Chapter 268: 268 - I am me, and I am already non-existent

268 - I am me, and I am already non-existent

It was early in the afternoon and the air held the warmth of spring, making it a perfect day to enjoy a leisurely cup of tea in the garden, when a large explosion echoed from outside the capital without warning.

Smoke rose from Duke Alcrem's villa, along with the clashing of swords, explosions created by spells, angry shouts, and terrified screams, and the city guards and knights were busy evacuating nearby residents.

Those who knew of the event scheduled at the villa today were pale-faced, assuming that negotiations had broken down, and the Dhampir and his allies were now engaged in battle with the Five Knights of Alcrem.

Alcrem was a large city with approximately one million residents. It would take some time for news of events from the suburbs to spread across the city.

However, many people had noticed the smoke rising from outside the city.

The soldiers stationed at the towers built along Alcrem's walls and in Alcrem Castle were clamoring amongst themselves.

"What is that?! Has something happened in the 'Sacred Wastelands?!'" one of them shouted.

Not a single soldier in Alcrem was unaware of the importance of the 'Sacred Wastelands.' The wastelands were where a certain family had maintained a temple to Borgadon, the God of Mountains, and maintained the seal on the evil god Forzajibal, the Evil god of Pillaging, since long before the existence of the Orbaume Kingdom and even the Alcrem Kingdom that came before it.

For the past hundred thousand years, Forzajibal had attempted to escape from his imprisonment several times, threatening the people in the form of earthquakes and monster stampedes. Historically, whenever this occurred, the great deeds of heroes and the people's prayers to Borgadon had subdued the evil god once more.

"Could it be that the evil god is trying to escape again?! At a time like this?!" one of the soldiers cried, unaware that this history was but a charade created by Zerzoregin in order to strike fear into the people's hearts and make them pray to him, maintaining the strength of their faith in him.

However, this soldier and the rest of the people of Alcrem believed that there was still hope. The God of Mountains Borgadon and heroes such as the Five Knights of Alcrem would suppress the evil god.

However, when an enormous figure emerged from the cloud of dust and sent it scattering, they realized that there was no such hope.

"What is that sinister-looking giant?! I-is that the evil god Forzajibal?!"

"The evil god has returned... It's over. IT'S OVER!"

Going back a little in time.

Enveloped in black flames, Zerzoregin's gray body disappeared into the cloud of dust created by the temple's collapse.

"Your Majesty! We have not defeated him!" shouted Princess Levia.

A reaction from 'Danger Sense: Death' followed her warning, and Vandalieu immediately attempted to retreat.

But before he could do so, black blades flew from within the smoke towards Vandalieu.

"'Indestructible Wall,'" said Vandalieu, deciding that he would not be able to evade them in time.

With the Demon King's jointed legs emerging from his back and forming a shield, his 'Shield Technique' became active on them as he attempted to block the enemy's attack.

However, the black blades cut through the legs with ease. Vandalieu had also activated the Demon King's exoskeleton to improve his defense, but the cutting power of the black blades surpassed it.

However, because the blades' momentum had been weakened, he managed to twist his neck and avoid them.

"... That was close," Vandalieu murmured.

Forcibly moving his severed jointed legs, he snapped the black blades.

The black blades had exceptional cutting power, but they had no thickness and strength; they quickly shattered with a ringing sound.

"This is... some kind of crystal?" said Vandalieu.

"Van-kun! Your neck is a little crazy right now!" exclaimed Orbia.

Vandalieu had forcibly extended his neck to move his head sideways.

"I've just turned the bones in my neck into the Demon King's bones and changed their shape. The Demon King's nerves are intact," he told Orbia calmly as he returned his neck back to normal.

A low laughter echoed as Zerzoregin, who had become so enormous his body resembled a literal mountain, cleared the dust cloud and showed himself.

"It seems that you have reacquired your stolen Skills, but its Level is so low that there is a limit to their effectiveness," Zerzoregin said. "You were late to sense my attacks, and the attacks of my fragments easily penetrated through the defense of your fragments. There is no mistake that the difference between us in the Level of the 'Demon King' Skill allows me to draw more power from the fragments than you!"

Zerzoregin had grown to approximately a hundred meters in height. There were quartz-like crystals on his back and arms, and his entire body was covered in some moisture.

