Moirai
Arald didn't answer, but Frondier already knew.
"Arald, you hate God, don't you?"
"......"
"Complete defiance against God, even the power to threaten God himself. The Devil King could have that kind of power. And to sit in that position, it didn't matter if it was a devil or a human."
Arald must have been searching for someone long before he met Frondier.
Someone who could become the Devil King.
The current Seven Deadly Sins were not enough. They wouldn't even think of going against God.
The Seven Deadly Sins, who ultimately couldn't have one king. They would live their entire lives bowing their heads before God.
Then who?
If even the Seven Deadly Sins, called the strongest of devils, couldn't stand against God, then who could?
"And then you met me, Arald."
"......"
Still silence.
Frondier knew what the silence meant.
A silence born of knowing that any word would be disadvantageous to Arald himself.
"When we first met, you told me. That I could use the 'power of the devil.'"
The power of the devil.
The power that he now understood as 'Eclexis,' Arald said Frondier could use it too.
"You already knew, didn't you? That the power of the devil is originally called Eclexis. That's why you said I could use it too."
"...That's right."
A short answer. But it was enough.
"And perhaps, you weren't really sure. It'd be good if I could use it, but no big deal if I couldn't. You'd just go looking for someone else."
To Arald, Frondier was just one of many humans. One of the stronger ones, perhaps, but there was no guarantee that he could use Eclexis.
But there was hope.
Because he had seen Frondier's records.
He was gathering the Mana of Helheim within himself. He must have killed some goblins or ghosts.
How could he do that when he had no way to deal with the dead?
If he used Eclexis...
"And when I learned Eclexis, your mind must have changed."
"...That's right."
Become the Devil King.
When he said those words to Frondier, it was nothing more than empty words.
Of course, he hoped and wished for it, but the truth was, he thought the probability was low.
But Frondier learned Eclexis.
And in a very special and powerful form, quite different from the usual.
That's when Arald's mind changed.
He decided to follow Frondier.
"That's why you've been so devoted since then. Since you realized I could handle Eclexis and re-enter Pandemonium."
Frondier went over and sat down on a chair.
"I appreciate your dedication. So even though you hid the information about the ruler, even though it means you deceived me in the end, I can understand."
"...Thank you."
"However."
Frondier's eyes turned black.
"No more."
"......"
"If you had told me everything you knew from the start, the situation could have been resolved more quickly and cleanly. But it's too late. You know better than anyone how difficult it is to cough up information now. So I'll give you the opportunity myself."
Frondier held out a hand.
"Will you help me?"
Arald paused for a moment at those words.
But it didn't last more than a few seconds, and
Swoosh.
He knelt on one knee and bowed to Frondier.
"I will follow you anywhere. I will never make the mistake of thinking wrongly again."
"Good. Then first."
Frondier spoke without hesitation.
"Why do you know about Eclexis?"
Devils think of the power they use as the 'power of the devil.' So much so that they mistake Frondier for a 'devil' because he uses Eclexis.
In other words, unless they are a high-ranking devil, they don't know the name 'Eclexis.' Devils believe that it's a power exclusive to them.
But Arald was different. From the moment he predicted that Frondier would be able to use it, he already knew about Eclexis.
"...As expected."
Arald opened his mouth.
"Master Frondier, you already know."
"That's what made me realize. That my guess was right."
Frondier smiled.
"You, you existed before Eclexis was defined as the 'power of the devil.'"
"Yes."
"You're a much older devil than I thought."
"That's right."
"Lily is looking for a devil who witnessed it. In fact, it's you, isn't it?"
"...Yes. I am a devil who witnessed Ragnarok."
Arald answered honestly. He said he had witnessed Ragnarok.
In other words, he had the information Frondier needed, and he intentionally hid it. Just as Frondier had said.
"What you were hiding from me, what you haven't told me until now, is because you were afraid of losing my trust?"
"Of course, that's part of it, but there's more."
Arald looked up at Frondier with serious eyes.
"I didn't see all of Ragnarok either. What I saw was a very small part, and I was worried that it might cause misunderstandings or misjudgments."
"A very small part, you say?"
"Most of the devils were not involved in Ragnarok. It was none of their business. So they prepared to stay as far away as possible to avoid the ravages of war."
"So you only saw it from afar."
Arald nodded.
"But of course, I did witness some humans fighting devils, which led to Pandemonium. I still remember the location. I can guide you there, even if it's not perfectly accurate."
"Hmm."
The location of Pandemonium, which Frondier had been searching for so desperately. To think that someone who knew it was this close.
But Arald continued.
"However, there is still a problem."
"What is it?"
"Master Frondier, you know this from experience. Pandemonium is a battle of souls. Only the soul is taken there. The body remains here."
"...Ah."
"Even if the souls of the giants are still alive in Pandemonium..."
Their bodies would have already rotted away with the passage of time.
Frondier pressed his hand to his forehead.
"Right. Of course. I hadn't thought of something so obvious."
Frondier was always the one using Eclexis. He was not the one witnessing someone else using it. He always thought of himself as entering and exiting Pandemonium, but in reality, his body remained there. He hadn't realized it, so it hadn't crossed his mind.
"...Even so."
Frondier lowered his hand.
"Let's go."
"......"
"I didn't expect direct help anyway. Knowledge and information are enough."
If he couldn't bring the giants back, he could go to Pandemonium and hear their story.
And above all,
"I have to save them."
They had suffered long enough.
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It's like God of war Ragnarok
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