People live with a single persona. One self per person. That was the norm.
But sometimes, rarely, it happened among people. There were cases where someone had two or more selves.
It was a common story in dramas or movies, but in reality, it wasn't something you'd typically encounter. How many people would meet such individuals in their lifetime?
They say everyone in modern society suffers from at least one mental illness, but this was a different matter.
Rosemilla tilted her head after hearing Yuria's story. Since Yuria hadn't reported much to the Academy, there were many questions.
She doesn't die. Instead, when young, her vessel is too small to have an aura. Based on this, I'll continue researching Demon Gods and manage her so she's not dangerous. Even if she's just considered Supplies, please grant permission for her to enter the Academy.
Those were Yuria's words. One might guess that Yuria was moving with some certainty, but it would be difficult to imagine she had such concerns.
"...Split personality?"
Even her playful, light voice became slightly serious. Since Yuria's expression showed she wasn't joking, Rosemilla responded accordingly.
"Yes."
Yuria sifted through memories where guilt and trauma coexisted.
A bitter feeling remained. It wasn't a good memory. It was a story from about a year ago. The point when she first met Urr.
After contemplating for a while, Yuria exhaled a trembling breath. And shortly after, she quietly opened her mouth.
"...It's true that Urr doesn't die. Even if you brought other Demon Gods, it would be an unprecedented case. Where would you find a Demon God that doesn't die at all? There might be Demon Gods with ridiculously long lifespans and such strong power that it's difficult to wait for their natural death."
Even Yuria, who researched Demon Gods, acknowledged this. It was an unprecedented case.
Even transcendent Demon Gods would die when their bodies died. Urr was the first to come back to life. It was the first time, but the method was so bizarre that she still remembered that day.
What was Urr like when she went to investigate after receiving reports from people? According to testimonies, when people begged and pleaded, she silently left.
Just in case, she went and killed her, and then what happened? After seeing it directly, the Demon God was so weak that it seemed like a simple task.
And the problem came afterward.
She recalled being bewildered by the sight of Urr becoming younger but not dying. And by the time she realized Urr wouldn't get any younger than a certain point, her trauma had already been triggered.
"I also mentioned that Urr gets younger when killed. That's how she can suppress her aura."
"...That's right."
She had reported it to the Academy. To prevent others from attacking Urr despite knowing she was a Demon God, and simultaneously to keep Urr at the Academy where she could keep an eye on her.
There were things that needed to be communicated to others about what should be cherished. Things not to do, things not to touch. Such things needed to be said so others would be careful.
"Once she becomes younger than a certain point, she doesn't get any younger. She doesn't revert to an infant and disappear either."
"Then what kind of method is this immortality?"
Rosemilla was also a professor, so she knew the general content, but she didn't know as much detail as Yuria beside her, so she asked.
"She repeats a certain age. Physical age between early twenties and fourteen, fifteen?"
"That's fascinating, aging backward...?"
"She regresses when she dies, but ages normally otherwise."
"It's certainly a unique way to extend lifespan."
Yuria nodded as if agreeing with Rosemilla's words.
She took a sip of coffee. Yuria, whose throat was drying up, barely replenished some moisture and exhaled deeply.
In the brief silence, Rosemilla also gulped down her coffee and asked.
"So what's this about a split personality? Does she cause trouble sometimes?"
"...No, um. As I mentioned earlier, when she dies at her youngest age, she returns to her early twenties."
"Yes."
Yuria spoke with a trembling voice.
"I think that's when the switch happens, or her personality changes."
The overwhelming atmosphere that even Yuria feared still triggered her trauma. If Urr's personality were to switch right now, Yuria would likely be the first to despair.
She gripped her cup tightly, perhaps from tension.
"There's really no reason to be afraid. As long as that doesn't happen. But I worry if there might be other switches, and I'm scared that Urr might suddenly transform after seeing other ferocious Demon Gods."
"...It's the first time I've seen you afraid."
Rosemilla also trembled slightly, as if infected by the fear.