"Those quartz-crystal-like things, perhaps they are fragments called the Demon King's quartz or the Demon King's crystals? And the slime on the skin, the Demon King's sweat glands? As for that enormous body... the Demon King's muscles? No, I must maintain my composure," Vandalieu said to himself, calmly analyzing the fragments that Zerzoregin was using.

Vandalieu suspected that the black blades were an extension of the quartz-crystal-like objects, and Zerzoregin had likely withstood the black flames that Princess Levia had transformed into by producing sweat from the Demon King's sweat glands in order to protect himself from the heat. Zerzoregin's robust, enormous physique was likely due to the activation of the Demon King's muscles. But even as he conducted this analysis, Vandalieu had to tell himself to maintain his presence of mind.

"... What is the matter? Was it that shocking that you were inferior in the clash of our fragments of the Demon King?" said Zerzoregin with a smile, seemingly unable to hear Vandalieu muttering to himself. "In that case, taste my power once more!"

He swung his arms in a horizontal, sweeping motion, and the crystals protruding from his arms moved towards Vandalieu and Gufadgarn in a slashing motion like one enormous blade.

"No, once is enough," said Vandalieu.

There was no dust cloud obscuring his vision this time. Vandalieu activated 'Soul Destruction Fighting Technique,' materializing his soul and enveloping himself with it, and leapt out of the way along with Gufadgarn.

The enormous crystal blade swept across where Vandalieu and Gufadgarn had been a moment earlier, leaving a large scar in the shape of a straight line along the earth.

"The Skill you used in Alda's Dungeon!" said Zerzoregin.

Vandalieu's Skill covered his body with the materialized form of his soul, which was fused with fragments of the Demon King. Zerzoregin had heard of this Skill from his familiar spirits.

"However, it seems that its strength is not as great as before. It is nothing more than an ordinary suit of armor and helmet, isn't it?!" Zerzoregin taunted.

Vandalieu's body was clearly visible beneath his soul, unlike the time when he had taken a grotesque form during the battle against Heinz.

Zerzoregin suspected that this was because Vandalieu was unable to fully utilize the power of the fragments due to the Level of his 'Demon King' Skill having decreased drastically.

In this situation, victory was possible. Zerzoregin was at a disadvantage when it came to the number of fragments in possession, but he was able to use the original power lying dormant in the fragments... no, he could draw greater power from them now than they originally possessed; victory was certain.

"I shall crush that armor and that body of yours!" Zerzoregin roared. "'Earth Destruction Slash!' 'Venom Flame Tongue!' 'Sky Rend!'"

Blades made of minerals emerged from the earth, tongues made of venomously-colored flames appeared from within the mouth on Zerzoregin's torso, and a swing of his crystal blades produced a slashing shockwave - and all of them closed in on Vandalieu and Gufadgarn.

"Magic Absorption - No, that won't work," said Vandalieu, changing his mind and deciding to evade the attacks rather than produce a barrier to nullify Zerzoregin's magic.

As the blades from the earth grazed against his armor, he dealt with the venomous flames by using 'Disinfect' to turn them into ordinary flames. If he had stopped to use 'Magic Absorption Barrier,' he would likely have been sliced into pieces by Zerzoregin's 'Sky Rend' that followed.

"Still, it's surprising to see that he can use the Demon King's fragments and elemental magic at the same time," said Vandalieu.

Normally, when one activated the fragments of the Demon King, they became unable to use any magic other than that of the death attribute. This was apparently due to the Mana of the Demon King Guduranis that the fragments contained, but Zerzoregin had cast spells of the earth and fire attributes.

"Could he be using Ghosts of other attributes like you, Vandalieu-sama?" suggested the light-attribute Ghost Chipuras.

'Dead Spirit Magic' and 'God Spirit Magic' allowed one to transfer Mana to Ghosts in order to have them cast spells on their behalf, even with a fragment of the Demon King active. After all, it was the Ghosts casting spells, not the fragment user.

Chipuras's suggestion was that Zerzoregin was doing the same.

But Vandalieu shook his head. "I didn't see any Ghosts. There must be something else to it."

"I believe that the reason is likely to be because he has absorbed two other gods. I suspect he is concentrating the effects of the Demon King's fragments on one soul, and using his other two souls to cast spells," said Gufadgarn.

