Chapter 73: Intermission: KeA
On a side note, it looks like Kuro II gave visuals on Paradise, and its location is now known.
Enjoy the first intermission chapter! This will not be the last in this fanfic to come.
Giliath demands your power stones. Let's get back over 500!
*
"Hehehe." a girl's voice suddenly echoed around the lab, which caused Joachim's anger to come to a sudden halt as he heard this giggle. The other guard priests seemed to have no reaction, so it looked like this voice only reached out to him.
"It's interesting, isn't it?", the girl's voice continued to say. "That violet-haired boy. No matter what lines of causality I treaded, he wasn't there. I only see him present in this one.", the girl's voice continued to say, which caused Joachim to blink for a good moment.
"This voice...it couldn't be...', Joachim said, beginning to wonder. Seeing this response caused the girl's voice to let out another giggle.
"Hehe, you should very well know who I am. After all, you are my current caretaker, are you not?", the girl's voice responded. Hearing this, Joachim turned quiet for a moment.
"...Lady KeA?", Joachim uttered, hesitantly.
"Who knows?", the voice answered, only to turn quiet. again.
Seeing no further response, the anger he was just feeling had completely subsided. In fact it quickly turned into anticipation.
"Watch the lab until I come back.", Joachim simply said to the guards,.
"Yes, Head Priest.", they said, responding him. They were left confused seeing Joachim quickly retreat deeper. It was still quite a ways down to the deepest chamber. Once he arrived, he came across a long stone bridge before he arrived on the central platform. Not wasting any time, he came across what appeared to be a giant pedestal with a large spherical object embedded in the center, the Cradle. This whole setup appeared right out of fantasy. No modern human hands could build something like this Cradle.
Regardless, Joachim quickly approached the Cradle, donning his priest attire once again. He even had his staff out. If one looked closely, the Cradle actually appeared occupied.
A little green haired girl could be seen in a cradled position within the center of the large sealed Cradle. However, she wasn't fully crouched over anymore. Her eyes could be now be seen fully open, as if she was waiting for someone to come approach her.
Seeing this little girl now awake brought great pleasure to Joachim, causing him to burst out in laughter.
"Haha! Marvelous. It really is you. Lady KeA. I welcome you to our modern era.", Joachim said, respectively giving the little green haired girl a bow.
"Of course it is me. Who else would it be residing in this place?", the little green haired girl, who Joachim called KeA, retorted Joachim.
"That is true. It is but your presence alone gives us the reason to exist. For us, you will become our true god, Lady KeA.", Joachim responded, almost sounding euphoric. Sure enough once his inside personality was revealed, he was just as crazy like all the other DG cultists. However, before KeA could respond, the two were interrupted by a rather effeminate laughter.
"Hahahaha, is that right?", Another female-sounding voice struck the innermost chamber.
"Who!?", Joachim immediately responded, becoming defensive. He was the only one allowed in this innermost chamber, or so he had thought until now.
"Oh come on, Belle. Don't startle the priest who is looking after this place. He still has his use for our family after all.", An older sounding man's voice struck the room shortly after.
After these two voices spoke out, two dense magic circles appeared not too far away from the Cradle which caused KeA to give a light smile.
"It is quite unfortunate for you Head Priest, as my actual caretakers have arrived to check up on me.", KeA suddenly spoke out, which startled Joachim. "But even then I may have spoken too much.", KeA retorted.
"Every word you say has meaning, Lady KeA. But it is true, it is quite unfortunate to the priests watching over this place for us.", the man said. After he finished saying that, the magic circles finished forming, one was smaller than the other.
Joachim saw two figures arrive. The first thing he took note of their hair. Both of them had bright golden-blonde hair, which seemed to be a distinct feature this one family had. The girl seemed to be about nine years old, but her hair was currently wrapped into twin tails arranged in several rings flowing downward. Despite just being nine years old, her hair was already quite long.
As for the man, he wore a brown-golden plated tux with a fancy red vest shirt underneath it, combined with brown-golden pants. He dressed as if he was a big shot, to which he rightfully was.
The corporation this man belonged to just rose into the number one share holder of all of Zemuria. This man is the current CEO of the IBC Bank, which had just recently relocated their main base of operations to Crossbell. Dieter Crois. Besides his current appearance, he was actually equipped with a magical staff of sorts, but it looked different from the staves witches used.
