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The Tears of Undine──
As snow thawed on the distant sacred mountain, its water eventually transformed into a large river that wound its way towards the western regions of the continent. If they kept running through the wilderness for several hours, they’d likely reach that natural border.
With that close at hand, Resist stopped their cars, staring at the scenery unfolding in front of their eyes while feeling dumbfounded.
“Why in this place…”
Jeanne’s mutter wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. It was nothing more than an unconscious exhibition of her current mental state.
“…Isn’t that just like Paradise?”
A space existed in the middle of a wilderness that was overrun with crack lines all over the ground.
A lush, green lawn that woke the urge to keep sprinting across the soft grass barefoot. Ripe fruits of various colors were hanging from big trees, hidden between vibrant leaves. Swarms of small birds were perching on branches, using them as resting places, while butterflies feasted on flowers.
A space of gentle peace and tranquility, barring any sort of conflict or fight between its inhabitants.
“Wooow. Hey, hey, Kai, those fruits smell really sweet.”
“Wait, Rinne. We’ve been brought to this place by that Succubus Lord. The fruits might smell nice, but they could be deadly poison. Carelessly picking them up would──”
“Oh, it tastes great!”
“Did you hear a single word I said!? …Bah. But, you are right, that’s one decent fruit, I must admit.”
Rinne and Reirin were nibbling on red fruits. They resembled apples, but were a lot juicier. Lured by the sweet aroma, even the mercenaries couldn’t help but to enviously look up to the fruits.
“The air doesn’t smell dusty and just lying down here feels comfortable. Okay, I’ve made up my mind! Jeanne, we’re going to stay here today!”
“In this place? But, that’s different from our schedule…”
“We’d drive all night long, and once we were to reach the border, it’d be evening as well. So, it’s much smarter to wait here until morning than being spotted and chased by mythical beasts at night, right?”
“I agree~”
Rinne and Reirin were lying sprawled on the green carpet. After looking down at those two with a deep sigh, Jeanne exchanged an eye signal with the aide next to her.
“Liaison Officer Gregory.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“What do you think? Should we spend the night in this place?”
“Our highest priority should rest with the situation of Schultz. We haven’t gotten in touch with Schultz through the small communication device built into our car. It will only be after we cross the border of Schultz that we will get a signal.”
It was an exemplary reply for a staff officer. The first and foremost objective of Kai’s group was to return to the western federation as quickly as possible and join up with Commander Balmung and his men.
“So, crossing the border as soon as possible justifies all means?”
“Yes. But, we still have two days left. The eight days suggested by you back then can be called a superb estimate when considering that you came up with it on the spot.”
The personnel selection and preparations took three days. They had departed Royal Capital Urzark in the morning of the fourth day. And that was the day before yesterday.
“We will still have time, even if we spend the night here. Crossing the border tomorrow and joining up with the allied forces of Schultz on the next day isn’t unreasonable. However, I would like you to wait with your judgment until we finish confirming the safety of this location.”
An emerald sanctuary──
An isolated space of comfort, set up in an otherwise deserted and dead wasteland, just like an oasis in a desert. The veteran mercenaries had immediately realized the possibility of this being a trap.
“Please wait until my men have finished the investigation. In the first place, this is a place designated to us by a devil. We don’t know just what it could be hiding.”
“Oh my, you trust me so little?”
With a flap, he got hugged from behind. A bewitching devil was pressing her voluptuous chest against his back. She used her spread wings to fully envelop Liaison Officer Gregory, making it impossible for him to escape.
“Captain!”
“gh! L-Let go of me!?”
“You were spot on. It’s silly to believe what a devil tells you. This is a good mindset to have.”
“──Hinemarill!”
“Ooh, how scary. Even without you being so worried, I’ve only been touching this human here. It’s okay. Succubi follow a proper procedure when sucking vitality. He’s still alright.”
A ridiculous strength was hidden in her thin arms. The devil embraced Gregory, showing no signs of releasing him.
In front of Jeanne.
That scene was equal to the devil having taken a hostage.
“You don’t believe the words of a devil. That is correct. But, you see, don’t you think it’ll hurt my mood, if you glare at me with such bare hostility from close-by?”
“…Ugh?”
Gregory’s face twisted. Because of the chills from being hugged by a Succubus and the sharpness of her remark.
“You think I plan to catch the whole lot of you after inviting you to this place? How silly. If I had such intentions, I wouldn’t have gone the extra mile and instead bombarded your capital from the sky.”
“……”
“This is no devil trap. Got it?”
“…I understand.”
Jeanne answered with a sigh in exchange for Gregory who had turned pale at this point.
“It’s fine already, Hinemarill. I will trust you that this isn’t a devil’s trap. It’s the words of the commanding officer you wish to hear rather than those of a liaison officer, right?”
“I’m happy to see you understand.”
