Chapter 20 - Under a New Body [1]
"My name is Kuro Cyth, and I'm into women who wear glasses. I also like those who wear stockings and think they're obscenely attractive."
Sitting on a bench outside the apartment I once called home, I boldly expressed my tastes in women, oblivious to any sense of public decency.
"Today, I want to express my gratitude to Gael for one reason: hiding the truth about my adoption so that my feelings towards my siblings weren't lust, but rather abhorrence."
As if I was brainwashing myself, I pressed my noodly arms against my head, expressing a sound that echoed both in pain and an odd, endearing cuteness.
It's unsettling to hear a feminine voice expressing lewd thoughts as if it belonged to an old man, especially when I, in truth, am actually an old man myself.
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...
"Alright, my preferences remain unchanged, phew." I murmured to myself, relieved to know that I'm still attracted to women.
If this world hadn't been destroyed and I talked to myself about my tastes in women in public, I would have been outed as a pervert.
Well, if I were still a guy, that is.
Although I spent the last few days cooped up in my room before arriving in Aleph, I at least made a genuine effort to look presentable.
"Now look at me, so frail and small." I held a mirror and looked at myself in despair.
My hands were so skinny compared to my original body, I wondered if I was malnourished.
Because I'm shorter, the clothes I wore as a guy ended up oversized. To make them fit, I had to tie them to the side, though it was still a snug fit.
I was already struggling to catch up with Noah and the others, and now I turned into a girl?
Is this a trial given to me because I slacked off? Is that it?
Having lived my life as a guy until now, even movement in this body felt foreign—like I had truly transmigrated once more.
With each dilemma I faced and every decision I made, it all led to this conclusion.
Everything fell silent when something clicked in my head.
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Question: If you were to turn into a girl, what would you do first?
Internally ripping off my skin in anguish, I ask myself this question whenever I take a shower, a sanctuary where ideas worth gold pop out one after another.
There was only one correct answer.
—Grope...
"Hmm, intriguing." I nodded my head and closed my eyes. There was no need for words to describe this... unfamiliar sensation.
Turning 150 cm-ish, a height close to a midget, my chest was modest—an all-rounder, I say.
Next, I looked at my bottom, wearing oversized pants that seemed to cling to the bare minimum. If I ran, they would undoubtedly slip right off.
The same thing goes with my underwear.
Filled with hesitation, I had no choice but to get this over with, not out of any sinful thoughts, but out of curiosity.
"Kgh... fine, I'll do it dammit!"
—Shove!
I quickly slipped my hand into my underwear, desperate to confirm if 'it' was still there.
...To my shock, it had vanished out of existence.
"It's... it's not there." My eyes sank into grief, drowning out the odd sensations I felt racing through my body when I did that.
Even for me, this was too much for a joke.
This undeniably confirmed it—I had no choice but to accept the truth—
I had transformed into a girl.
"Waaah..." I let out a cry, both unexpected and sorrowful.
...It only deepened my turmoil, as I struggled to accept the fact that a grown ass man could produce that sound.
"My hair feels so smooth and silky..." I brushed my long hair, examining the golden strands that appeared out of nowhere.
A few minutes have passed after I almost bawled like a child in a tantrum.
I... I still struggle to accept my situation, but recognizing that this wasn't the time for self-pity, I set those feelings aside for now.
Turning into a girl, I couldn't help but notice the drastic changes in my body besides turning into a girl.
My hair wasn't pure black anymore; I now had strands of gold that clearly grew unnaturally.
My eyes were also affected, somewhat similar to the Royal Families of Demiurge.
The Historia family has true golden eyes, which give them a gem-like appearance.
The Heavenfall family had scarlet-red eyes, with Noah's case being unique when he inherited the Eyes of Verity.
As for me, my eyes possessed a more... primal quality, with pupils that resembled a cat's, slit vertically.
All of these changes were nice of their own accord. At least I can boast about having unique features rather than having none at all.
But it wasn't my hair or eyes that were the prominent issue; it was something else entirely.
I felt more energized than usual, even if my senses were deluded from the start.
Despite my left arm's sorry state, I found myself using it without any issues.
I could also use Form as if it were an extra limb, and my mana core was larger than before.
All of this had something to do with the markings on my left wrist and the Ichor's sudden disappearance.
As if expertly crafted by a seasoned tattoo artist, intricate black-and-gold sigils adorned my wrist, symbolizing the foreboding nature of the Exitium stone, paired with the refined beauty of the Ichor.
As if it were the most natural thing, I effortlessly formed a backpack and a mirror from Ichor, unaware of how I had done so.
"Ah... I remember now." Something clicked in my head; the dream I had last night seemed to be the catalyst for how this happened in the first place.
