The Daily Grind II

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 25

So far, Lylia coming to kill him had been going more or less exactly as Geist had foreseen. She entertained no notion of open dialogue, and her Micro spell was practically impossible for him to resist. He had become so familiar with the underside of her divinely crafted shoes, he knew the exact number of treads on either sole: sixty-nine, conspicuously enough.

Of course, she wasn’t a silent executor. Every day, and with each stomp that depleted his Hit Points, her mask of demure grace was stripped like a burden voluntarily shouldered. For all of her complaints and claims that her duty was an annoyance, she continued to arrive every day and take joy in her actions.

“The Council… I am sure that they believe they are being subtle about it, though even if their intentions were laid bare, there is not much either Essa or I could do to stop them.” After just a few days, however, the blonde had, apparently, run out of reasons to blame him for the inconveniences in her life. As she twisted the toe of her heels on him, she let out a frustrated sigh.

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 22/100]

“Well, I suppose we could try and overthrow the Council, but we’re still human. We still need to eat and sleep, and humans only get one life.” Her voice took on a slight edge as she adjusted her stance to stomp down on the shrunken Demon Monarch as he reformed out from under her foot. But the tension in her voice faded as easily as she breathed. “Their impatience is understandable, but would it kill them to trust Essa a bit more? She was selected by the Goddess Lini herself and is worthy of the Champion’s Divine Artifacts. Nobody cares about her feelings. They just want to secure their family’s social status for a few generations, while the Champion’s blood still runs strong.”

None of it was information that she should be saying aloud, least of all with Geist around to hear it. However, the information was useless to a being who lingered in the mortal plane for less than five minutes each day.

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 14/100]

So, they aren’t always summoning a new Champion. That didn’t stop Geist from absorbing and processing the information. His knowledge of Facide was too little for someone with the power to affect and influence so many lives. Anything he could learn would help him make more informed decisions in the future, should he ever manage to defend his life. Inessa’s kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, or who knows how long down her bloodline will inherit her duty and Divine Artifacts. But when a generation is born without the qualities to be the Champion… Knowing how humans from their old world were brought to this one, Geist didn’t want to think too deeply about the casual disregard for the lives and happiness of whoever the Facidians summoned.

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 6/100]

Do they even know that they are, effectively, killing someone to come and deal with their problems? And then they treat them like that? He had become so numb to being killed, he wouldn’t notice if not for the notification telling him that his armor had revived him. “Treating their savior like some breeding mule.” The words carried a bit more anger than he had intended, but were dripping in the disappointment he couldn’t separate from them.

“W-Well, if someone would do the world a favor and just stay dead, we would not need to summon new Champions at all.” As much as she typically tries to ignore anything he says, Lylia was prone to respond if what he said, in some way, validated her opinions… or went against them enough for her anger to force a rebuttal. “Or if it was not for Demon Monarch Chrysoar’s curse diminishing the amount of magic, we could get strong enough to defend ourselves without relying on people from another world. This is as much the fault of you Corrupted as anything else.” She said, punctuating her point with a heavy, definitive slam of her foot.

[Dark Magic Corruption: 6/100]
[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, unable to activate]

“Hmph. Done already?” Seeing his Mana Crystal form instead of the greater demon himself, Lylia scoffed and let out a sigh. “Think about staying dead this time. Essa and I are busy people, you know. She’s got enough on her mind lately without you complicating matters.”

*****

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 27

“I swear on Her Divine Light!” For someone so vocal about her dissatisfaction with the interruption to her life that coming to kill him was, Lylia was particularly upset when she arrived. She wasn’t merely crushing him under her heels as she vented her frustrations to, as far as she was concerned, ‘empty space’, she was kicking him into the crumbling walls, picking him up and flicking him off her palm, or throwing him into the ground. “Sister Yulhia needs to focus on her studies of the Goddess Lini’s scriptures, not digging into someone else’s past and spreading rumors like that. I have half a mind to…” Trembling with rage, her foot slammed on the ground just to the right of Geist as he dodged and ran away from her.

Not for fear of ‘death’, but because getting out of the way of a woman on a rampage was imprinted onto his every soul. “Wh-Whoa! Calm down! You’re–!?” The air was robbed from his lungs as the toe of her shoe connected with his diminutive form, as she kicked at him, sending him flying into a barely standing wall.

