I don't exactly know how this works, but when Beelzebub died, I got another blast of EXP. I'm pretty sure it came from his very soul… and when the Demon King's fragment was purified, I got even more.
That means… I absorbed the essence of two powerful demon souls.
Is that really okay?
With that heavy thought in mind, I focused inward and accessed the System directly, projecting my consciousness into my own soul.
There, I found her again—the System's core, now appearing larger than before. A pulsing mass of glowing light, she was devouring a huge pile of ethereal black energy.
"A-Are you seriously okay with eating that?"
[ "Nom nom nom… Hmm? Yeah, why not?" she said casually.]
"Won't it, like, corrupt you or take over my mind someday?"
[ "What? No. That kind of thing only happens in fantasy stories… maybe something 'dark' might come out of it though—"]
"So something can happen."
"…That was a joke. Kind of. Look, maybe you'll develop new abilities, but it's all dependent on how you grow from it."
"It's starting to sound more like a curse than a gift. Are we really just absorbing pure energy here, or is this… soul devouring?"
She suddenly stopped eating and floated toward me.
"Do you want to know the truth?"
Her tone shifted. Heavier. More serious.
"I want—" I started to answer, but she cut me off.
"I was made to strengthen my host by absorbing the energy of enemies slain by you or your party. That energy includes their soul essence, yes. When you deal the finishing blow, I take nearly all of it and transmute it into power for your soul and body."
"I figured something like that…"
"But when your allies kill the target, I only absorb a portion. The rest of their soul remains free to pass on."
"So, in the end, I'm really… eating souls to grow stronger."
"More or less. But you're frozen, remember? Stats don't increase. So the energy flows directly into your body instead—raw and unfiltered. That's why you might gain new innate abilities over time. It's a slower, less controlled process, but it's working."
"So that explains the weird energy I've been feeling lately… what about that dragon I killed?"
"You devoured a large chunk of its soul. That power is still buried within you. You just haven't awakened it fully yet."
"…Huh. Guess I've got a long way to go."
"I would say you do. But you're also stubborn and good at working hard. So, there's that."
"…Thanks. I think."
I spent some more time talking with the System, asking if any of the errors were fixed. She said she had managed to repair several hundred thanks to the recent influx of soul energy, but we were still not even halfway done. I wondered—once all the errors were resolved, would I finally be able to gain stats and skills normally?
It felt like a distant dream… but one I could work toward.
Still, for now, I'm just a one-year-old with a baby body. Even rolling around or practicing basic magic is exhausting. This level of "training" is more than enough for now.
After the battle ended, the adults gathered and burned the corpses of the flies and Beelzebub, leaving only the magic crystals behind. Shade mentioned those crystals sold for a fortune. I wonder what they're used for? Surely more than just pretty gems…
When everyone returned, Father held a large pouch filled with them.
"Sorry for the big mess outside, son. Everything's safe now," Father said, hugging me.
"Uegh… Papa, you smell like roasted bug juice."
"Ah—sorry! I'll take a bath. Hahaha!"
I didn't ask anything more. I'd save my questions for another time.
Aquarina was still shaken, but her parents helped calm him down with soft words and hugs. It was a strange contrast—how fierce and destructive they were in battle, and how gentle they became with their child.
Maybe I was the same for my parents. Maybe every child brings out that softer side in their family.
An hour later, once everyone was cleaned up, we finally celebrated my birthday properly.
The cake was huge and still warm, topped with white cream and colorful fruit decorations. A candle shaped like the number one sat right on top.
"Happy birthday, Leon!" Nepheline cheered.
"May you live many strong and fulfilling years," Shade added.
"You realize he's just turning one, right?" Nepheline rolled her eyes.
"…Ah," Shade muttered.
My parents brought out a gift—a necklace embedded with a bright red gem that shimmered with fire magic.
"Happy birthday, Leon," they said, hugging me.
Even Aquarina waddled up and gave me a gift of his own—a pair of tiny, beautiful earrings.
"T-This… is for you," he muttered.
"Thanks, Aqua," I said, gently patting his head.
All in all, despite the battle and all the weird soul-consuming revelations… it was a good birthday.
---
Let me know when you're ready for Chapter 21, or if you'd like me to generate an illustration of Leon and Aquarina's birthday scene in anime style!