Her theory was almost completely on the mark. Zerzoregin was using Forzajibal to bear the side effects of using the fragments. He was casting magic of his own attribute, the fire attribute, while using Borgadon to cast earth-attribute magic.

The structure of Zerzoregin's soul was not bizarre like Vandalieu's; he was able to do this because he had assimilated multiple souls and was able to use them as if they were his own. It could be said that he had exceptional qualities that were suited to using the Demon King's fragments.

It was likely that his enormous, mountain-like body was not a product of his own power, but that of Borgadon.

"'Venom Flame Bullet!' 'Scattershot!'" Zerzoregin roared.

He always followed up on his spells with a martial skill that used the fragments of the Demon King. It was likely a strategy to prevent Vandalieu from using a barrier to stop his spells, because if he did, the martial skill would pierce the barrier and hit him.

Zerzoregin spat out projectiles made out of flames of a venomous color, caused the Demon King's crystals to grow rapidly, then used a 'Throwing' martial skill on fragments of the crystal to unleash a barrage at Vandalieu and Gufadgarn.

He was currently approximately a hundred meters tall; the spheres of venomous flame and crystal fragments he sent flying weren't small, either.

But perhaps this decreased their accuracy; Vandalieu and Gufadgarn dodged the venomous flames and crystals, which crashed into the ground and exploded.

Zerzoregin's decreased accuracy and enormous body made it seem that he wouldn't be very maneuverable; the best strategy seemed to be to take advantage of that by closing the distance past his outstretched arms and striking from up close.

Vandalieu's 'Soul Destruction Fighting Technique' was a superior version of the 'Unarmed Fighting Technique.' It was more suited for close-quarters combat than long-range combat.

This was also the theoretically correct strategy that adventurers employed when fighting very large monsters.

"What shall we do?" asked Gufadgarn.

"Let's continue fighting at a distance... I kind of get the feeling that he's trying to bait us into fighting him up close," said Vandalieu, ignoring the theoretically correct option.

He raised both fists towards Zerzoregin and activated the Demon Kings' horns and blood, enveloping his fists in a drill-shaped protuberance.

"'Black Flame Possession,' 'Dark Lightning Possession,' and 'Rocket Punch,'" Vandalieu murmured.

Princess Levia cast a flame enchantment on his fists and Kimberley a lightning enchantment, then Vandalieu launched everything that was past his wrists.

"Take this!" said Princess Levia, as Kimberley cackled madly.

Noticing that Vandalieu's fists were headed straight towards him, Zerzoregin instinctively began moving to use 'Absorption and Assimilation' to devour them and steal more Skills.

But in the next moment, he realized his mistake. "A trap! 'Super Rapid Reaction!'"

Although Vandalieu had launched everything from his wrists downwards, there was no guarantee that this would include his hands. Zerzoregin realized that it was highly likely that Vandalieu had only launched his soul. Wanting to avoid Vandalieu's attack at all cost, he increased his reaction speed with a martial skill and twisted his enormous joints to try and get out of its trajectory.

He barely managed to move in time, and succeeded in avoiding the attack, but -

"Isla, a wall of ice, please."

"Yes, Vandalieu-sama!"

With only the upper half of her body protruding from Vandalieu's shadow, Isla conjured a wall of ice with a water-attribute spell.

"Triple 'Radiant Destruction Ray,'" said Vandalieu.

Chipuras, Daroak and Berkert, who had transformed into beams of light, flew into the wall of ice, aiming themselves at Zerzoregin's huge, towering body behind it.

The wall of ice acted as a lens, focusing them and increasing their power as they closed in on Zerzoregin.

"An obvious attack," said Zerzoregin, creating a shield with the Demon King's crystals.

The three Ghosts, still in light-beam form, were refracted away from Zerzoregin's body.

Zerzoregin had prepared a way to defend himself from beams of light, knowing that Vandalieu was capable of producing them using the Demon King's eyeballs and luminescent organs.

Vandalieu produced an enormous eyeball of the Demon King on his torso, and as its hollow pupil began glowing eerily, Zerzoregin attempted to refract and avoid it in the same way.

"Isla, I'm going to take your wall of ice," said Vandalieu.

Before he fired the beam of ice from the enormous eyeball, he used 'Golem Creation' to change the shape of the wall of ice.

As a result, the beam of light was diffused by the ice. Split into dozens of separate beams of light with different trajectories, they rained on Zerzoregin from all directions.

