Damn Reincarnation

ilation Hammer’s attack, this time, thorns rose up from the ground at the exact coordinates calculated by Eugene.
However, the radius of the Forest was smaller than Dominic’s, and the arrangement of the thorns was also bad.

However, Eugene wasn’t disappointed.
Since the Lightning Flame had been blended into the Demon Spear and the Annihilation Hammer, their powers would keep growing significantly as he became stronger.

“…Hmm…” Eugene was about to put those two weapons inside the Cloak, but he had to stop.

When the weapons were halfway inside the Cloak, Eugene could feel that someone was fervently watching him.
The fervor in the person’s eyes intensified when Eugene ignored them and put the weapons in. Unable to understand what was going on, Eugene pulled out the weapons a little bit, and the fervor in the gaze subsided slightly.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?” Eugene turned around, holding back his sighs.

From behind a faraway tree, Carmen Lionheart stuck out her head.
She was gloomily watching Eugene with squinted eyes.

With a sour face, Eugene tilted his head in confusion.
“…Um….
You are not suddenly going to reprimand me for owning the Demon Spear and the Annihilation Hammer, right?”

He had told Carmen in advance about his owning the two weapons.
Eugene had to tame the weapons in the forest, but it was impossible to fool Carmen’s eyes.

Carmen was grateful that Eugene had sorted out the incident at Black Lion Castle, and she had also checked that there wasn’t a single trace of demonic energy on both weapons.
Therefore, she readily agreed to Eugene’s ownership of these two weapons, but why was she looking at him like that? Unable to understand her intention, Eugene just blinked.

Carmen walked out from behind the tree, clearing her throat. “…I heard an explosion.”

“Ah…well…that was because of me.”

“I felt a surprisingly immense amount of mana.”

“That was also—”

“You have just used ‘Pressure’ with the Annihilation Hammer and ‘Spear Forest’ with the Demon Spear…right?”

“Uhm… I told you before, I’m going to tame them so I can use….”

Before Eugene could finish, Carmen held out her right arm sideways.
Due to her sudden movement, Eugene took a step back in surprise.
To let Eugene see what she was doing,  Carmen revealed the thing in her right hand — a silver pocket watch.

“Form Change,” Carmen spoke quietly. 

Click!

Eugene could hear a low machine sound inside the pocket watch. When it opened, the clock’s hands turned, and its lid split apart.

Unable to say anything, Eugene just watched the whole thing happen. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the watch was the essence of cutting-edge alchemical technologies.
The pocket watch, which was as small as Carmen’s palm, split into pieces and extended itself, wrapping around Carmen’s right arm.

“This is my Heaven Genocide’s Destiny Form.”

Eugene silently listened to Carmen’s explanation.

“If anyone sees this arm… someone has to die.”

“…Do I have to die?” Eugene asked.

“Since I have no intention of dying, you will if we begin to play with fate,” Carmen said as she clenched her fists.
Her sharp fingers were covered in silver metal.

Squeak.

“But I don’t fight to the death with my family,” she continued.

“…Is that so….” Eugene halfheartedly said.

“It’s a good thing for both of us.
We won’t be adding another tragedy to the Lionheart family.”

Squeak, squeak.

Carmen continued to move her fingers.
Since Eugene wasn’t sure what to say, he just looked at the Heaven Genocide in its Destiny Form wrapped around Carmen’s right arm.
Eugene could feel the excitement rising deep inside when he looked at the metal gauntlet.

“What do you think?” Carmen asked suddenly.

“…Pardon?”

“I’m talking about my Heaven Genocide in Destiny Form.”

“…It’s cool,” Eugene answered halfheartedly again.

“I haven’t shown you — no, I can’t show you my Destiny Breaker.
But to maximize Destiny Breaker’s power, I have to use it in Destiny Form.”

“Is that so….” 

“The Heaven Genocide has many forms aside from the Destiny Form.
Don’t you wanna see them?”

“…I’m good….”

“I think we can have a good fight if I use my Heaven Genocide in Blaster Form and you use Pressure with the Annihilation Hammer.
Well, we can’t actually have a battle, though.” Carmen lifted her arm sideways, looking genuinely disappointed.

Click!

When Eugene heard the machine noise again, the Heaven Genocide changed its form to be the pocket watch again.

“So, what do you think?” Carmen asked again.

“Didn’t you ask me that before?”

“I felt your previous answer wasn’t genuine.”

“…I really think it’s cool,” Eugene repeated.

“Do you want to have this?”

“Nope….”

“It’s understandable if you want to have this.
This artifact is really cool, but I’m not going to lend it to you.
I’m also not going to tell you how I got my hands on it or who made it.
”

“Right….”

“Aren’t you curious?” Carmen asked with a proud look.
Judging from how she kept glancing at Eugene with her chest puffed out and shrugged, it seemed she desperately wanted to brag.

“…I’m curious.” Eugene obliged unenthusiastically.

“I found the Heaven Genocide through a coincidental encounter — no, a miracle….
Wow, it’s already been decades since I found it.
I went through a magical experience when I was young.
That’s all I can tell you,” Carmen spoke with a dazed look.