The devil girl smiled all over her face. And as soon as she let go of Gregory, she ignored him, apparently having lost all interest in his existence.
“Ah, but although I won’t do anything, a Steel Device might still be lurking somewhere around here. If you’re afraid, how about you put up some guards? ──Anyway, umm, Tai.”
“It’s Kai.”
“Oh, right. That was it. Remembering human names is such a chore. Come here,” the Succubus Lord beckoned him over.
“Hugging the human just now felt really yucky. I wonder whether there’s any human around who would accept me gently?”
“────”
“Ah, you plan to ignore me?”
“You’ve got something hidden deeper in this place, right? Lead us there instead of teasing me. After all, I’ve never been here before, unlike you.”
“……”
“What?”
The devil girl was staring at him. Was her silence a manifestation of her anger? No, that wasn’t the case. The eyes of this Succubus Lord were fiercely gleaming as if she had discovered something interesting.
“You’re weird. You’re accustomed to talking to my kind.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been answering me as if talking to a human”
“…You think so? I’m not conscious of it. It’s just that I’ve grown used to talking with other races.”
“I know. This unconscious way of talking is proof that you’re accustomed to it, is what I said. You’re a truly odd human. Such a──”
Rinne and Reirin; spotting those two behind Kai, the devil girl revealed a bitter smile, almost as if being at a loss for words for a change. Seemingly wanting to say that she couldn’t understand, she shrugged her shoulders.
──Leading so many other races with you, do you plan to become the king of the world?
Those words──the Succubus Lord’s voice──had probably only reached Kai and the two behind him.
“……………”
“What’s wrong for you to pull such a befuddled face? That’s unusual for you, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t know what would be the best answer here.”
He looked up above himself, troubled by the reply.
“…King of the world, huh?”
He still hadn’t talked about his background to this Succubus Lord. She should only know him as the human who defeated Dark Empress Vanessa.
The king of the world──
A title so vain and overflowing with cynicism that he couldn’t think of anything worse.
“Hinemarill.”
“What?”
“I’m not a human of this world. No one remembers me and even Resist initially treated me as a suspicious person. That’s why I’m no king or whatsoever.”
“Eh?”
Now it was Hinemarill’s turn to be dumbfounded, her mouth wide-open. But, she quickly tightened her expression and narrowed her eyes, looking at him dubiously.
“Do you plan to provoke me by saying such cryptic things? I like making fun of other races, but I loathe having done the same to me.”
“Then ask Jeanne. It’s not like I’m making fun of you.”
“……”
“If you want to hear the details, I’ll tell you while we’re on the move tomorrow. But, apart from that, you brought us here, right? Please guide us at least.”
“…Such a tease. Oh well, whatever. It is the place I asked you to come to.”
A slightly elevated, green paradise surrounded by trees──
Hinemarill proceeded further inside with a face showing her familiarity with this place.
…But, did such a place exist in the Urza Federation?
…I’ve never heard it mentioned in official history.
Is it a place created in a world with a different history? But even if that’s true, it’s still a surprise for such a vibrant paradise of greenery to exist in the midst of such a desolate wasteland.
“Ancient demons discovered this place, yet there’s no devils here?”
“We have no interest in such a forest imitation. I told you before, didn’t I? The only thing interesting to me here is that man-made building.”
“Building?”
“The multi-floor building with no doors. Don’t ask devils to bother with minor details, my dear.”
Heading towards the edge of the fruit-bearing trees, they passed through the forest, which was more like an orchard, while listening to the twittering of the birds. But then the visual field suddenly opened up, revealing a stone building towering high into the sky with green moss growing all over its surface.
“Ehh!?” Rinne squeaked.
“Huh…w-what’s this!? Hey, washboard elf, what’s going on here?”
“That’s my line.”
The elven priestess audibly gulped.
“…No way. The ancient ruin that used to be in the elven forest is now over here…!?”
Unanalyzed God-made Ancient Ruin. A huge rock ruin made by processing big boulders into blocks. It was considered to have been around since olden times like the Graveyard, but it was unclear who actually built it. But, Kai, at the very least, knew what sort of purpose this ruin used to have.
“I’m a being from a world where the Great War of the Five Races ended.”
“Asurasoraka. I’ve been called 「Prayer Goddess」 by the humans for my ability to see the future.”
“…The ruin of a Goddess of Prophecy!?”
There was one in the northern federation as well, wasn’t there? No one from Resist knows. It’s a land ruled by devils, so it must have stood there silently for many hundred years without any humans learning of it.
…The Megalith in the elven forest was a temple of Prayer Child Asurasoraka. Then, what about this place? Is it dedicated to another god of prediction?
Mercenary King Archine Sid Collateral, the 「Sid」 of this world, had hinted at the existence of gods of prediction other than the Prayer Child.
“So how about it? You’re a human, so you should know about this, right?”
