Chapter 57: Consultant

“…”

When did it start?

The girl in front of me began to falter and crumble under the weight of her burdens.

If one were to guess,

This exceptional girl likely recognized the weight of the expectations the world placed on her from a very young age.

And so, she created another version of herself.

One devoid of anything else,

Only stripped down to the pride and responsibility she should bear as royalty.

If you ask how that’s possible, I couldn’t explain it.

Just as one can’t explain the principles of the mana that spread throughout the continent.

Just as we can’t completely decipher dreams we have during deep sleep.

Just as even the most devout cleric, who often prays on bended knees, can’t always discern the intentions of the divine.

It was a spiritual dilemma that defied logical explanation.

But one thing was clear: without doing so, the weight on the girl would have been unbearable.

“Eleanor was always trying.”

Even in dreams, she showed herself studying to maintain the dignity of a princess, often falling asleep in the process.

Even when nightmares made her fearful of sleep, she naturally found herself at her desk, pushing forward in her studies.

However, there was something peculiar about her.

She put in the effort to uphold the basics of being a princess, but her words often revealed a lack of genuine interest in it.

This was particularly evident in the way she always asked me about animated characters.

“The Eleanor of the past knew she lacked the pride and responsibility of royalty.”

At my words, Eleanor, who stood before me wrapped tightly in royal pride and dignity, flinched.

“So, she tried even harder. She was a good girl; she must have forced herself to change.”

“...”

“But in reality, it was the opposite. She knew her royal duties all too well, and it was their weight that broke her, prompting her to detach from them.”

Without anything else.

Only the sense of royal responsibility remained.

This was the true identity of the Eleanor standing in front of me now.

A cold breeze blew.

For a moment, she closed her eyes as if even this simple sensation was a precious experience. Then, she slowly nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. I am the personality that took on the duties Eleanor distanced herself from.”

“...”

“I was efficient. It was almost miraculous how I could solely focus on the weight of the royal duties.”

She declared confidently and joyously. It’s likely her lack of basic knowledge and creativity stemmed from this singular focus. She was streamlined to perfection, perhaps lacking in basic knowledge because she only retained what was absolutely necessary.

“But you see, I am still her personality. Even if that child forgot, I am Eleanor too, and over time, I’m bound to grow.”

Even when she had detached herself from her royal duties, Eleanor continued to evolve.

But when the burden of royalty had disappeared, ironically, Eleanor began to stress again about why she felt no sense of royal obligation.

“Isn’t it funny? That child lost the memory of creating a new personality due to excessive stress at the time, yet she trod the same path again.”

In conclusion, Eleanor was an imperfect human.

But she was too diligent and had an uncanny ability to view herself objectively.

Thus the standards she set for herself continuously bound and pressured her.

“If this continued, she would have ended up in the same situation again. That’s why I decided to take over.”

Not the kind and fragile personality, but the one fit to rule, to be responsible, and to dominate as royalty.

“So, trying to mold dreams as closely to reality as possible is for that reason?”

“Yes, that’s right. If I’m out and about, the child needs a place to belong.”

So she attempted to create a new world using dreams as a medium.

A world where the fragile yet diligent Eleanor could be genuinely happy.

“The reason it seemed like a nightmare is also due to this. The child would never accept such a situation where she hands over her burdens to me.”

With a casual shrug, Eleanor spoke calmly, but the mood swiftly changed.

“But you ruined everything.”

Eleanor’s finger jabbed into my chest.

There was deep resentment in her eyes, mixed with skepticism.

“Do you know? Because of that damned creature named Mack, the other personality is completely obliterated. Without a trace, cleanly.”

“...”

“Our beliefs clashed over the concept of who was the nightmare. And in the battle for control of the body, my stronger conviction won!”

Thump!

She now struck my chest with a solid punch. But it wasn’t painful.

However, her face contorted as if she was the one who felt more pain from the strike.

“And! The child herself admitted she was weaker than me!”

“...”

“That’s why she disappeared!”

Her voice was unwavering. While there was resentment, there was a sense of zero regret.

The tears that had briefly welled up had already been hidden.

With an expression as cold as the night air, Eleanor declared,

“It’s probably for the best. As royalty, one should be able to sever such weaknesses.”

“...”

“My stance is just that. To prioritize the kingdom over the entity called ‘Eleanor’. It’s only natural.”

Without wanting to converse any further, Eleanor turned and headed toward the balcony railing.

