Ooookay, this is totally not awkward at all. Yep, soooo not awkward.

In case you could not sense the obvious sarcasm in Liohime's thoughts, yeah…he was in a very awkward situation right about now.

As he sat uncomfortably behind a wooden desk, close to the center of the large room, he anxiously peeked at the woman who had been staring straight at him with no shame whatsoever, for about a minute straight.

Ugh, with those haunting ass eyes, she could kill me on the spot just like this!

Liohime winced, but his expression relaxed almost instantly as the woman shook her head and finally decided to speak first.

"Please forgive me for my attitude. I am named Kaza."

"Kaza, huh. I'm Liohime. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," she responded tactfully, before leaning back in her chair as they both sat on opposite sides of the table.

The expansive room branched out into another open room on Liohime's right. Guessing that this must be the personal settlement of this woman, he said:

"Your house is very nice."

"Oh, thank you."

She smiled and then continued, "You may have heard this before, but this is the Killcount base. We take in outsiders who are not from the Paradisus Legion and reform them into being part of our own, in order to protect the heart of the third layer from above. However, before I explain further details and ask personal questions…"

She leaned forward and stared straight into his eyes.

"Why exactly…are you here, Liohime?"

"Huh?"

Liohime furrowed his brows and paused, while Kaza stood up from her seat and slowly paced around the room.

"Those other people who we dragged in before you must be associated with you, right? No matter how many times we try asking, it seems as if they would rather die than to spill their co-called secret mission. I'm guessing that you all are under a person who had probably told you to say anything, but that's fine. Still…"

She sat back down with a troubled expression.

"...With this powerful Magical Beast that you possess, I must know what your intentions are."

Liohime flinched, and his left eyebrow twitched before he leaned back.

The hairs on his skin rose as he swallowed hard.

What did she just say?

"How…did you even-"

"Know about your Magical Beast? It's a long story, but I'm guessing that you have time. Long story short, I was heavily involved with its past life, I guess."

Liohime's expression changed completely, from one of confusion to utter shock.

"Involved…with its past…life?"

"Correct, and I know that you must be very perplexed and probably a bit fearful, but please let me explain," Kaza answered with a stern voice. "Let's start off with the Tale of the Terrifying Two. You do know that story, right?"

Still stunned, Liohime could only nod his head in affirmation, although knowing that he barely knew much of the story but Kaza continued:

"Good. So basically, you know about the two strange Magical Beast eggs in the Paradisus Legion that were certainly different from most others. Like most other eggs, they were formed out of the concentrated mana in the air, but an anomaly, a miracle had formed. They were both granted power unlike any other Magical Beast present. Even though both had never even begun the hatching stage yet, either by a contract with a human or by itself, the difference in power was clear to see."

I…I know all of this, Liohime thought. But what does this have to do with-

"One had the power to destroy and influence. Even as it slept within its shell, it caused giant cracks within this region, constant earthquakes, raging fires, and it could even influence the behavior of other Magical Beasts into a hostile rageful manner, the same things that we see today in the first, second and third layers. This beast was called-"

That's when he heard that name once more.

"-Kinen, of Destruction."

Liohime's eyes wavered as he remembered those words that he had memorized from previous conversations.

((

Anyway, if you excuse us…we have to get back to our executions, for Kinen."

"For Kinen."

))

((

"I-I meant, 'may this person be of use to us, f-for Kanshido, and for Kinen'. It's a prayer, wishing you success while you become part of our future. Y-Yes, that's it."

))

Wait, but she also mentioned Kanshido, he pondered. Does that mean that…?

Actually, since he easily remembered that last interaction, he did realize that she had muttered under her breath, 'Mother Kanshido' as soon as she came face to face with him. Back then, it didn't make sense why she did that, but now…

His heart skipped a beat, and his foot rapidly but lightly tapped the ground as his eyes widened.

His fingers nervously twiddled around each other as he bit the inside of his lip, waiting for Kaza to confirm the terrifying theory.

No. This can't be.

"The other Magical Beast egg alongside it had the power to create and rally, as nature bloomed from its proximity and Magical Beasts were able to come to its aid when the people eventually came for it several years ago."

This can't be real.

"It had the power to command the trees, the vines, the flowers, hell, nature itself in order to defend the Magical Beasts that had been influenced by it as the opposers stormed through the third layer, crushing all beasts that stood up to them. In the end, though, it was unsuccessful with its attempt to protect those in its proximity, and this Magical Beast had been taken from its place, still unhatched, leaving Kinen's influence to destroy the balance of the Paradisus Legion and create an overly hostile environment. This Magical Beast was called-"

You're fucking kidding me.

Liohime gripped his own shirt with his right hand, and grabbed onto it tightly, as the revelation had been made clear for him, with Kaza giving the final confirmation.

"-Kanshido, of Creation. It is currently the Magical Beast that you possess right now, Liohime Kitagami."

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