Parallel Memory

In the place that is said to be nothingness, Zero was chatting with the two figures.

"I think it is time for you to leave now."

This is what the figure holding the book said. Zero didn't know whether he was speaking from his intuition or he knew what was happening to his body. However, he seemed to be sure that Zero could go back.

"Leave?"

"I think the time for you to stay here has expired. You should remember what we have said."

Zero nodded. He didn't know how that guy knew that he could leave but he did remember what he and the other figure said.

"Find that 'thing' as soon as possible. You should know where to find it. If not, the same thing might happen again. You might die next time if you use his power."

"Hmph! It is all because his body is too weak. Blame his pathetic body."

"Not everyone is muscle-brain like you. Your stupid power is the reason we are suffering right now."

"Hmph!"

"Anyway, remember to get stronger, or else you will not survive. It should begin soon according to the novel. Hey, looks like time …"

The two figures slowly disappeared and everything turned white for a second. Zero could feel himself drowning in something.

"ARGH!"

Zero regained his consciousness and he could feel his body again. He didn't know whether what he saw was a dream or reality but he did remember his talk with those two figures.

Opening his eyes slowly, Zero could see a figure of a girl.

He was sure that it was Professor Mia and tried to call her.

"Mi…

"Oh! You are awake."

The figure interrupted Zero. Zero realizes that the voice does not belong to Professor Mia.

"Who are you?"

Slowly the image of the girl became clear and he could see that the girl in front of him was not Professor Mia.

The girl in front of Zero had a delicate face with fair skin and a pair of big, light blue and pink eyes. Her beautiful, long hair is the same color, although her ends are pink and a mixture of purple.

She seemed like a delicate girl at first glance. The type whom everyone wants to protect.

"That is what I should be asking. Who are you? Why are you deceiving Mia?"

Instead of answering his question, the girl angrily asked a question back.

"Deceiving Professor Mia? I don't know who told you that but I am not deceiving anyone."

Zero replied with disdain. He could see that the girl didn't like him and was showing her full hostility even though it was his first time meeting her.

"You must have approached Mia with ulterior motives."

"How can you be so sure? Did Professor Mia tell you?

"Arg... N-No."

"Then stop assuming things. Why is a stranger questioning me anyway? Where am I?"

Zero looked sideways to find that he was in a room with many plushies. He could not see doctors or anyone who looked like a healer.

And there was this annoying girl who seemed to hate him.

( Shouldn't there be at least one doctor? How did I even get healed? )

He was confused by where he was. He thought he might be in a hospital where he had been lucky enough to be healed, but he was instead inside a normal room.

"You are in my room. Anyway, answer my question. What is your motive behind getting close to Mia?"

( Again )

Zero didn't know why the girl was so persistent. It was their first meeting and she seemed to misunderstand him about something.

"Why are you asking me? Do you even know who I am? I am her student. What other motives would I have other than to learn from her?"

"Like I would believe a Devil contractor."

The girl shouted at Zero. Zero was surprised to be referred to as Devil Contractor.

He didn't understand how that girl came to know that he could use Dark Energy. The only one who should know that information was Professor Mia.

"Cat got your tongue. I know that you are a Devil contractor. If you don't state your intention clearly, I will eliminate you."

The girl threatened Zero. Whether she was joking or serious didn't matter, but Zero found it funny that a stranger was threatening him.

The girl exerted an aura of Rank-A with her killing intent.

Zero was surprised that a girl whose age seemed the same as Professor Mia was Rank-A. In other words, the girl was not just a random person but rather a famous genius.

Though he didn't remember someone like her on the news or maybe he just forgot.

Anyway, he was just stunned by her mana aura, and not by her killing intent. She displayed a killing intent that didn't correspond with her rank. Even Zero had killing intent, which was stronger than the girl.

"Can you?"

Zero glared at the girl causing the girl to flinch. Zero was not afraid to fight, and he was ready to fight even more when threatened.