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 51/100]

“She is spreading around my old sins like some common gossip! Sins I have been absolved of. From before I entered the church. For before Audrey granted me…” Her anger kept her sloppy; only one in every five or six times she lashed out at him connected. “But I am expected to just grin and bear it?! I’m the ‘Saintess’. I am Audrey’s successor. But my Brothers and Sisters, and the ignorant ingrates of the kingdom, only see my mistakes. My failings. My regrets. As if all I have done and sacrificed for them means nothing!”

Geist continued to scurry across the dirt and rubble, avoiding the enraged giantess with all that he could. Lylia usually keeps better control of her emotions than this! Whatever that Yulhia girl found out about her must be something that cuts to her core. He thought, glancing back at the angry, tearful woman. But why would someone go to such lengths to hurt the Saintess like this? I mean, do they not know what she could do to them? Do they not know what she does for them?

“Stop running around like a bug and let me kill you!”

*****

While Lylia dealt with her own troubles, Inessa’s week off hadn’t been as relaxing as she wanted. Training with Maxine continued, with minimal improvement on her end, and, until recently, she was dodging and rejecting invitations to noble manors and parties in secluded villas.

But most importantly, she had to grapple with the fact that König Geistdunkelrustung, the being she had been killing for the sake of the Facidians, was like her: a human summoned from Earth.

The thought weighed on her mind since that truth was revealed to her, distracting her during training and keeping her disengaged in conversations.

Maybe I should talk to Lia about this. But what would I say? That we shouldn’t kill Geisty anymore because he’s like me? Even if she believed me, to Lia, being the Saintess is more than just a duty… For days, she had been exhausting herself, thinking herself in circles around the issue without being able to address the core of the problem. Sitting in a beautiful clearing in the castle’s garden, not even the tranquil atmosphere and calming fragrances of fantastical flora could help her think clearer. Why am I even the Champion? Who am I killing Geisty for? For the thousandth time, Geist’s question drifted through her mind.

“Oh. Is that why you hate being the Champion and this world?”

It exposed a part of herself that she had been desperately hiding since learning she couldn’t return home, ever. She was stuck in Facide. She had to live in Facide. She had to make a life in Facide. But the people of Facide, the nobles and the commoners, didn’t want her; they wanted a Champion. The number of people who saw her as the girl beneath the Divine Artifacts was few: Lylia and a handful of others. With her dark hair, especially, there was no other option for her other than being the Champion.

But do I enjoy it? No, but there isn’t anyone else who is worthy. Mr. Iskacles can’t use the Divine Artifacts anymore, and none of his children could take my place. She had gone along with all the important-looking people who celebrated her arrival with feigned gratitude. Her partner was a bit dismissive and standoffish at first, but had become her best friend over the past three years. I can’t force Lia to do everything alone.

“Inessa!”

Yeah, this isn’t about liking or not liking being the Champion. I have to be the Champion. She thought, clinging to the one piece of reason that eased her conscience, not hearing the voice approaching her. Sure, there aren’t a lot of people I like here, but it’s not like I liked everyone back home either.

“Inessa! Hey, Inessa!”

Despite the voice growing louder as the person calling to her got closer, Inessa was too deep in her own thoughts. But Geisty didn’t do anything to deser–!?

Finally unable to ignore the voice of the young boy who tackled her from behind and wrapped his arms around her, Inessa was snapped out of her spiraling thoughts and brought back to reality. “Hey! Don’t ignore me, Inessa!” He said, squeezing her as he buried his face in her back before letting her go.

“Prin– I mean, Liamion. You startled me!” Inessa said, knowing who the voice belonged to before she turned around.

Despite being five years her junior, the youngest of the current royal family stood nearly equal height to her, and he was only growing faster by the day. His lavender hair was cut short and styled into a bowl-cut with a ‘royal tassel’ braided in the back. In her world, the braid would be called a ‘rat tail’, but in Facide, it was something boys in the royal family wore until adulthood, where it would be cut and kept by their royal mother. His skin was a few shades paler than his older brother, the First Prince, as he was more enthralled with academics than swordsmanship and adventuring, but didn’t fully inherit the fairer complexion of his mother. Though without a doubt, the bright, brown-gold coloration of his eyes was passed down to him from his mother, before hers took on the golden light of divine recognition.

“Well, I called out to you. Multiple times. You did not answer.” He said, grinning as he looked over his shoulder to the towering woman sauntering towards them in a frill-collared blouse and dark, tight pants. “Didn’t I, Mother?”

“‘Did I not’, Liamion. Do not forget your etiquette.” The regal woman corrected, stern but soft. “It would appear that the Champion was deep in thought, no doubt admiring the splendor of the garden.” She added, a polite smile on her lips as she acknowledged Inessa’s presence. “Good day, Champion Inessa. Prince Liamion and I were just on our way for a bit of equestrianism. Would you care to join us?”

