Chapter 427 (1) – The Academys Weapon Replicator

The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

“You’re saying he’s already corrupted?”

[Yes. There’s no need for me to stir up trouble unnecessarily. Playing with a contract is a burden even for a devil. It’s safer to take the sure route, as long as I can retrieve the soul in the end.]

“Can a human become corrupted without a devil’s influence?”

[It’s not that uncommon. Every human has the potential for their soul to fall. Conversely, a soul can be elevated, turning them into a hero. Most humans just waver somewhere in between.]

Corruption can occur without a devil’s intervention. Just like a hero isn’t born by someone else’s hand.

“……Antero’s wish was to become a Paladin, have multiple wives, and for you to make him forget about you so he’d believe he achieved it all on his own, right?”

[Yes. His wish itself was the perfect breeding ground for corruption. Three of the Seven Deadly Sins are embedded in that single desire.]

The Seven Deadly Sins that Bune speaks of. Probably pride, greed, and lust.

Frondier asked,

“Is that what corruption is? Committing a lot of sins?”

[It’s not about the number of times. It doesn’t have to be the Seven Deadly Sins either. It’s about a human, of their own volition, moving towards depravity. That is corruption.]

A surprisingly straightforward explanation.

And based on that explanation, though unfortunate in Frondier’s eyes, Antero seemed to be headed down that path with alarming speed.

[Frondier, let me be clear: the contract between Antero and me cannot be broken, not even by God. Give up on saving him.]

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

The reason Frondier spared Antero and didn’t kill him was simply to avoid future hassle, not out of any sense of mercy.

Besides, the man was far too irritating to deserve mercy.

While it was pitiful for someone to lose their soul to a devil, Frondier wasn’t free enough to save every fool who made foolish choices.

“Why is Antero having Carla gather information on devils?”

Carla had been collecting information on devils. Given the circumstances, it was most likely on Antero’s orders.

Meaning Antero, who should have no memory of Bune, was gathering information on devils.

‘Besides, Antero is a Paladin now. He could easily gather any information he wanted on devils if he really put his mind to it, couldn’t he?’

But Antero specifically had Carla gather this information.

If it wasn’t simply to torment Carla, then Antero must be seeking information he couldn’t obtain as a Paladin.

[Who knows? I haven’t spoken to Antero since the contract. However, from what I’ve observed, he seems to be collecting items related to devils. It’s as if he’s drawn to anything he perceives as demonic.]

“That’s a bit excessive, even for a strange collector……”

Antero’s bizarre obsession with devils. Perhaps that obsession was what led to him summoning the 72nd devil, Bune, in the first place.

Ultimately, only Antero himself knew the answer to that.

However, given his bizarre circumstances and personality, it seemed unlikely he would provide an answer easily.

“Speaking of which, if Antero didn’t wager his soul in the contract, what did he offer in return?”

Humans rarely wagered their souls. Bune himself had just said so. Meaning Antero must have offered something else as collateral.

But what could a devil possibly desire from a human besides their soul?

Bune replied,

[That fool gave me the right to use his body whenever I please. He said he didn’t care what I did with it, as long as it was intact.]

“……He gave you control of his own body?”

Frondier had assumed there were conditions for Bune’s manifestation. Like when he appeared before Frondier during battle, or if Antero’s life was in danger. Even with such conditions, it would be a dangerous contract from Antero’s perspective.

But to give away control of his own body so readily…

[Yes. That’s why I’m able to talk to you like this. I could even make this talentless fool a Paladin, if I wanted. Of course, the condition is that I only act to fulfill his wishes, but as you know, this kind of contract is full of loopholes.]

“……Indeed.”

Such a loosely defined condition wasn’t even a condition at all. From the beginning, Bune intended to fulfill Antero’s wishes. As long as that process continued, Bune could take over Antero’s body whenever he pleased.

‘It seems I won’t be getting any answers from Bune about why Antero wants Carla to gather information on devils. I’ll have to look inside Antero’s head myself to find out.’

This was a man who would make such a reckless contract. It was unsettling to imagine what he planned to do with knowledge about devils.

“Alright. One last question.”

[You’re certainly full of curiosity, aren’t you?]

Frondier honestly agreed with the jab. He was very curious.

And his final question stemmed from a sense of dissonance he had felt throughout their conversation.

Something was amiss.

There was something he was still misunderstanding.

After hearing Bune’s story, Frondier finally realized what it was.

“I know that divine power and demonic power are extremely similar concepts. And that devils grant power to humans through contracts.”

[……]

Bune remained silent as Frondier spoke.

But his eyes flickered with a mixture of displeasure and unease.

“……Then, thinking in reverse, when God grants divine power to humans,”

[It’s also a contract, you’re asking.]

Bune finished the sentence. Frondier nodded.

“If divine power is also granted through contracts like devils do, does that mean humans put something on the scales in return? What did humans give to God in exchange for divine power? Is it a contract made with human consent?”

Humans were predestined to be born with divine power.

If a contract between God and humans did exist, it would mean those with divine power had made a deal with God before they were even born. An obvious impossibility.

So how was this contract established? Or was his entire line of reasoning about a contract flawed?

[……Before I answer that question, there’s something I must say first.]

“Go ahead.”

[I don’t know the details. I’m not a God. Furthermore, you may doubt what I’m about to tell you, but I cannot provide further explanation. Even if the truth manifests in a different form, I will only have been ‘mistaken’ or told a ‘lie.’ That’s all I can say.]

“You’re being rather courteous. You know I’m aware of that even if you don’t say it.”

[I’m saying this because I have to. The process of speaking itself is important.]

The process of speaking was important. Even if the content was already known.

Grasping the deeper meaning of those words, Frondier’s eyes darkened.

[As you suspected, God made a contract with humanity. Divine power is a consequence of that contract.]

“……How could a contract be made with humans who haven’t even been born yet—”

[It’s not an individual contract.]

Bune’s words.

It wasn’t an individual contract. In other words, individual humans hadn’t made contracts with God.

Upon hearing those words, Frondier blinked twice.

And when his eyes opened again, they were ablaze with fury.

“……Don’t be ridiculous.”

[I told you, didn’t I? It’s pointless to doubt my words. If you can’t believe it, then treat it as a lie.]

Frondier didn’t respond.

Bune simply continued speaking.

[A long, long time ago, God and humanity made a contract that changed the entire system of future humanity. I don’t know the specifics, but humans being born with divine power is a result of that contract.]

“……You’re saying that the actions of humans from the past are binding upon humanity even now.”

[Binding. I wonder if the humans of that time saw it that way.]

Indeed.

Very few viewed divine power as a shackle. At most, only Frondier, Aster, and Edwin. While Elodie understood the dangers of divine power, she continued to use it, as did many others.

[Frondier, in your eyes, Antero might seem like a pathetic human. And I would agree. However—]

Humanity in the present was suffering because of the actions of humanity in the past.

Thinking about it that way, Frondier felt a strange kinship with his past self.

A wave of disgust naturally welled up inside him.

[Even the humans of the past were only slightly better than Antero.]