Chapter Title: Progenitor Humans (2)
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'She definitely said Kali.'
For Kroha, it was a name he could never forget. It was the same as the cherished weapon he'd shared his previous life with.
But more important than that was the modifier Kali had attached.
Progenitor Human.
A term referring to a kind of spirit slumbering within a divine relic, created for the purpose of harmonizing the foundations of all things.
Thus, those words proved that the girl before him was the very same Kali that Kroha had known.
'I don't get it.'
He wasn't clueless about situations like this. There was only one case where a Progenitor Human would suddenly reveal themselves like this.
To form the inevitable blessing contract required for using a divine relic.
'Not that, though.'
There was no divine relic bearing Kali's name here to begin with.
Even if such a situation had arisen, it should have been with the Aintz family, who safeguarded the relic.
'If that were the goal, she wouldn't have shown up like this.'
The girl claiming to be Kali was directing clear hostility toward Kroha.
Unfair as it was for him, to clear things up, he first needed to grasp the general situation.
"Very well, I'll ask once more. What manner of lowly creature are you?"
The childish voice echoed softly through the bedroom. Unlike before, it now carried the weight of her identity as a Progenitor Human.
Kali was slowly scrutinizing Kroha's face, her long, jet-black hair swaying gently.
Up close, her appearance felt at odds with the grandiose title of Progenitor Human. She looked more like a delicate noble young lady.
"I am... the last successor of the Frontel family, Kroha."
There was no need to provoke her further. One thing was certain: he couldn't handle this alone.
"Frontel... Frontel..."
Hearing that, Kali furrowed her brow, deep in thought.
"Ah, that family. Understood."
She soon nodded as if she'd pieced it together.
"...What is this?"
Kroha fought to suppress his trembling emotions as he spoke. A chill radiated from the sword pressed against his throat.
He hadn't even noticed it.
'No, unless my eyes are playing tricks, Kali definitely wasn't holding a sword.'
It was a blade formed in an instant from a gathering of unfamiliar, dark energy.
Kroha even wondered if this was some hallucination induced by the family elixir.
He couldn't fathom the cause. But if his opponent was a Progenitor Human, it wasn't impossible.
"Playing dumb to the end, are you? Apparently, sealing me away on your own wasn't enough."
"What are you..."
It was frustrating. She appeared out of nowhere, threatened him, and spouted nonsense.
"...Fine. Rather than deal with the likes of you, better to ask him directly. Take me to Rashi at once."
The name mentioned was surprisingly familiar to Kroha as well.
It was the name of the Progenitor Human who had bestowed the blessing of fire upon the Frontel family for generations.
For Kroha, it was also proof of his innocence.
"I don't know why you're looking for Lord Rashi, but... he is not with the Frontel family."
"Still playing childish word games? Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a kid."
"It's no word game. Lord Rashi is with the Aintz family, not Frontel."
His words held no deception.
In fact, due to the conflict with the Aintz family that Kroha himself had contributed to in his previous life, the Frontels had lost their divine relic.
"My mercy ends here."
Ignoring his words entirely, Kali extended a finger and pressed it to Kroha's forehead.
"I'll just find out for myself."
It lasted only an instant, but Kroha felt her peering into part of his memories.
It was well-known that Progenitor Humans could peer into humans.
'No exaggeration in the rumors, then. Convenient for proving my innocence.'
There would be nothing related to Rashi in Kroha's memories.
Moments later, Kali's eyes twitched briefly before she spoke softly again.
"...How is it that a lowly thing like you possesses memories even I cannot see?"
Only then did Kroha realize one fact he'd overlooked.
'She's talking about my previous life.'
The memories a Progenitor Human couldn't access could only be those from his past life.
The problem was explaining something even he himself didn't fully understand.
'Why now, though?'
The question suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Kroha had wielded Kali in his previous life, yet she'd never once responded to his calls.
All he could guess was that it related to the flickering relic just before Siek killed him.
"No matter. There have been others with memories I couldn't access before."
His worries proved unfounded; the matter of his past-life memories seemed surmountable somehow.
"More importantly, your petty tricks... What? It's true?"
"I told you, I know nothing..."
"Yeah, and?"
"Pardon?"
Even after his innocence was confirmed, Kali pressed the sword closer than before.
'What the hell?'
Her capricious nature explained why Kali had been such a troublesome weapon in his previous life.
"Why go this far?"
At his question, the look in Kali's eyes, who had been shaking him by the collar, shifted.
