Concept: World - Chapter 16: Inner Demon (1)

Ethel remained seated beside Tia's hospital bed, never leaving her side.

Yet what he had just witnessed felt so vivid that it was as though he had been there himself.

He turned to look at the clock.

11:22.

Only one minute had passed.

"What... was that?"

Ethel knew exactly what had happened.

He had just witnessed Tia's memories.

From the day she first joined the First Squad to the moment Posius fell, he had stood beside her, watching everything unfold.

He had no idea why he was able to see those memories.

But that no longer mattered.

He finally understood why Tia was so determined never to let anyone die.

It wasn't merely stubbornness.

It was fear.

She was terrified of seeing history repeat itself—

of being forced to relive the death of the Hero.

As he experienced her memories, Ethel also felt her thoughts.

If only I had dodged it myself...

If only I had possessed more Force...

If only I'd cut off the demon's head...

Survivor's guilt.

Having witnessed everything firsthand, Ethel knew with absolute certainty—

none of it had been Tia's fault.

She had already done everything she could.

Yet she continued blaming herself for all of it.

She believed...

...that she had killed the Hero.

If it weren't for her...

Posius would still be alive.

Tia's heart remained filled with pain, regret, guilt, and despair.

Even now.

She protected everyone with painstaking care.

Not only because fear compelled her to—

but because it was her way of atoning.

She believed she had to save more lives to repay the sin of causing the Hero's death.

She had never let go of the past.

Ethel covered his eyes with one hand.

Now he knew everything.

But what difference did it make?

He couldn't help her at all.

"Ethel..."

Someone called his name.

He immediately straightened up and looked around.

His gaze swept across the room before settling on the person lying in the hospital bed.

Tia had awakened.

"...What happened to the demon?"

It took Ethel a moment to realize what she meant.

The Dual demon.

"It's dead."

"...The casualties?"

"..."

"Ethel..."

He didn't know whether he should tell her now.

But from his hesitation alone, Tia had already understood.

"Please..."

"Tell me."

"I'm asking you."

"Please..."

It wasn't an order.

It was a plea.

The authority she once carried as Captain had completely disappeared.

At that moment, only one thought remained in Tia's mind.

She even lowered herself to beg Ethel.

Ethel looked at her.

For a brief moment, the Tia before him overlapped with the girl who had first joined the squad years ago—

a doll that looked whole on the outside while already shattered within.

He feared the truth would destroy even that fragile shell.

That she would crumble completely into dust.

Yet he couldn't refuse her sincere plea.

In the end...

...he told her everything.

"Michael..."

"...and Tier."

"...What happened?"

Ethel quietly recounted everything that had occurred on the battlefield.

Including how the two of them had volunteered to die...

...and how, under his command, they had embraced death without hesitation.

Tia listened silently.

She kept her head lowered, refusing to let him see her expression.

"I understand."

"...Thank you."

"I'm sorry."

Her voice sounded so fragile that it seemed ready to shatter at any moment.

Just then, the hospital room door opened.

A Medical Officer stepped inside.

"Captain Tia is awake!"

Seeing Tia sitting upright, the Medical Officer beamed with delight before rushing back out to announce the tremendous news.

"Ethel..."

"Could you do one more thing for me?"

Tia still kept her head lowered.

Her trembling voice told him she was only moments away from losing control.

"Of course."

"Don't let anyone come in."

"Not even the medical staff."

"...Alright."

Don't let anyone in.

That naturally included Ethel himself.

He walked toward the door.

Just before leaving, he looked back at Tia one last time.

There was something he wanted to say.

But in the end...

...he swallowed the words.

Leaning against the closed door, Ethel waited outside.

The Medical Officer soon returned, this time accompanied by several others—

the people who had just been in the meeting.

"Ethel, how is she?"

Seeing him standing alone outside, Oenone immediately asked.

"She's awake."

"...And she knows everything."

"You told her?"

"She begged me..."

"...I see."

"Can we go in?"

Seeing Ethel still blocking the entrance, Oenone reached for the doorknob.

"But there are still examinations we need to perform..."

The Medical Officer held a clipboard filled with unfinished evaluations.

"Forget it."

"Let's give her some time."

Cypher made the decision.

Having watched Tia ever since she first joined the squad, he knew exactly what was happening inside that room.

Oenone slowly released the doorknob.

She silently agreed.

Everyone gradually dispersed.

Only Oenone remained, staring quietly at the closed door.

"Captain Oenone."

"What is it?"

"I have something important to tell you."

"Is it about Tia?"

Her eyes immediately shifted from the door to Ethel.

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"...I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"Captain Tia's memories."

"...What?"

Oenone couldn't help raising her voice.

Realizing her outburst, she immediately lowered it again.

"...Are you serious?"

"I am."

"...Alright."

"Let's find somewhere private to talk."48Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57B0p4iILI
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Oenone led Ethel back to her room.

The two of them sat on the same sofa where they had once reconstructed the First Subjugation.

"So," Oenone said. "Tell me what happened."

Ethel told her everything.

He held nothing back, recounting every memory he had witnessed.

"...Your concept evolved?"

Oenone stared at him in disbelief.

It was true that some Lost Ones gradually discovered new applications for their concepts through repeated use. But that wasn't evolution. It was simply mastering abilities they had always possessed.

Ethel's situation was completely different.

It was... abnormal.

"It's almost as if..." Oenone murmured.

"...your concept underwent a Concept Release."

That was impossible.

There had never been a Lost One capable of performing a Concept Release.