“Can’t you just tell the story to the end if you are going to tell me anyway?”

“I can’t.
I can’t break the promise since promises are important.”

Click!

After closing the lid of the pocket watch, Carmen put it into her inner pocket.

“Your new weapons made the enthusiasm inside me spark. Don’t worry.
I’m used to feeling enthusiastic in this way, and I can always control it.”

Eugene wasn’t worried about that from the start.

“However, be careful not to explode anything else.
While I was running here, I saw a couple of elves collapse on the ground.
Sir Signard was also about to come running here, thinking the village was under attack.
So I stopped him,” Carmen warned Eugene.

“…Thank you,” Eugene bitterly answered. 

“Is your injured arm okay?”

“It just stings a little now.
I will recover by tomorrow, even without any treatment.”

“You are being sloppy.
Small injuries should also be treated fully. Besides, the Lionheart family is a warrior family.
We have all kinds of healing potions, so don’t hesitate to use any kind of medicine to heal your injury.”

“Yes… I understand.”

“Let’s return.” Carmen turned back.
As if it was natural for her to do so, she led the way as she and Eugene got out of the forest.
Since Eugene had finished taming the Demon Spear and the Annihilation Hammer, he had no reason to stay in the forest any longer.

“You know. The Demon Spear and the Annihilation Hammer no longer resemble their original form.
Do we still have to call them by those names?”

“Yea… Pardon?”

“Since they don’t hold demonic energy anymore, we can’t call them Demon Kings’ weapons now.
Then would there be any reason to call them by those names?”

“I think it’s better to use the same name since it would be confusing….”

“What do you think of Gaia Crasher and Longinus?”

‘Then are they now Gaia Crasher Jigollath and Longinus Luentos?’ 

The question crossed Eugene’s mind.

“I like their original names.” Eugene swiftly shook his head. 

“Hmm….
The owners have the right to name their weapons, so I will just make suggestions.
I won’t violate your rights.”

‘Does she think the names Gaia Crasher and Longinus are better? Really?’ Eugene seriously wondered.

“Master Eugene.”

Right before Carmen and Eugene exited the forest, they met Narissa, sitting down on the floor, and Lavera, helping Narissa stand up.
When Carmen and Eugene saw the two elves, Carmen dramatically signaled Eugene with her eyes as she crossed her arms.

Narissa was the elf who collapsed to the ground, surprised by the sound of the explosions.

Did Carmen come this way on purpose to show Eugene what happened after the explosions? Eugene felt like he would never be able to understand what went on inside Carmen Lionheart’s head.

“I was going to find you, but I happened to run into you first,” Lavera spoke brightly with a nonchalant look.

“What’s up?” Eugene asked.

Narissa and Lavera were currently working as apprentice maids in the annex.
Their shifts must be over already, but they were still wearing their Lionheart maids uniform.

“I have come to ask permission to go out tomorrow, sir,” Lavera calmly explained.

“Go out?”

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“Yes, tomorrow happens to be my day off,” Lavera continued as she brushed the dirt off Narissa’s skirt.
Every time Lavera brushed Narissa’s skirt, her body wobbled.
It seemed Narissa hadn’t adjusted to her new prosthetic leg yet.

“Can I ask why you are going out?” Eugene asked.

“I have to receive my prosthetic eye,” Narissa spoke, pointing to her left eyepatch.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to downtown Ceres.” 

“Have you ever been there?”

“No, sir.”

Elves attracted people’s attention.
Of course, the capital of the Kiehl Empire was safe, but there was always that ‘what if.’ Therefore, Eugene had previously set a ground rule: the elves had to be accompanied by at least one knight from the main house when they went out.

“Do you want any specific knight to guard you?”

“No, sir,” Lavera dryly answered, but Narissa kept poking Lavera’s waist, glancing at Eugene.
No matter how many times Narissa poked Lavera, her expression remained the same.

“Then I will go with you,” Eugene casually said.

“…Would that be okay?” Lavera asked.

Narissa’s eyes lost focus for a moment.
She didn’t expect Eugene to offer to be Lavera’s guard.

“Me, me too….”

“You don’t have a day off tomorrow, Narissa,” Lavera said coldly.

“If I just ask somebody to cover my shift….” Narissa suggested tentatively.
 

“Head Servant Nina doesn’t like servants changing their shifts for personal reasons.” Lavera calmly reminded Narissa, so she couldn’t speak any further.

“What time shall we meet tomorrow?” Eugene asked.

“Any time will be fine with me,” Narissa answered.

“Then shall we go at around noon? I also haven’t gone out to downtown Ceres yet, but Mer knows many good restaurants.”

This was because Ancilla and Gerhard brought Mer out to tour the city whenever they could.

“…Yes, noon will be good.” Lavera calmly bowed her head.

1.
’A person is blackmailed by sending them gifts.
Since, officially, the person receives a gift (and is outwardly good-natured), the recipient can’t say much.
But, this gift can hide a blackmail note/ message, which is the true intention behind the gift ☜