Rosemilla was a professor in the Department of Spellcraft. She was good at brain puzzles like dismantling and assembling Magic Circles to create new ones, but she was terrible at fighting Demon Gods like Yuria did.
Yuria deserved to be called a genius.
Although Rosemilla had helped, Yuria designed the overall framework of her Original herself. With talent that could rival professors in other fields and combat sense to fight Demon Gods, that was Yuria.
When someone like her was afraid, it was hard to gauge how strong the threat might be.
And yet she was bragging about how cute Urr was.
Rosemilla inwardly let out a hollow laugh. She couldn't tell whether that was Yuria's way of overcoming fear, or if she genuinely found Urr cute in those moments.
"Yuri, take a break. Today's Demon God elimination mission must have been tough."
"...Yeah, sorry. I've been talking about depressing things, haven't I?"
"No, let's go for a drink sometime later."
Rosemilla grabbed Yuria's shoulder and shook it slightly. It was to change the atmosphere.
Yuria, whose mind was awakened, nodded.
The increasing frequency of Demon God appearances lately had become a cause for concern. The problem was that it triggered memories of Urr to creep up.
After tidying up, Yuria cleared her cup and left the café. Rosemilla followed behind, heading to her research lab.
As the two walked side by side, Yuria spoke first.
"Rose, thanks for listening."
"No problem. If you want to talk, I'm here to listen. But..."
Rosemilla's gaze turned toward the Academy.
"Haven't you told anyone else about this?"
"No. If they knew, they'd all be scared and tell me to get rid of her."
"Even though you're scared right now."
"..."
Yuria hung her head low, then raised it again.
"But what can I do? If I hear the current Urr crying in pain because of that other personality, even now, my heart aches."
"..."
Yuria shared a story only she knew.
"Rose, do you know what it feels like to fight a Demon God?"
Yuria was a Demon God Slayer affiliated with the Demon God Disaster Verification Headquarters. But Rosemilla wasn't. She was just a professor affiliated with the Academy.
She couldn't possibly understand the feelings of Yuria, who had two affiliations.
She denied it with silence. Yuria nodded at that answer, as if bitter, and moved forward.
"Demon Gods sharpen their edge when hurt. When facing death, they struggle desperately. It's instinct. Sometimes I scold them, asking why they're doing this when they need to live. They can't read or write, but somehow communication happens, so I learn about it. When I hear them say things like 'you're in the way' or 'get lost,' it's quite peculiar."
Demon Gods are designated as separate life forms because they cause harm. In fact, since they break laws, it was right that they didn't belong to humans or Elves.
It wasn't a life born through conception, but rather a life like a monster that seemed manufactured from somewhere, so it couldn't help but feel alien.
"No matter how docile, they end up harming and killing people. The Demon Gods that have already come out to villages or cities are only those kinds."
Tap, tap. Between the sounds of heels clicking, the gloomy conversation continued.
"But Urr was different."
In Yuria's memory, what changed her thinking in a life marked by revenge was nothing more than a simple crying sound.
No matter how many times she died, no matter how much pain she was in, she never reached out or anything. Instead, she just kept begging to be left alone while in a defensive posture, repeatedly crying. That voice still stimulated Yuria's guilt.
"It feels like I've glimpsed darkness, so it's scary. But I think it would be nice if we could maintain the current Urr. Because Urr is cute."
"...Yuri."
Yuria tried to lighten the gloomy atmosphere by putting on a smile.
Rosemilla was deeply concerned about Yuria's state.
She had heard Yuria say Urr was cute, but she hadn't known such emotions were wrapped up inside, so words failed her.
What should she say? It was related to trauma and guilt—what words could possibly resolve such issues?
After many thoughts flashed through her mind, Rosemilla concluded it was best not to say anything.
Afterward, silence fell between Yuria and Rosemilla.
"Rose, I'll be going now. Thanks so much."
"Sure. Call me anytime!"
Rosemilla waved her hand more energetically than before to help lift Yuria's spirits.
Yuria's receding figure seemed entangled with many emotions.
Seeing her mixed positive and negative feelings about Urr only made Rosemilla feel sorry for her.