In her current state, devoid of any vulnerability, there might indeed be reasons to view her more favorably than the original Eleanor.

She would no longer waver.

She would no longer doubt herself.

She would easily ascend to the presidency of the academy, showcasing her leadership as a ruler.

And then,

She would likely sow the seeds of rebellion among the students.

She’d be consumed with the stubborn belief that she could rule the kingdom far better than her own brother, King Orpheus.

At a glance, this Eleanor might seem tightly bound by a sense of royal duty.

But in reality, that’s not the case.

She’s merely clinging to the sense of royal duty.

Because she has nothing else.

Perhaps, the personality I encountered in the game was the present one.

As per her plans, the fragile Eleanor, unable to distinguish between dream and reality, would have lived eternally in the dream world.

And this Eleanor probably would have followed the same fate; where she meets her end at the hands of Aria Rias, her classmate.

“While creating Mack, we had to grasp several concepts.”

Regrettably, I was not particularly fond of seeing the same outcome play out.

“What?”

Eleanor glared at me with a furrowed brow, seemingly perplexed by my abrupt words.

Though she looked as if she didn’t want to engage and would prefer to send me away, I continued speaking.

“It wasn’t simple enough to just conceptualize it as a creature that feeds on nightmares. From the start, we approached it as if we were creating a completely new creature.”

It was easier to think of it as drafting the lore for a creature named Mack.

However, we needed to do it as intricately and realistically as if we were gods creating a new animal.

It wasn’t just about giving it an elephant’s trunk.

We had to consider how the trunk moves, its habits, whether there are bones inside, the muscle mass, its length, and so on.

We meticulously crafted Mack in vibrant detail.

Its ability to feed on dreams was the most critical part.

Yes, that’s where everyone’s focus was.

But I thought differently.

I was more concerned about what happens after it consumes a dream. At the time, not knowing about Eleanor’s dual personality, I wondered if there was an evil spirit that I genuinely couldn’t see.

Eleanor’s eyes widened upon hearing my words. She couldn’t hide the rising anticipation, even if she wanted to.

“This might not be a pleasant topic for a princess, but when animals eat, they also excrete.”

I discreetly produced a small orb.

“It’s a fragment of the nightmare left behind by Mack. However, while Mack could digest nightmares, it couldn’t digest personalities.”

It’s fortunate that Mack could only consume a nightmare. No matter how much we planned for various scenarios, we never considered the situation where the consumed entity was just a personality, not an evil spirit.

“So...”

“She’s still inside this.”

Eleanor stared blankly at me. Now, it was her turn to make a choice.

From the standpoint of a princess bound by Royal duties, it might be apt for her to remain as she is now.

Becoming the object of admiration for the people of the Griffin Kingdom, and having the charisma to transform students into rebels…

Had Aria Rias not intervened, her coup could have been a success.

Returning to her original self could be seen as renouncing her royal duties and disregarding the expectations of her people.

Yet, Eleanor didn’t agonize for long. With a look that said she wouldn’t regret her choice for a moment, she confidently nodded.

Choosing not to verbalize her decision was the last vestige of her royal demeanor. But it seemed like, for once, she wanted to put herself before her position as a princess.

“Okay.”

With that, I presented not only the fragment left behind by Mack in my hand but also took out a black gem from my pocket.

The Stone of Command, the Lemegeton.

“That...”

“Pretend you didn’t see it.”

It would attract attention for no reason if others saw it.

Thinking so, I mustered mana. Eleanor, who was trying to appear confident, asked with a hint of unease.

“Are you sure this will work? Wouldn’t it be better to ask the Grand Mage?”

“That’s funny.”

It truly was.

Who did she think she was talking to, and whom did she think she should ask for help?

When I first met Eleanor, I had asked Dark Sage a question.

Is there a way to enter dreams?

And at that time, she had replied:

[Is that even possible? While a connection between souls might be possible, entering dreams would likely be impossible.]

Right, dreams are unattainable.

“Do you think this is about dealing with dreams?”

Not dreams, but personalities.

So, it’s about handling the soul.

The situation required the merging of a girl’s soul that had been split in two.

And fortunately, this was my area of expertise.

“Don’t forget who I am.”

A being that exists closest to the boundary between life and death. A consultant who connects with souls, listening to their stories.

“I am a necromancer.”

With those words, my mana, the fragment left behind by Mack, and the Lemegeton began to resonate.

--- End of The Chapter ---

[TL:  Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chapters ahead of the release: https://www.patreon.com/George227]

Support Author

Join Discord