The rain showed no sign of stopping, pouring down relentlessly.

With a heavy heart, I looked down at Crete for a while without saying a word.

He was leaning against a tree, lost in eternal sleep. He wouldn't be getting up again.

Who would have known?

That such an arrogant man would meet a dreary end in this place.

But Crete’s final expression was one of peace.

Did he realize who I was?

Only he would know.

I just desperately wished for one thing.

That he would be reunited with the woman he loved so much in the afterlife.

And that when time passed and Rene and Anna reached the place where Crete was, they would be together again.

…I wanted to believe that.

Since I had never described the afterlife, I didn’t know what it was like, but I just wanted Crete to be at peace.

“…I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head to Crete, who had his eyes closed.

What would have happened if I hadn’t written such cruel settings?

And the void of settings that I didn’t seem to have written down tormented me.

What were the settings that I had discarded, and why were they causing me so much pain?

Now I even had this thought.

Had I really ever discarded any settings?

I didn't know.

I really couldn't remember.

But I couldn't waste any more time here.

Even if my head was pounding, I had to get out of here as quickly as possible.

If I didn't, those humans would soon swarm this place.

“…”

*Swoosh-*

I pulled out a shard from my pocket.

When I visited the Temple of Gluttony, the God of Gluttony had given me this shard, saying I could use his power once.

I wanted to bury Crete’s body somewhere decent, but this was the human realm, and time didn’t exist here.

If I left Crete here, his corpse would be brutally ravaged by humans.

And in the worst-case scenario, they would treat Crete’s body as a test subject and mock him, just like Besaha, who had conducted live experiments on Demons.

*Crack-*

I crushed the shard of Gluttony.

In an instant, an unknown energy emanating from the broken fragments enveloped me.

It caused a thorn to sprout on one of my arms.

Soon, my arm had transformed into a giant mouth.

Countless fangs sprouted from my right arm.

It was similar to when I had Samuel parasitize my arm.

Samuel was just a thorn, so countless thorns only emerged when he used his abilities.

But now, wasn’t this a completely monstrous form?

For some reason, I smiled sadly.

I didn't even understand my own emotions.

Guilt, sadness, anger, emptiness—all these emotions were swirling within me.

I wanted to save Crete.

Furthermore, I wanted to make sure that no one, whether human or Demon, would die.

But it was all in vain.

I couldn’t protect anything.

“I wanted to save you…”

The rain mixed with something flowing from my eyes and dripped down.

What kind of expression was I making right now?

I couldn't feel my face.

“…I’m sorry.”

Truly,

I’m sorry.

*Crunch-*

*Crunch-*

The thorns on my right arm began to devour Crete’s body.

Nausea welled up inside me.

I could taste Crete.

It was fishy and had a tough texture.

Only now did I understand why Samuel had said he didn’t want to eat the corpses of the Demon students.

The power of Gluttony.

It made me taste.

Even though I wasn't eating with my mouth, I could still taste it.

But I didn’t throw up.

I swallowed Crete’s body whole.

I couldn’t throw up.

No, I wouldn’t throw up.

I tried to calm my boiling emotions and coldly compose myself.

Only after some time had passed was I able to consume all of Crete’s body.

I could feel the power surging within me.

By consuming Crete’s body with the power of Gluttony, I had overcome a wall.

Mana – 【7812】

My Mana had increased more dramatically than when I had consumed the stroke of the Demon God.

Crete’s Mana capacity had exceeded 10,000, which explained this surge in power.

I spoke to Crete, who was no longer here.

“…You give me more than even I, your creator.”

I realized once again how much Crete had given me, even though we had never met.

From Bares’ Mana Circulation Technique to shelter and position.

And even his own body.

I had received so much from Crete.

And I knew.

What Crete wanted from me.

At first, I thought it was to protect Anna and Rene, whom Crete cherished.

But I was wrong.

What Crete wanted from me was so selfish and absurd.

It made me wonder if he would have wished for this even knowing that I was a descendant of Arsene.

What Crete wanted from me.

It was a family that could replace him.

He wanted me to become family to Rene and Anna.

…Selfish Crete.

Why didn’t he know?

That family couldn’t be replaced.

It was too heavy a burden.

What Crete wanted from me was too much.

How could I, who couldn’t do anything, become someone’s family?

How could I, who was foolish and ill-tempered, become her family?

What Crete wanted from me was even heavier than the request Adel had made when he sent me into the creation.

But.

If that was your dying wish…

“…I’ll try.”

I forced out the words that wouldn’t come easily.

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