264 The Answer. (1/2)
”Wait, I need to drop by somewhere.”
Arima suddenly said and changed his destination just as he was about to enter his soul again. He reappeared inside a circular, dome-shaped room.
It was extremely wide, perhaps as much as a hectare. The floor was made out of a mystifying material that radiated an incredible amount of pure energy. The color also tended to swap between black, red, and blue. It was a really odd sight.
At the very center of the room stood an imposing representation of the Kind Demon's Cross and just above it was located a cubic magic stone that was responsible for the lighting.
Skipping the numerous extra decorations, the most eye-catching aspect of this place was definitely the hundreds of doors on the walls. There were even long rows of stairs circling the room so that one would be able to access every door.
The material in which the doors were fabricated with seemed to vary in st.u.r.diness and color. But on each one of them, there was a common symbol.
”{This place became really fancy since your 'rebirth',}” Krynox commented. Arima quietly nodded and made his way toward the stairs.
”{From what I can see, this is Kymestuos' Twelfth Level. Why are we here?}”
”To meet some ex-inmates,” Arima responded matter-of-factly as he climbed the staircase. He pa.s.sed by many doors and only spared a glance for each one of them. He then stopped in front of the one with a large 8 wrote on it.
”{8th… that woman?}”
”Yeah,” Arima opened the door and stepped inside. What lied behind was a dark and damp cell. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of indestructible dark stone and no light would be able to reach the cell if the door wasn't open.
At the very back of the room, there was an illusionary-looking door. Arima squinted his eyes and opened it. A bright light flashed but he didn't even blink. He suddenly reappeared inside of a cozy wooden hut in the middle of a forest.
He looked around and hummed. An elderly woman then came out of one of the rooms holding a fruit basket and gasped when she saw Arima.
”We meet again, Baba Yaga.”
The old woman slowly put down the basked she had in her hands and scowled at Arima.
”…How did you find me?”
”Kymestuos is my h.e.l.l. Anyone who has ever been imprisoned there will be left with a mark on their soul. And you see, even if you were there for only a short while, it's enough for you to be branded for life. It's a sort of countermeasure. If the released criminal one day starts committing evil again, Kymestuos will pull him back for a new cycle of torture and imprisonment.”
Baba Yaga s.h.i.+vered whilst glaring at Arima.
He smiled in return. ”Well, anyhow, I've reached a level where I'm able to know the location of anyone I would want to find. Kymestuos was merely a shortcut.”
”…I see you've become even more monstrous.”
”I'm sorry to say that 'monstrous' is far from being able to describe me anymore at this point. In any case, aren't you curious why I'm here?”
”Perhaps.”
The old witch calmly replied and picked up her fruit basket and placed in on the table before sitting down.
”So? To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”
”Children.”
Arima's answer was so short and unexpected that Baba Yaga was stunned for a few seconds.
”Sorry…could you explain?”
Arima sighed and sat down as well. Baba Yaga watched him as he picked an apple from the basket and ate it.
”Well, you see, I want you to be a head-maid of sorts so that you can also take on the roles of a babysitter to a.s.sist the future mother as well as tutor for her child. I think you're the ideal choice among the people I know. You possess a deep peace of mind that comes together with your age and wisdom. You're perfect for the job in my opinion.”
”Wait…” Baba Yaga was getting restless. She was completely confused. ”Are you telling me that you're… expecting a baby?”
”Of course not.” Arima shook his head. ”Layla and I are still in a sort of stabilizing period since I'm still, let's say, gradually 'reviving' my emotions. I'm fond of her though, of course. But we're not at that stage yet.”
”{Wait… I think I'm lost too. What does that mean exactly?}” Krynox raised his voice.
”Well, obviously, Layla and I aren't the ones expecting a child. Neither are Night and Karma. So…” Arima added and Krynox fell silent for ten seconds. He then suddenly came to a realization.
”{Are you telling me-!?}”
”Yep. Shakti is pregnant.”
Baba Yaga's eyes widened as she recalled about the enchanting G.o.ddess that once was her enemy. She wondered who had managed to make that pure maiden fall for him.
”{What the h.e.l.l?! Why do I don't know about that?}”
”Well, it's something I noticed not too long ago. But I certainly sensed a blooming life in her womb.”
”{No way… thinking about that guy having a happy family makes me feel strange. Wasn't he a skeleton in the first place? That makes it even weirder… I wonder what Shakti saw in him… When did 'that' happen anyway?}”
”Who knows. I guess Malum got really proactive during their honeymoon.” Arima smiled as he felt amused by the situation.
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”{I'm shocked…}”
”Um…” Baba Yaga mumbled. She felt too awkward. ”(What is happening? What is this? What should I do? Maid, me? Babysitter, me? And it's the man who tried… no, SUCCEEDED to take control over the world who is asking me that? What should I even say at this point? Can I even say no?)” Her thoughts were chaotic.