"How did you do it?"

"I didn't."

"It activated on its own."

"...It?"

"My concept."

"Sometimes... it talks to me."

He briefly explained everything about his concept, including how it warned him to dodge attacks and the occasional conversations it initiated.

Oenone's reaction was exactly the same as Yinbing's had been.

Utter confusion.

"I've never heard of a concept that can speak with its host."

"Vice Captain Yinbing said the same thing."

"No."

"I mean I've never heard of anything like this—not even from the Concept Users of the other cities."

"I figured concepts can be pretty strange."

"So maybe one that can talk isn't impossible?"

He remembered Yinbing saying something similar.

"It's not impossible..."

"But we should still have you examined when we get the chance."

"One of the city captains specializes in concept research."

Even as she said it, Oenone remained deep in thought.

A concept that could speak...

...and even activate by itself...

She had never encountered anything like it.

"Captain Oenone."

"Hm?"

"What exactly was the demon that killed the Hero?"

He had witnessed the entire battle.

What he couldn't understand was why a demon that manipulated armor had spat acid at the very end.

The concept Armor shouldn't include anything like that.

"That's an extremely rare case."

"Have you ever heard of a Dual-Concept Demon?"

"No."

"A Dual-Concept Demon is incredibly rare."

"As the name suggests..."

"...it possesses two concepts."

"Two concepts?"

"That's right."

"Normally, demons—just like humans—only possess a single concept."

"But for reasons we still don't understand, some demons contain two."

"Then wouldn't every battle require extra caution?"

"Not really."

"As I said, they're extraordinarily rare."

"The last recorded Dual-Concept Demon was that very one."

"There hasn't been another since."

"Why do they exist?"

"If you ask me..."

Oenone smiled helplessly.

"I have no idea."

"We still know very little about the origins of demons."

"The most widely accepted theory is that they're born from the concepts left behind by deceased Concept Users."

"So demons used to be humans?"

"Not exactly."

"It's more accurate to say they originate from the concepts humans leave behind after death—not from the bodies themselves."

"For some unknown reason, once the host is gone, the remaining concept continues growing without restraint."

"Eventually..."

"...it becomes a Concept Demon."

"So rather than saying demons are transformed humans..."

"...it's more accurate to say they're transformed concepts."

"Is that why demons appear inside cities?"

"But what about the ones in the wilderness?"

"Our best guess is that they come from Concept Users who died in smaller cities..."

"...or while wandering outside civilization."

"Since no one notices them when they're first born, they continue growing until they become powerful enough to threaten people."

"The theory still has plenty of holes."

"No one truly knows the real answer."

"So that demon had..."

"Armor and Acid."

"My guess is that Armor was its primary concept."

"It relied on it throughout the battle."

"Only after its armor had been destroyed did it reveal the Acid concept."

"That's why the Hero died."

"No one could have anticipated it was a Dual-Concept Demon."

"Tia believes it was her fault."

"Yes."

"That's the wound she carries."

"Posius..."

"...the Hero..."

"...opened Tia's heart and brought her back to being an ordinary girl."

"But after his death..."

"...he became the strongest lock sealing that heart shut."

"I've tried countless ways to open it again."

"None of them worked."

"...It's a helpless feeling."

The door that had finally been opened...

...had slammed shut again with the death of the one who opened it.

Reopening it now would be even harder.

"Well..."

"That's enough for today."

"Even though the Second Squad is on standby today..."

"...I still want you to keep resting."

"Don't join any training."

"That battle wasn't easy for you either, was it?"

Ethel silently nodded.

But his mind was elsewhere.

"At least take one more day to recover."

"Take care of yourself."

"Promise me, alright, Ethel?"

"Captain."

"Hm?"

"I have an idea."

"I don't know if it'll help."

"Oh?"

"Let's hear it."

Among the memories he had witnessed...

Ethel had noticed something.

Something that might become the key to breaking through.

"...I understand."

"I'll find an opportunity to try it."

After a brief pause, Oenone looked at him again.

"Ethel."

"Have you told anyone else that you saw Tia's memories?"

"Not yet."

"I'd like you to keep it that way."

"Of course."

"Those are Captain Tia's private memories."

"No."

"I'm not talking about that."

"That must remain secret too."

"I'm talking about your concept."

"I'm worried people would feel uncomfortable if they knew."

"They might think you can read their memories whenever you want."

"...The truth is, I don't even know how to activate it."

"Better safe than sorry."

"Understood."

"Goodbye, Captain Oenone."

"Goodbye, Ethel."

After Ethel left, Oenone lay back on the sofa.

Thanks to him...

...she had finally found what might be a breakthrough.

Whether it could actually be carried out, however, was another matter entirely.

Compared to that...

Ethel's concept worried her just as much.

She couldn't help wondering whether the cold, emotionless side she had once seen from Ethel...

...had actually been the concept itself.

She had never heard of a concept possessing consciousness.

Yet if Ethel's account was true...

...then it was exactly that.

If that were really the case...

Oenone couldn't help fearing that one day Ethel's concept might seize control of his body...

...leaving Ethel no longer himself.

Could Concept Demons have been born in a similar way?

Then again...

she wasn't an expert in concepts.

When she found the time, she intended to consult the Captain of the Union Congregation.

Among everyone she knew...

...he understood concepts better than anyone.

If anyone could uncover the answer...

...it would be him.

But before any of that—

they first had to solve Tia's problem.

The thought alone made Oenone's head begin to ache once more.

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