The Rank-A was certainly powerful but it did not mean that Zero was obliged to cower because of the mana aura.

Saintess Amelia didn't expect Zero to show that kind of look after she had shown her power. She thought that zero would be scared by her mana aura and spill the beans.

Instead, it was she who got a little scared of Zero. Though she was Rank-A, she was not a fighter and didn't know how to fight.

Additionally, she was already a little afraid of the Dark Energy inside Zero. This caused her to flinch even though she was Rank-A and Zero was Rank-D.

Seeing that the girl didn't mean what she said, Zero cooled down and started to inquire about the situation.

It was already weird that the two of them were arguing even though they didn't know each other. And also over someone who wasn't even in the room.

"Anyway, who are you and where is professor Mia?"

"I am Amelia. Mia is resting in another room, so I was looking after you."

This time, the girl answered Zero. Just hearing the name, Zero knew who she was.

( Saintess Amelia )

Her appearance did seem to match the appearance described in the novel.

A beautiful woman who even the Devil hesitates to kill. Or was the author exaggerating? Zero was convinced that the author was exaggerating.

If he was a Devil, he was sure that he could kill this annoying girl without an ounce of hesitation or mercy.

Anyway, he realized that the girl in front of him was a big shot who had Church backing her up.

Zero didn't recognize her at first glance because Saintess seldom appears in the news and the fact that her appearance looks different when she is in front of the mass was another reason why Zero didn't recognize her.

"Hmph! You should be grateful to me. I have saved your life."

Saintess Amelia proudly declared. She could not stand someone being arrogant in front of her when it was she who saved him.

She needed to remind him that he owed her his life. And also because if she didn't remind him, she was a tad bit afraid that he might attack her.

She thought he could do it since he was frighteningly glaring at her previously.

"You saved my life?"

"Of course! Who else has the capabilities to bring back the dead?"

Zero listened to Saintess Amelia bragging. Listening to her, Zero knows that he has been healed by the Saintess.

However, he doubts whether his injuries could be healed by the Saintess. He knows that Saintess is one of the best healers in the world but his injuries are not at a level at which they could be healed easily.

( Unless she used some forbidden skill. )

Saintess plays a crucial role in the novel by healing strong heroes during their battles with demons. She used a strong Forbidden healing spell on the heroes at a certain point to change the course of the war.

However, there were some serious side effects of using those forbidden skills. One of them is decreasing the life span of the user.

" How did you heal me?"

His body felt better than ever. There are no injuries or scars on the body. Zero seemed to have moved into a new body.

Considering that his body was all broken and full of injuries, it was hard to believe that it was the same body.

"Don't tell me you used a Forbidden Skill?"

"H-How did you know?... Hmph! How do you expect me to heal your wrecked body without using a Forbidden Skill?"

The general public didn't know that Saintess can use Forbidden Skills which are capable of healing even the deadliest disease.

It was not a heavily guarded secret but only a limited number of people know that. Even Professor Mia had no idea about it until she saw its power being used to heal Zero.

So Saintess Amelia was surprised that Zero knew about it.

"You really used a Forbidden Skill…"

Zero from the novel knows that Saintess is capable of using many strong Forbidden Skills but each Forbidden Skill came with a heavy price.

He didn't know why the Saintess sacrificed so much to heal him. At least his earlier disdain for her was gone.

No matter the reason, using Forbidden Skills was absolutely dangerous to users.

Earlier, he didn't know who she was but realizing that she was his savior not to mention that she used Forbidden Skill, he realized he had been ungrateful to the Saintess.

"I am extremely thankful that Saintess has helped me, going as far as using the Forbidden Skill to heal me. I will certainly repay you for this favor."

"Humph! Now, you know your place. I hope you remember that I was the one to heal you."

She certainly seems like someone who likes to be thanked. She was acting as if she had just gotten a Rank-SS Skill. She sure was a gullible person.

"Now, answer me! Why do you have Dark Energy?"