, and that fervor were far too genuine to dismiss as lies.

And the way she seemed to have lost someone precious… did it not mirror their own feelings?

“….Could it be.”

“Is it… you?”

Eriel and Seris exchanged hollow glances, their eyes reflecting a hatred and fury that was undeniably real.

…No, no. This was not the time to let their guard down. There was surely a remnant of light still lingering within them.

“…Why, pray tell, do I sense the presence of the Master in you? Explain that first!”

“That’s my question! Why is there still magic of Venice lingering in you lot?”

Venice. The name resonated with a familiarity that stirred emotions long buried, causing them to surge once more.

“What… did you say?”

“…What?! Venice?! So it was indeed you wretches who took my Master!!”

The moment the name Venice fell from her lips, undeniable proof emerged that the white-haired woman before them was the culprit.

Seris lowered her sword, gathering her magic, while Kali crouched, ready to leap at Eriel at any moment.

“…Wait, just a moment.”

Yet, it was Eriel alone who sensed the strangeness. These women, clearly not her, bore the same vacant gaze as her own.

And in this moment, they all demanded something to be ‘returned’ to them, as the blue spear materialized before them, anger and hatred scattering like shards among them.

“I will make this clear. I am Eriel Frost. Someone has desecrated the grave of my servant, ‘Venice,’ and suddenly this blue spear appeared, leading me here.”

“…What did you say?”

“….!”

A desecrated grave, a suddenly risen blue spear, and the arrival at this place following its direction.

Wasn’t their situation… disturbingly similar?

The emotions that threatened to explode began to settle, and their fervor waned.

“I… am Seris. Our mercenary leader… the grave of ‘Venice’ has been disturbed, and we followed the sudden appearance of the blue spear to this place.”

“Shit… what the hell is going on?”

“….Hah. It seems… the situation is rather strange.”

As Eriel muttered, the circumstances indeed felt off. If Eriel and Seris had come here seeking someone who had sullied their precious one, could it be that the beastkin before them…?

“….Hah. I am Kali. Some b*stard desecrated my Master’s grave… ‘Venice,’ and I came here to devour that son of a b*tch. Of course, following the blue spear.”

“”………….””

…The situation was undeniably bizarre. Even the beastkin before them had come here, following the blue spear’s guidance, to seek out someone who had sullied a precious one.

One thing was certain: the women before them were not their enemies. They released the tension and magic they had summoned, exhaling sighs and beginning to assess the situation.

Thus, only one question remained.

If these women were not the ones who took Venice, then who, in the name of all that was sacred, had done so?

“…Wait. Did you all just say… Venice?”

—

“…Yes, that’s right. If I didn’t hear it wrong, it’s certain.”

“……What?”

And then, another strange thing emerged. The name of the precious person they lost was commonly ‘Venice.’

In fact, just having the same name wouldn’t be considered unusual. The world is vast, and there are bound to be people with the same name.

However, when they talked to each other, the strangeness doubled.

First. Venice suddenly appeared and changed their lives overall.

Second. Although there were slight differences, Venice commonly had black hair and red eyes. Black hair and red eyes were not easily seen across the entire continent.

Lastly, third. Venice met a miserable end in the end.

“””…………”””

How, how could such coincidences overlap? If coincidences overlap with coincidences and more coincidences, can it still be considered a coincidence?

[It seems everyone has sorted out the situation! Now, can you focus on what I’m saying?!]

“…One thing is certain. If it’s not us, that guy knows something.”

“Exactly.”

“….Damn it. Who the hell are you?”

They all stopped in their tracks and glared at the suspicious ‘Blue Spear.’

As their legendary anger and hatred gathered in one place, the ground began to sink due to the momentum and magic.

[Heh.]

However, the Blue Spear laughed as if it was nothing, as if it was rather ridiculous, and began to speak.

[What you all want. It’s ‘Venice’s’ body, right?]

Crack-!

“…So it was you.”

“You b*stard…”

“I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you!”