Zerzoregin screamed and groaned in pain as the beams seared his body.

He had managed to deflect some of the light with his crystal shield, but he hadn't been able to avoid all of them.

From behind, Vandalieu's fists - manipulated by 'Group Control' - returned and dug into him, scorching his flesh even further with flames and lightning.

Zerzoregin was like a hundred-meter-tall mountain; the diffused beams of light and Vandalieu's fists were incredibly tiny in comparison.

But Vandalieu possessed Skills such as 'God Devourer' and the power to crush mountains. The pain inflicted by his attacks was enough to make Zerzoregin know that his life was in danger.

Those fists were made of only a shell after all. And I can't devour souls with the 'Demon King' Skill... which means there are separate Skills that allow him to devour and destroy souls, Zerzoregin thought. More importantly, he's avoiding close-quarters combat. A pity... If he came close, I would be able to pierce his body with the Demon King's cnidocytes, and even if the venom doesn't affect him, I would be able to assimilate him.

Zerzoregin possessed the Demon King's cnidocytes, a fragment which was similar to the stinging organs of jellyfish. If the user's body wasn't enormous like Zerzoregin's was now, this fragment served no function other than to inject venom into those who touched its needles that were too small to be seen by the naked eye.

But with Zerzoregin's current size, the needles would be able to pierce the limbs of those who touched him and stop their movements. If Vandalieu were caught by this, Zerzoregin would be able to use the opportunity created to steal more Skills, strengthening himself and weakening Vandalieu at the same time, but...

I have no other choice. I was planning to silence them either way.

Zerzoregin spread his arms wide and faced Vandalieu - and the city of Alcrem behind him. A countless number of black crystals of all sizes appeared from Zerzoregin's arms and chest.

"Avoid this, if you wish! But who knows what will happen to the people in the city if you do! 'Chaotic Strike!'" Zerzoregin shouted, firing the black crystals with the power of his muscles and a 'Throwing' martial skill.

The 'Throwing' Skill was not such a powerful one, but these were the Demon King's crystals, fired by the Demon King's muscles. Although there were several kilometers between this place and the city of Alcrem, the black crystals would reach it.

This number of crystals, fired over a huge area. Gufadgarn had disappeared somewhere, but even if she were to bend space to try and stop them, she wouldn't be able to stop more than half of them.

Vandalieu was certain to do something in order to stop the other half of the crystals. Zerzoregin intended to take advantage of the opening created when he did.

Of course, it was possible that Vandalieu would forsake the city of Alcrem. Zerzoregin knew that if he did, the city would suffer great damage.

He had personally cared for the humans in order to increase their population, and a great number of them dying would be a significant loss. But if he did not defeat Vandalieu here, there was no future for him.

Vandalieu remained calm despite Zerzoregin aiming at the city, having expected that his enemy wouldn't have a conscience. "Well, I guessed it would come to this. Fire."

He produced a cannon barrel from his back and fired a series of eggs produced by the Demon King's oviduct into the sky.

The eggs' shells cracked open before they touched the crystals, and sticky threads exploded from within and spread across the air, catching the crystals.

"Impossible! You caught the crystals with such thin threads?!" shouted Zerzoregin, completely shocked.

The threads that Vandalieu had produced previously might have been easily severed by the crystals. But the threads contained within the eggs he had fired were threads produced by the Demon King's silk glands. Even though they were spread across the sky in a single layer, they would not break so easily.

Sticking to the threads, the crystals lost their momentum and fell to the earth far before they could reach the city. Some of the crystals were ten meters across; they crashed into the ground with huge, rumbling noises. The scenery around the area they fell would be completely changed, but... it was a wasteland, so there were no casualties.

And instead of Zerzoregin taking advantage of an opening in Vandalieu's defense, he had left himself wide open after freezing in disbelief.

"Gufadgarn, how are the preparations?" Vandalieu asked.

"They have just been completed," Gufadgarn replied as she reappeared.

A Teleportation Gate appeared and three black cannon batteries emerged from within.

Gufadgarn had brought the Cannon-type and Cannonball-type Demon King Familiars from the Dungeon Vandalieu had created in the basement of his house in the city of Morksi.

"Aim, set," said the Cannon-type Demon King Familiars.

"Fire!" said the Cannonball-type Demon King Familiars.

