Isekai Nonbiri Nouka
Chapter 958: Interlude: Klim of Hope

What is a devil?

It’s hard to explain, but if I had to use an example…

Think of it like the dregs left at the bottom of a wine barrel.

Now, imagine that wine barrel is a vessel filled with divine magic power, something a god would use to store power.

That’s the idea.

A devil is formed when that magical residue condenses and takes on a will of its own.

However, when a god pours magic power down to the world, it’s filtered, so devils rarely ever make it to the surface.

If one does, it’s usually a small one, and only by sheer luck.

Larger ones only appear during the world’s creation, or when some kind of accident occurs.

Or perhaps it’s more accurate to call them the origin of devils.

Because the total amount of these large and small dregs that reached the world is essentially the total volume of devils that exist.

The beings known as the ancient devil race or primeval devil race are those that exist using this original devil essence.

They are true devils.

In contrast, the beings commonly referred to as the devil race…

They were born when one of those large dregs shattered, ground down finer than dust, and mixed with other matter or magic power.

Maybe they were still devils in the beginning, but after thousands of years of intermingling, they’ve become something else entirely.

And since they’re not tied to the total amount of devil essence anymore, they’ve been increasing freely.

I’m not really interested in them, so that’s about all I know.

-0-

Now then, my father, the great devil, was one of the large dregs that descended to the world during creation.

He managed to preserve his power for a long time, but eventually began to lose his body, his form fading away.

Father accepted that fate, but it seems someone tried to revive him.

That was when I separated from Father and was born.

I may have just been born, but I inherited Father’s knowledge and memories.

He also gave me a fair share of his power.

I can’t beat a large dreg, but I won’t lose to a small one.

That’s who I am.

……….

But I can’t move.

What exactly did I inhabit?

A statue shaped like Father?

If that’s the case, I should be able to take on flesh and move…

I search through Father’s knowledge and memories.

Nothing.

I reached out to him.

Help me, can’t move….

-0-

According to Father, he was revived as the 「Devil Who Guards Art」.

However, since he is a work of art now, he can’t take physical form without destroying himself, so he can’t move.

And since I was born right beside him as he was being revived, I ended up the same, unable to move, bound to this statue.

I see.

…

Eh?

So, what am I supposed to do?

Just stay like this?

Forever?

Calm down?

It’s fine?

Father says he’ll ask a friend to rescue me?

Ano, in Father’s knowledge and memories, I don’t really see anything that looks like a frie— ow ow ow ow ow!

I’m sorry!

Father has lots of friends!

Yes, so one of those friends is coming to help me.

I’ll wait!

Though I don’t know exactly where I am… is that going to be okay?

For someone like me who was just born, a hundred years or two hundred years feels pretty much like forever, you know?

-0-

Father assured me he asked a friend who knows where I am to come quickly.

I believed him and waited…

Then I got harassed by a phoenix, one of the natural enemies of devils.

It was terrifying.

There were lots of other scary things too.

Please hurry…

-0-

Later, Father contacted me to say he’d asked one of his friends who knows where I am.

As expected of Father!

I love you!

-0-

Some time passed, and finally, the friend Father sent arrived.

One of the great dregs, 《Eternal》.

As expected of Father’s friend.

So strong.

Huh?

Ah, you’re not 《Eternal》 anymore, but 《Knowledge》 now?

Understood.

So, what will you do to help me?

You’ll transfer my soul from the statue to another vessel, a humanoid form?

I see.

Then I’ll finally be able to move.

Where is that vessel?

I have to find it myself?

That’s unreasonable.

I can’t move, how am I supposed to search?

…Ah. I sense something. A pull of destiny in that direction.

Sorry, could you at least carry me close to it…?

-0-

According to Father’s knowledge and memories, it’s a civil engineering machine called a Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machine, an Arti-Horse.

Apparently, it’s not very strong.

Its appearance is rough and clunky, not cute at all.

But I feel drawn to it.

This has to be the one.

I kept pleading with 《Knowledge》 to hurry, to take me there quickly, but he told me to wait a little longer.

Muu…

She’s teasing me, isn’t she….?

-0-

However, that only lasted a short while.

With 《Knowledge》’s assistance, I transferred my consciousness into the Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machine.

Ooooooooooooh!

What is this overwhelming power?!

I can do anything!

I can destroy everything!

Fuhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

You’ve done well, 《Knowledge》!

…….

………..

Ano, could you please do something about these chains of yours? They’re in the way.

You can’t?

You’ll remove them if I promise not to go on a rampage? But I want to rampage.