“Hinemarill, we don’t know anything about this ruin either. All I can tell you is that I saw something similar in the Io Federation.” They resembled each other, but Kai wasn’t confident enough to tell whether both objects were the same. “To be honest, I want to know myself.”
“But, the only beings building such whimsical things are humans or sidhes, right? Elf, what about you?”
“We don’t use this sort of stone.” The elven priestess touched that huge, moss-covered rock. “However, I don’t think this was made by humans either. Look, Succubus. The stones of this ruins have no seams. Even dwarves would have a very hard time processing such gigantic stones. For humans it’d be impossible.”
“What are you trying to tell me?”
“…It looks like an ancient ruin, but it has no door.”
“So? What about it?”
“No, that’s why, umm…err…in other words…”
“You don’t know?”
“…………Well, you could also phrase it like that.”
“Bah, how useless,” pushing up her ample chest, the Succubus Lord directed a look full of contempt at Reirin, and added, “Just what is the point of your existence if you don’t have a brain or chest anyway?”
“I do have a brain and chest, don’t──────!”
“With that said, that’s the reason why I got curious. Tell me, just what is this?” She shifted her eyes to Kai. “It’s not a fort built by humans, right? You won’t tell me it’s a cunning structure for the sake of the humans rising against the devils, will you? In such a case, I won’t mind.”
“Are we done here then?”
“Yes. If you’d said that this is a human fortress, I would have destroyed it, but if that’s not the case, I won’t care since I hold no interest in dull piles of rocks,” Hinemarill averted her face.
On the other hand──
Reirin was intently staring at the ruin in front of her nose. And Rinne was pressing an ear against the outer wall of the ruin, too.
“Can you hear anything, Rinne?”
“No, nothing at all. I thought I might possibly pick up something, but this is just plain, ordinary stone. A very big stony.”
At that point, they could hear the footsteps of the soldiers who had investigated the interior of the oasis.
“Lady Jeanne, we finished the check. This whole place appears to be a small watering hole. We discovered a spring with fresh water deeper inside.”
“……A final repose before we plunge into enemy territory, huh?” Jeanne exchanged a look with the soldiers around her, “Gentlemen, we will pitch out camp here. Get a break, starting with the squad that finished inspecting the cars.”
2
The small paradise──
At a time when the green orchard was dyed in black, all small birds, who had previously perched on branches, were now in hiding. Only the chirping of insects so small that they blended into the environment betrayed any life.
“It’s a truly quiet place, isn’t it? Not a single beast has come out, even though it’s night. …Ah, right. Rinne, please fetch a dry cloth from my bag.”
“Okaaay. Is this one good?”
“That’s my shirt, you know!? I was talking about a cloth to clean the gun!”
Just as Kai was in the middle of maintaining his Drake Nail, Rinne interrupted his work under the pretext of wanting to help out. Meanwhile, a cheerful humming could be heard from next to him.
“Hmmhmhmmm hmmhhhm. You mix this and this together, then dilute it. I guess I’ll add a little bit of this as well.”
“Reirin, the bad stench keeps getting worse by the second.”
“A good medicine must sting in the nose. The stronger an effect a medicine has, the stronger its smell,” Reirin said while shaking a container similar to a flask.
It contained a murky liquid reminiscent of when you squeezed a lemon, but currently white smoke was rising from it in front of Kai.
“However, its effect is too potent, so humans will faint if they drink it.”
“What’s the friggin’ point of it then!?”
“Don’t worry. I intend to adjust its potency by diluting it enough so that humans can take it. Let’s see, I think I have to dilute it by around thirty to fifty times.”
“I really don’t know what to say about this awfully big adjustment range you’re working there…”
“It’s in the range of measurement error. Just be quiet and watch.”
Reirin didn’t budge the slightest bit as she said on the grass. As far as Kai was concerned, it was an extremely worrisome reply, but her expression was the very definition of seriousness.
“Wasn’t there that one time when you got wounded, Master? Back then I also applied highly efficient elven medicine on you, but the one this time is completely different from such ointments. You said you want a fully-fledged combat enhancer, right?”
“Yeah, an elven drug boosting physical abilities would be great.”
“…Good lord, the world is such a big place, and yet you, master, are the first human I met who boldly tells me to hand over elven medicine, you know?” Reirin smiled bitterly while placing the flask on the ground.
“It’s for the sake of going against a mythical beast with a ridiculously huge body. Or to be more precise, you should understand if I tell you that it’s in preparation for a rematch with Rath=IE…”
“So it’s a tough opponent after all?”
“I need to have an ace in the sleeve. To be honest, it’s probably more correct to say that I just thought it’d be better to have something than having nothing.”
“That’s plenty of reason.”
The opponent in Kai’s imaginary, mental battles over the last few days had been Rath=IE, the hero of the mythical beasts. It’d take them another two days to reach the west. It was necessary to prepare means to deal with him until then.