"'Hollow Cannon,'" said Vandalieu.

With a thundering roar, the Cannon-type Demon King Familiars fired the Cannonball-type Demon King Familiars at Zerzoregin, and Vandalieu unleashed his 'Hollow King Magic' spell.

"IMPOSSIBLE! You were supposed to be unable to use the fragments to their full extent!" Zerzoregin screamed.

Wide open, he was unable to avoid the aim of the sentient Cannon-type Demon King Familiars, and unable to create protective layers with his crystals in time. The barrage cannonballs struck his enormous, gray body with huge explosions, and the 'Hollow Cannon' pierced through his chest.

Losing his balance, Zerzoregin fell onto his back, causing the earth to tremble, and his body began to shrink rapidly.

Zerzoregin screamed in rage. "Curse you! Why?! Are you saying that you possessed an affinity for the fragments even before you acquired your Skill?!"

Having returned to the size of an ordinary human, he produced a sword and shield with the Demon King's crystals.

"I'm not saying anything of the sort. I think it's simply that I have more Mana than you," said Vandalieu.

Using fragments of the Demon King consumed a tremendous amount of Mana. But Vandalieu's Mana was enormously vast even from the perspective of a god, and thus sufficient to pay the costs of using the fragments.

Indeed, if one were to compare the two, Vandalieu possessed more Mana than Zerzoregin.

"The difference between us is too great to be explained simply by a difference in the amount of Mana we possess. It seems that the path to being the Demon King will not open to me unless I devour your entire being and make it mine!" Zerzoregin declared. "Familiar spirits! Inhabit my vessel!"

He summoned his familiar spirits onto his vessel, producing the same effect as 'Familiar Spirit Descent'... or perhaps 'Multiple Familiar Spirit Descent' would be a more accurate description. With nimble steps, he raised his sword and charged at Vandalieu.

"'Harden!' 'Venomous Flame Enchantment' 'Hundred Bright Slashes!'" Zerzoregin roared, casting enchantments on himself and rapidly swinging his crystal sword.

"'Super Rapid Reaction,' 'Hundred Furious Thrusts,' 'Hollow Bullet,'" said Vandalieu in response, increasing his reaction speed, using the Demon King's jointed legs protruding from his legs and back to defend himself from Zerzoregin's attacks while counter-attacking with 'Hollow Bullet.'

Zerzoregin shouted in desperation. His appearance had returned to normal, but it seemed that his wounds had not healed. A large crack appeared in his crystal shield as he deflected the 'Hollow Bullet,' and his movements gradually grew duller and slower.

"Demon King's jaw," said Vandalieu, deciding that it was time and producing an enormous pair of jaws with sharp teeth that bit into the upper half of Zerzoregin's body.

The moment Vandalieu's teeth bit into his upper body, Zerzoregin separated Forzajibal, the Evil God of Pillaging, and released him... into Vandalieu's jaws.

With this, I should be able to fool him into thinking that he's devoured me, Zerzoregin thought, intending to sacrifice Forzajibal's soul and escape.

He even left the fragments of the Demon King that Vandalieu had seen during the battle attached to Forzajibal.

He was planning to go into hiding with the 'Demon King' and 'Dark King Magic' Skills that he had stolen from Vandalieu, along with the unused cnidocytes of the Demon King.

From the moment he returned to the size of an ordinary human, he had given up on defeating Vandalieu. And he had chosen the option that would give him even a tiny hope of being able to survive and go into hiding, rather than being destroyed here.

He hadn't even decided whether he would use that chance to become the Demon King or to escape from this world.

In any case, I need to get away from this place -

At that moment, a voice other than Zerzoregin's own echoed inside his mind.

I am strongly opposed to that plan, me, it said.

Who are you?! Zerzoregin demanded.

What are you talking about? Who could I be, other than me? I am a part of me.

Impossible...! There is no separate personality or thinking in my mind!

There are. I desired them, made my followers steal them, and assimilated them, did I not?

Bewildered as Zerzoregin was by the inner voice within him that was both his own and not his own, he realized its identity.

You are the 'Demon King' Skill? Impossible. My Mimic Humans never told me that Skills can possess their own personalities!

Yes. I am the 'Demon King' Skill, and I am 'Dark King Magic.' Or to be more precise, I am the part of Vandalieu's soul that the Skills were carved into, the thin slice of it that I assimilated.