"Wait, so the Exitium Stone and the Ichor are inside me...?" I held my left arm, unsure whether this was supposed to be a good thing.
Within me dwell two fragments of deities: one embodies darkness and malevolence, while the other is an unfamiliar presence.
That... obviously can't be a good thing, right?
I should've been screaming my lungs out at this moment, but I've already done so 20 minutes ago about becoming a girl.
To test the waters, I tried to form a simple cube with Ichor to see what happens.
—Vooom...!
Instead of a radiant, glowing light, numerous threads emerged from my fingertips, eventually creating an incomplete giant cube.
The intricate tattoo on my left wrist went from gold to pitch-black, telling me I had reached my limit.
Realizing I was correct, I drew the Ichor back into my left arm, causing the tattoo to return to its golden hue.
"...Cool." My eyes sparkled a little, happy about how valuable this was.
I've transformed into an adorable girl and carried fragments of two genuine gods. Who is there to judge me but myself?
"It's just absurd to me how this all transpired overnight, I can't help but feel... overwhelmed."
I sank into the ground, soaking in the warm sunlight, letting it wash over me like a comforting embrace.
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With this newfound power, can I save whatever is left in this world?
Or is it already too late, and I'm the last remaining human on Earth, living alone forever?
"...No, I should stop thinking too negatively," I said out loud and clenched my arm.
Although my beliefs were shaken to the core by everything I've been through, a new one arose deep in my chest.
After being trampled and betrayed too many times to count, Noah saved my life.
He was the only person who defied those expectations and even sacrificed his own for me.
Too late or not, I want to change. I want to cling to this hope that I managed to grasp so dearly.
Is it selfish of me to think of such a thing when Noah is now gone?
Even if I was wrong, Noah would tap me on the shoulder and tell me it wasn't a big deal.
That's just the kind of person he is, after all.
Here's what I discovered about my new abilities after I absorbed the Ichor.
First, I can freely manipulate the Ichor by infusing it with mana, strengthening it as long as I know how to utilize it.
The glaring issue was how difficult it is to control the Ichor efficiently.
Even if I take pride in my mana control, controlling the Ichor was more complex than I thought.
Second, I no longer have control of the other abilities of the Ichor, Conjure and Copy.
This was a substantial drawback, since the Insignia was a powerful artifact that could save me in tricky situations.
Still, it won't matter if I couldn't even use it in the first place.
Last but not least, the most significant change was that my mana core improved.
My mana control has stayed consistent, yet I can feel the vibrant energy swirling within me, improving my mana capacity.
This newfound sensation was precisely what I needed, as it addressed the one aspect I had been struggling with the most.
People can naturally improve their mana capacity if they keep using magic. But magic aptitudes exist, and mine is below average.
Even though I started with minimal mana, it's still vastly better than having almost none at all.
If there was a flaw to this newfound ability, it's the experience of getting used to it.
I'm still uncertain about the consequences of this power, so I need to remain alert and avoid overusing it.
"Alright... I should get going now." I took my luggage, which is the size of a fridge, thanks to messing around with the Ichor.
There's also one more thing that changed, the most significant one: my appearance.
To avoid bashing my head against the wall, I chose to put off thinking about it for now and focus on what I need to do.
"I can't help but wonder... am I still Kuro Cyth?" I carefully packed a few essentials into my Ichor-crafted backpack.
In my first life, I lived as a normal person, someone who kept things to themselves.
In my second life, I lived as Kuro Historia, the only male heir of the Historia family, as the infamous failure.
But now, who am I?
"..." Deep in thought, I spotted a glass shard on the floor near the bathroom.
There, I could see a reflection of myself, a girl who wasn't normal in any sense.
If I have to compare, this decadent beauty was comparable to the Historia sisters, whom I envisioned as women so stunning that they seem to sparkle.
Maybe it's because I was desensitized to beauty; my reflection didn't faze me at all.
It's just a shame that this breathtaking girl was me.
It'll be a treacherous journey, that's for sure.
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Aria.
Aria Cyth.
That... is my new name.
Although I made so many mistakes that I deeply regretted them. They are what moulded me today.
I'll turn the next page of the story myself, this time with a firm resolve.
I pray that this time, I make the right choice.
I refuse to be confined by the world's expectations; I want to be the author of my own destiny.
With each step, I walk farther away until my apartment fades away into the distance.
Part of me wants to go back, but what is left for me to do?
One day, I'll find out what I'm going to live for.
I might meet a diverse array of people on this journey, or the road will be a solitary one.
I'll explore a bunch of different places and countries, each challenging the beauty of the architectural marvel known as Arcadia.
Not as someone bound by their little box, nor someone who neglected everything.
But as Aria Cyth, someone who wishes to find a place to belong.