Yes, I want to rampage.

That’s what devils are, aren’t they?

We wield our power freely.

It’s instinctual.

I’ve just been born. I don’t know how to suppress that.

There’s nothing I can do.

I struggled against 《Knowledge》’s chains in an attempt to break free.

But it was no use.

The gap in strength is just too great.

Gnnnnnngh!

I wouldn’t lose to just any ordinary devil!

What kind of devil did Father ask for help?!

Ugh!

Ughh!

Ughhhhhhh!

Begone!

Just as I tried to blow 《Knowledge》 away, a presence I had completely ignored erased my right leg.

Literally, my right leg vanished.

I couldn’t comprehend it.

I didn’t know what had happened.

But I saw that overlooked presence raising something to strike again.

I later learned it was a hoe, but in that moment, influenced by Father’s memories and knowledge, it looked to me like the thunder god’s hammer wielded by the gods of the heavens.

It came down on me.

There was no impact.

But my soul was being torn away, ripped apart!

In huge chunks!

Devils do not fear death.

But… I don’t want to disappear!

Terrified, I desperately searched for a way to survive.

I had to escape.

But I couldn’t move.

The chains held me down!

Break the chains somehow?

Impossible!

Ahh, it’s coming down again!

I couldn’t think of any way to escape.

All I could do was tremble in fear of vanishing.

But someone came to my rescue.

The Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machine that housed me.

It gathered up what remained of me inside and formed me in the cockpit.

Then it ejected me to the outside.

I believe it was an instinct to protect the pilot.

Even though it was half-destroyed…

I’m grateful.

And I will repay that debt.

I won’t leave you behind in your broken state.

Come with me.

Even if you say no, you are already a part of my body.

I absorbed the Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machine.

-0-

After that, I was given the name Klim and granted the Authority of 《Hope》.

My form… seems to be fixed as a small girl.

My power is almost entirely gone.

That hoe carved away a significant part of my soul.

Now, I barely have more strength than an ordinary child…

Hmm…

Actually, most children around here are ridiculously strong.

Far beyond what I can manage now.

There are even dragon children.

Dragons…

Natural enemies of devils.

Our compatibility is terrible.

I need to stay out of sight.

Especially since there are dragon parents around, too…

Still, it made me happy to find others like me, 《Selfless Love》 and 《Indebted Love》. Fellow devils.

I nearly cried from relief.

But now… what do I do about that dragon child who’s taken a liking to me?

《Eternal》, no, 《Knowledge》 is definitely an enemy.

Putting me through all that terror…

I’ll never forget the grudge of those chains.

Yoru is scary too, but… well, she does take good care of me.

She’s not bad, I suppose.

And the food she makes is delicious.

But the one with the hoe…

I still tremble just seeing him. I can’t help but glare.

What?

The one who resurrected Father?

Ah, yes. The knowledge I received during my communion with Father included something like that: someone more devil than a devil.

I see, I see…

I will not oppose him.

Nope.

Absolutely not.

Should I run away from the village?

No. Running would be considered hostile.

So, I won’t run.

I’ll be fine.

I’ve found a hope I can cling to and survive here.

Fufufu.

That hope is—farming.

If I master farming, the one with the hoe won’t see me as an enemy.

After observing him a little, I came to this conclusion.

Luckily, I can summon and control the Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machine.

It’s smaller now, but…

That just makes it easier to use for farming!

Right now, it’s harvest season.

While practicing harvesting a bit away from the main field using my unit, a dragon kindly taught me how to pull up radishes.

There really are kind dragons out there.

Thank you.

-0-

Ah, right right.

Even though I’ve become too weak to communicate directly with Father now, I was given his statue, so I can use that as a medium to communicate with him again.

I’m really happy about that.

But… Father is usually asleep.

Still, I can reach him if I try.

Come to think of it, he complained a little while ago about being offered something bitter as a tribute.

Next time I get my hands on something sweet, I’ll bring it to him as an offering.

-0-

Klim: 「There’s no farming knowledge in Father’s memories…」

The Devil Who Guards the Museum: 「S-Sorry…」

-0-

Versa: 「Here, bitter gourd.」

Gucci: 「How about green peppers?」

Bulga: 「This one’s called kale.」

Stifano: 「Don’t forget to eat your celery too.」

The Devil Who Guards the Museum: 「I told you that wasn’t a challenge!」

-0-

Klim: 「Practice… practice…」

Doraim: 「She shows promise.」

Village Chief: 「A valuable new recruit.」