A part of Vandalieu's soul! It's true that Skills are engraved into souls, but... there have never been any personalities in the Skills that I have assimilated so far... Is it because he is the Demon King? Or because he is a demigod?! Is it because his soul has a peculiar form?! Zerzoregin demanded.

I do not know the answer to that, me. If I had to say, I would suppose that it is because of all of those things, the other voice replied in a disinterested tone.

Zerzoregin felt a chilling sensation. The repulsive sensation of being eaten away at by an unknown being.

At the same time, he thought of a possible reason as to why he had not been able to defeat Vandalieu.

You bastard, you put me at a disadvantage in order to allow Vandalieu to defeat me - he began.

That is a misunderstanding, me. I am a part of me. I did everything in my power to try to become the Demon King, did I not? No matter who a Skill belongs to originally, I can make it my own by assimilating it. Is that not my power as the Evil God of Cannibalism and Pillaging?

Zerzoregin was convinced by this explanation. This would mean that the reason he had been defeated in battle was because he was weaker, but he accepted that. Right now, survival was his top priority - wait, why had this voice opposed the prioritization of survival?

Why had it suddenly begun talking in the first place?

At that moment, Zerzoregin realized that he had made a fatal mistake.

That is right, me. I am no longer the Evil God of Cannibalism and Pillaging. A moment ago, I willingly cut Forzajibal away from myself. Therefore, I lost the ability to make stolen Skills my own, the other voice said, its speech growing more polite, and its tone becoming more flat and more like that of a prepubescent boy. I do understand wanting to keep Borgadon, though. You could use him as a hostage, and there might be an opportunity to gather the worship of the people again in the future. But now that things have come to this, you know what I want. Don't you?

S-stop! Don't! Zerzoregin said desperately.

Trying to stop me with the strength of your mind is impossible. I have fused with your soul, after all. There's no way you can disobey your own soul, is there?

Vandalieu could taste the texture and flavor of devouring Zerzoregin's soul, and understood that he had acquired several fragments of the Demon King, but the stolen Skills did not return.

"It's good that I've acquired the muscles of the Demon King, but... I'll have to take the time to relearn my Skills," said Vandalieu.

"Your Majesty..." said Princess Levia, disheartened by the news that the 'Dark King Magic' Skill hadn't returned.

Rapiéçage let out a sad groan as well.

"There is no time to be depressed! We must increase our efforts so that we can serve as Vandalieu-sama's power until his Skills have returned!" said Chipuras.

"That's right! I'll make an effort! I'll make lots of effort! EFFORT!" shouted Berkert excitedly.

"Silence, you fools! Think about how Vandalieu-sama must be feeling!" said Daroak.

"No, Chipuras, I'm not depressed or anything. I know I'm going to struggle for a while, but that's about it," said Vandalieu.

"As expected of you, Vandalieu-sama!" said Isla. "But 'Danger Sense: Death' and the Demon King's fragments being less effective than before is a serious problem. We need to address this right away."

"You're right, Isla. When we get back, I suppose I'll be training and studying for a while," Vandalieu said.

As this conversation was taking place, near the ruined remains of Zerzoregin's vessel, the vessel suddenly moved slightly.

"Vandalieu, it seems that it is still moving," said Gufadgarn.

"Hmm? It has no vitality left anymore, so why?" Vandalieu wondered.

Zerzoregin's vessel suddenly began regenerating at an explosive rate, regrowing its upper body half in seconds.

In the next moment, it let out a roar that sounded devoid of intelligence as it sprang to its feet like an animal and leapt at Vandalieu.

However, its movements were fatally unrefined. This attack may have worked on the average enemy, but it would not work on Vandalieu. It was as if it were begging to be killed.

"Could it be that Forzajibal's soul is left inside its body?" Vandalieu said as he unleashed a series of 'God Spirit Magic' spells.

Spears of black flames, masses of ice, lighting strikes, and beams of light pierced the vessel one after another, and the once-robust body that had served as a vessel for an evil god fell to the ground once more.

Again, Vandalieu felt the sensation of devouring a god's soul and the sensation of acquiring a fragment of the Demon King. And -

I'm back, me, said a familiar voice in his head.

... Welcome back, me, Vandalieu replied, feeling exasperated but relieved at the sensation of something that was supposed to be inside him returning to its rightful place.