"...Do you know what that mark on the back of your hand signifies?"
Kroha instinctively glanced at the back of his hand. He had no idea about this either.
Had he known, he wouldn't have left it be.
All he could guess was that it related to Kali's sudden appearance.
"A foolish question."
"...Is it perhaps a blessing contract?"
"Nothing as childish as that."
Childish play? Only Kali would phrase it that way.
A blessing contract granted qualification to touch transcendent realms.
Just as Kun Frontel could wield Crimson Flame after contracting with Rashi.
"Then this is..."
"It is my blessing itself."
It took a few seconds to process those words. For a moment, only the chirping of crickets filled the air.
"No need to overthink it. It means you, lowly creature that you are, have become the vessel containing my blessing."
It was a shocking declaration. At the same time, Kroha felt his pulse quicken.
Even the Crimson Flame wielded by Kun Frontel was merely borrowed power from Rashi.
He'd never heard of a mere human becoming a vessel for a blessing itself.
"Though it's not even a tenth of my full power, of course."
"Why...?"
"Didn't I say you've become the vessel for my blessing? The vessel is small, so the power it holds is limited."
In the end, it was Kroha's fault.
"So naturally, I'm displeased with you, no?"
If that were the case, her behavior made some sense.
From Kali's perspective, Kroha must seem like a petty thief.
The silver lining was that she didn't seem one to hold grudges forever.
"Well, I can just gather it back. Worst case, retrieve it from the previous vessel."
"You mean the divine relic."
"Yes, a portion of my lost power remains there."
Kali spoke casually, but reclaiming the relic from the Aintz family wouldn't be easy.
Especially if she couldn't exert her full power because of Kroha.
"If I may ask... why were you looking for Lord Rashi?"
At the follow-up question, Kali's face hardened once more.
Rashi was surely another Progenitor Human like Kali. Whatever their history, it was unclear.
-Playing dumb to the end, are you? Apparently, sealing me away on your own wasn't enough.
There had to be a reason she'd vented such fury at Kroha, who had no connection to it, by thrusting a sword at him.
'...She said her power wasn't whole, but was that a lie?'
In an instant, the dawn light vanished completely, and even the faint cricket chirps fell silent as if dead.
Kali's eyes gleamed with murderous intent, her aura overwhelming for the current Kroha.
"Because that damned fool trapped me in an endless slumber. I couldn't awaken for centuries because of him."
It seemed tied to the word "sealing."
Evidently, Kali believed this situation was the doing of other Progenitor Humans besides herself.
Crunch-.
"The other Progenitor scum are all the same."
He wanted to ask why Kali alone had been rejected by the others, but he couldn't muster the nerve.
At the very least, their relations were poor.
"...If they cross my path, I won't let them off."
Otherwise, she wouldn't react this strongly.
"Really?"
Kali scowled at Kroha's sudden question, meeting his gaze.
"What are you on about?"
"That you'll make them pay."
"Obviously."
Kali continued radiating an intensity unfit for her delicate appearance.
Some divine relics were in the empire's grasp, and Kali harbored hatred for the Progenitor Humans.
In other words, her goals aligned somewhat with Kroha's desire for revenge against Siek.
'This is an opportunity.'
Thus, Kroha set everything else aside and saw the situation as such.
Even if the Kroha of his previous life had been a renowned powerhouse on the continent, it was a fallen honor.
He'd already tasted failure. At the level of a mere hunting dog back then, revenge was impossible.
'I need even greater strength.'
For that, he needed allies or a superior master. And right before him was the perfect candidate.
"If not for that wretched pact, I'd have crushed their noses by now."
"...Pact?"
"A coward's promise binding Progenitor Humans from harming one another."
"Then let me help you."
"Hah, what could the likes of you possibly do?"
"Teach me how to wield this."
Kroha raised his hand, revealing the seal symbolizing the blessing.
"...You're asking me to teach you how to use the blessing?"
Kali's demeanor shifted dramatically.
Her blazing fury subsided, leaving only honed killing intent.
Arrogant.
It was only natural for Kali to see it that way. Kroha was essentially bargaining with a Progenitor Human.
"Didn't you say a small vessel holds little power? Then we need to enlarge the vessel."
"To think you'd..."
Cold sweat trickled down Kroha's back. He'd spoken calmly, but couldn't fully hide his tension.
But it was only for a moment.
"Interesting."
Kali's lips curved into a sly, wicked smile. As if she'd found a fascinating new toy.