“O-Oh, I wouldn’t– I mean, I would not want to, uh, intrude on a mother and her son’s bonding time.” The brunette said, the words stiff and uncomfortable in her mouth as she bowed to the notoriously doting mother. “Perhaps some other time?”

“Think nothing of it, dear girl. Some fresh air may help settle your thoughts.” The queen insisted, her tone no longer implying it was a suggestion. “Liamion enjoys your comp–”

“M-Mother!” The prince interrupted, blushing, his gaze drifting to and from Inessa.

With a playful, sultry giggle, purple-haired royal cleared her throat. “While it is rude to interrupt when someone is speaking, Liamion, I suppose speaking too openly about another is equally improper. Now then, shall we be on our way? Beyond your company, I must admit that I have a matter to discuss with you as well, Champion Inessa.” She said, motioning for the two to follow her as she began to walk away.

“Something to discuss with me?” Inessa asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Yes. Prince Liamion will be setting out to tour the kingdom soon, and I would very much appreciate it if you were to join and escort him.”

*****

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 29

The one day of Lylia venting her frustrations on him aside, the week of being her personal sole inspector came to an end, and Geist couldn’t be happier to be hacked to pieces for the next ten days.

One thing Geist couldn’t help but pick up on now, though, was how very little of her complaints were directed at him. Instead, she would complain about or chastise a person in her imagination, conspicuously just as she pressed her sole down on him.

“Deacon Frangus, you really ought to manage your acolytes better.”

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 32/100]

“Sister Maystar, rather than whisper behind another’s back, speak clearly or focus on your tasks.”

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 24/100]

“It is everybody’s responsibility to listen to the confession of sinners and offer them forgiveness, not solely mine, Cardinal Henry.”

[Schattenrustung effect: Cast Reanimate, activated]
[Dark Magic Corruption: 16/100]

“Could you, I don’t know, at least focus on me when you’re killing me?” He finally asked, sighing.

“I just have one more, you crybaby…” Rolling her eyes, she trapped him under her sole and thought for a moment. “Oh, yes. My current Experience is none of your business, Court Magician Mars.” With this one, she slowly increased the pressure on Geist until his body suddenly faded, and her foot hit the stone tile beneath. Letting out a long sigh of relief and stretching, the blonde stood up and dusted off her rear, not that dust stuck to her divine garment. “I really needed that. But, I suppose I should wrap this up. Essa’s turn starts tomorrow, but I’ve got to make sure she remembers not to talk to you unnecessarily. That girl is too nice for her own good.”

“I don’t know. You spoke a whole lot more than she did. It’s been quite… illuminating.” Geist said. And hopefully, Inessa’s got her thoughts sorted out about us both being from Earth. “I have to admit. The more I learn, the more I question why either of you even protects this world. Beyond the obvious ‘It’s the right thing to do’ sort of reason.”

“Essa’s too pure and soft-hearted not to be manipulated by you. I know how you demons think and act.” Lylia replied, leveling the head of her staff at him. “You’ll say all the right things to lure her in, make her question what shouldn’t be questioned, and then warp her views until helping you seems like the right thing to do. I’m warning you now, you pest. Don’t talk to Essa. Don’t put any funny ideas in her head. And don’t you dare tell her anything about what I say over this past week, or me killing you will be the least of your worries.”

“Hey, I’m the Demon Monarch. Apparent nemesis of the Pure and ruin made manifest. But even I wouldn’t go around spreading other people’s secrets like that.” He said, insulted that she’d even think he would do something like that. “I’m Corrupted, not vindictive or evil.”

The irony of a being like him saying that, while she knew of people who do so just for the fun of it brought a smirk to her face. “Goddess Lini, our Lady of Light, please lend but a sliver of your light to banishing this darkness. Purify (Advanced).” Reciting her prayer quickly, a white-gold glow spread from her hands and traveled up her staff, shooting from the head as a familiar, if not nearly as intense, ray of holy light.

Geist was familiar with the metaphysical fatigue that ineffectually dulled his senses, and quickly glanced at the Dark Magic Corruption value in his display.

Dark Magic Corruption: 0/100

Are you kidding me?! She’s spent all ‘week’ complaining about how many times she has to kill me, and she could do the same thing that Inessa did this whole time? Exasperated, Geist just glared up at the knowing, smug smirk on her face, before the bottom of her shoe covered his entire field of view.

“See you next week, since I know you’re not sensible enough to stay dead.”