As soon as the name Venice came out of the Blue Spear’s mouth, they realized that the one who defiled and took away someone more precious than anything was this ‘Blue Spear.’

The women, who were barely holding back their emotions that seemed about to explode, were stunned by the Blue Spear’s story.

[But… isn’t something strange? The ‘Venice’ you saw.]

What could possibly be strange? Although there were common parts about the Venice we met, with that-

[Do you really think it’s a different person? Heh heh…]

“….What did you say?”

“Don’t talk nonsense… Do you think that makes sense?”

—

“Dog’s nonsense…!”

They suddenly displayed hostility towards the blue spear that spat out absurdities. So, if it wasn’t someone else, it meant that Venice was one of them?

That couldn’t be. There were strange commonalities, yes, but the ‘Venices’ they had heard in their conversations were all different in age, physique, and taste.

[Ah… you might think so. But let me ask you this…]

Cough, cough…

[What if the ‘Venice’ you saw was not the true form? What if it was merely a ‘fragment’ in which a single ‘core’ was active?]

“….Stop with the nonsense. That doesn’t even make sense in terms of timing—!”

“….Wait. When was it for you all…?”

“What timing…!”

“The time I first met Venice. It was… around last autumn.”

“….I met him around last summer. The captain left just before autumn began…”

“I… met him after this year’s winter had passed and spring arrived. That can’t be right. If the white-haired one you met was in autumn, then winter—”

“…..Venice left in winter.”

A short, deep silence fell. The timing… was it not fitting? If the blue-haired one passed through Seris to Ariel, and then to Kali.

Wasn’t it all too perfectly aligned? As if the actions of one person were continuing.

[Have you only just realized? Well, it’s only natural you wouldn’t know. The ‘Venice’ that meant everything to you was a fake.]

“””…………”””

If the mocking words of the blue spear were true, did that mean the hope we encountered, everything, all warmth was a lie?

In a situation where one with a tender heart might despair, they did not crumble.

“…No. Even if, by some chance, the captain were to say he was a fake, the grace and warmth he bestowed upon me, that warmth and smile were genuine.”

Even if the captain was a fake, it was true that he saved my life and filled my heart.

“Even if, as you say, Venice was a fake. His saving me and the pure smile he showed me were sincere.”

Even if my butler was a fake, that warm and pure smile he wore, and the sacrifice he made were true.

“….Ha. You might be right; my master could be a fake. But so what? My master saved my life, and the warmth of his hand stroking my head and that warm smile were real.”

Even if my one and only master was a fake, that rough touch and charming smile, and the fact that he saved me when I had lost myself were true.

It didn’t matter if his body was a fake, a fragment rather than the core.

The actions and smiles he showed, those small but warm gestures, and the light that saved my very life were true. They could never be dismissed as mere fakes.

Their gazes began to blaze brightly.

From noble mtl dot com

[………….Cough.]

[Hahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!]

—

Their expressions twisted with malice, the blue spear continued its booming laughter, drawing in the madness.

[Hah… Yes, this is it! It must be this way… without fail!!]

[Then, to you who have gifted me your laughter! I shall reveal the location of the ‘Venice’ you so desperately seek. The true essence of it!]

Venice. His essence. The very mention of revealing its location was a whisper of hope.

“….The Commander…”

“Venice is…”

“My Master…”

Does this not mean that his essence still breathes? That we might yet encounter the true ‘Venice’… does it not?

Tears threatened to spill forth at any moment. My heart swelled, but I held it back.

[Press onward! The ‘Venice’ you long for lies ahead!]

With a soft rustle…

As the words of the blue spear faded, the dead trees that cloaked this vast clearing began to part, as if a door had swung open.

And at the end of that path, a small village came into view. So beautiful, a picture-perfect village.

“….Commander! I’m coming… now…!”

“Venice…! I will come!”

“Master… just a moment… please wait a little longer..!”

They began to move forward, hope igniting within them. Their savior, their light. Toward the place where the true essence awaited.