That's because this man was the current patriarch of a long line of alchemists. Long enough to where they roamed during the Great Collapse around one thousand years ago.
"Oops, perhaps Lady KeA was right that we have already spoken too much. Would you do the honors, Belle?", Dieter asked the golden-blonde haired girl who seemed to be no more than nine years old.
"Of course, Daddy.", the girl said. Of course she was none other than the first and only child of the current patriarch of the Crois Family. Mariabell Crois.
Mariabell became a more prominent figure in the later years but right now she was still in her growing years. Despite that, Dieter made the decision to bring Mariabell along to the inside of their family. On the outside, they acted as bankers, but here is where they showed their true colors.
It was likely Mariabell has already come into contact with Elie since the two were considered childhood friends, but Elie currently doesn't know this side of Mariabell. Only Dieter.
And well, Joachim now too, but it seems that might not last for long.
With a snap of her fingers, Mariabell projected some sort of energy outward for a moment. Joachim couldn't even react before his figure was surrounded by three small devices set into a triangular pattern. Shinggg!
A triangular blueish-purple barrier formed, sealing Joachim completely. Dieter and Mariabell saw Joachim try to yell something but it stayed silent. Joachim even tried to use his own energy to launch an attack, but that caused Joachim to collapse onto one knee, abruptly canceling it.
Dieter raised his eyebrows seeing this before praising his daughter.
"Both a soundproof and energy drain barrier? Well done, Belle.", Dieter happily said.
"Hahaha, I may have been practicing a bit since I've started diving into our family's techniques. After all I plan to continue what our ancestors have started.", Mariabell responded happily back at her father.
"Hmm, but perhaps our goal will reach modern time sooner than we had anticipated. I mean, you did wake up, but before the destined time, did you not, Lady KeA? You waking up earlier than scheduled is the only reason why we had to appoint this uninvited visit.", Dieter said, explaining the situation a bit.
"It is true that I have woken up but just keep in mind this is just a mere moment. I already feel my memories going fuzzy again and my power waning, Dieter, Mariabell.", KeA said as she seemed to be growing sleepy again.
Hearing that, Dieter shook his head in disappointment, but he picked up that last bit which caused him to smile
"That is rather unfortunate, but this is our first time meeting each other, is it not? To think you would already know who we are.", Dieter replied happily.
"Of course I know. I see you two in the lines of causality I treaded. The only reason why I woke up is because of the line I'm currently treading right now.", KeA explained.
"Oh?", Dieter responded with interest. "Something drew your interest to where we currently are?"
"Yeah., but what was it again?", KeA tried to ask herself, already finding her memories getting lost. It took her a good moment to remember. "Ah, right. the one violet haired boy that was residing in this place thanks to the priests. When I wake up at the destined time I want him to look after me.", KeA asked.
"A violet haired boy?", Dieter asked. "I will have to look up the records here to make sure but we will do as you ask.", Dieter answered in confidence. "May I ask why this boy drew your interest?", Dieter continued to ask.
Unfortunately, he saw KeA begin to yawn some more.
"I can't even remember anymore...And by the time I wake up I probably won't remember this...", KeA started to say, only to drift off. Both Dieter and Mariabell saw KeA close her eyes once again, moving her arms over her legs. She entered her deep rest once again, since she wasn't even supposed to wake up at this time. Dieter knew he wouldn't be able to speak with KeA any longer.
"It is rather unimaginable for the Zero Child to wake up now, but with this you now have a new task at hand, Belle.", Dieter said, looking toward to his daughter. She nodded her head.
"I understand, Daddy. I will be sure to find this person at all costs.", Mariabell responded. She then looked toward Joachim who could still feel his energy being drained. "But what should we do about him?", Mariabell pointed at Joachim.
"He still has his use for us. Wipe his memories to make him as if he never encountered us or saw the Zero Child waking. We will be returning to Crossbell shortly after.", Dieter requested.
"Yes, Daddy!", Mariabell responded happily.
Unfortunately for Joachim, he soon felt himself passing out from the constant energy lost after the barrier disappeared. His body ended up plopping onto the ground, only to find himself passed out unconscious for several days.
Mariabell and Dieter left the DG Cult and returned to their normal lives. KeA returned to her slumber. By the time she wakes up again, she will have likely forgot what transpired here. As to whether a certain police detective will pick up her up in the near future, that remains to be seen.
*
It's just not Joachim's day. Poor guy.