…Rath=IE is a manticore.
…Moreover a singularity. It wouldn’t be wrong to think of it as a naturally-born 「Ultra-Combat-Oriented」being.
Even a tank’s shell didn’t put a single scratch on it. Only Code Holder would work on it.
However, during their first battle, Kai had launched a surprise attack with Code Holder. This wouldn’t work a second time since Rath=IE would likely be vigilant of any surprise attacks.
Next was a plan to clash with Rath=IE from the front.
“Just one blow will do. All will be fine as long as I can dodge that thing’s attacks and counterattack once.”
“Hmm, I see. Well, I suppose that’s the most you can do.”
The elven priestess fixedly stared at the medicine which was in the process of making.
Thereupon, “Hey, Kai. KAI, sheesh! How long are you going to make me wait?”
The devil girl’s voice echoed through the orchard. Hinemarill peeked her face out of a tent, suspiciously beckoning him over.
“Humans sleep at night, don’t they? And speaking of sleep, that’s when succubi like me get their turn, right? So be a good boy and come here so that we can nicely sleep together.”
A soft and coaxing voice, so sweet that you could almost smell it.
“Come on──”
“Let me tell you in advance, but that’s not your tent, Hinemarill.”
“Oh my? This is your tent, isn’t it?” The Succubus Lord blinked her eyes in surprise after having previously sneaked into the tent ahead of everyone else.
Kai fully turned around to the devil girl and clearly pointed at another tent, “Your tent is the one next to it.”
“So?”
“So you’re going to share a tent with Rinne and Reirin.”
“……”
Silence reigned for a while.
And then…
“Wait a momeeeeeeent!?”
“I don’t wannaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“You gotta be kidding──────”
The voices of a mixed race, sidhe, and devil thundered across the night sky. After they screamed around for a period, it was Reirin who managed to speak normally first. She jumped up with such a vigor that it flung the flask with the medicine away.
“Why!? Why must I share a tent with a succubus!?”
“I’m fine sleeping in the same tent as you, Kai!”
“Even I obviously prefer being together with you, Kai, than those mongrels here. Spending a night in the same tent as the human who defeated Elder Sister Vanessa…ahh, just thinking about what an exciting night it would be!”
Their voices were so loud that the soldiers on watch turned around to them. One of them even readied his gun, apparently feeling Hinemarill’s harsh words to be especially bad.
“Ah…calm down a bit, you girls. People are sleeping in the other tents right now.”
Now then, how should I pacify the situation?
Kai carefully chose his words while being surrounded by the three non-human girls.
“Looking at it from a scientific point of view, all three of you are biologically female. Get along with each other, okay?”
“We’re of different races! There’s no way I can sleep in the same tent as a devil!”
“Personally, I have more of a problem with Kai not being present!”
“I want to be together with Kai alone. The other two are unneeded. They’d just get in the way of our fun night.”
It was in vain. Far from calming their flared tempers, he apparently added even more oil to it.
…Wait, why do I have to take care of Hinemarill as if it’s normal?
…Just handling Rinne and Reirin is already quite a challenge. These two are 「other races who disguised themselves as humans」 to begin with. Reirin still works one way or another if she hides her elven ears, but Rinne can’t hide the wings on her back either way.
Right now Kai had his hands full just hiding Rinne’s true identity from Resist.
“Look, Kai, I know all about it! Succubus get close to humans and steal their vitality. You’ll be in danger if you sleep with her!”
“Isn’t mooching off a tiny bit no biggie?”
Far from becoming timid over this, the Succubus Lord strengthened her questionable gaze even further.
“Hey, Kai, it’s fine, isn’t it? I’ve been following you because I’ve been looking forward to this, you see? Let’s spend a wonderful night together in the tent, okay?”
“I’d prefer to be spared from having a weird illusion cast on me.”
“Ah, wait a sec!?”
Ignoring the devil girl, Kai flopped down on the lawn. It’d be much safer to sleep outside than inside the tent. Especially since he didn’t know what the Succubus Lord might be scheming.
“…Bah, what a rude human you are! I’m going out of my way to invite you, and yet you turn me down!”
“Where do you plan to go?”
“Bath. This place is full of humans. My reputation as a devil will take a hit, if the smell sticks.”
Washing off human scent; that’s probably some devilish purification ceremony. Come to think of it, I feel like Rinne and Reirin were quite eager about bathing when they were still unaccustomed to humans.
“Or did you get in the mood to take a look at my naked body? Wanna come along?”
“Reirin said that she’d go in my place.”
“I never said anything like that!?”
“It can’t be helped, can it? Letting the Succubus Lord wander off by herself is still not an option.”
“…Ugh, no choice then. Just now I finished the first stage of adjusting the medicine, so I guess I’ll also wash off my sweat while using this as a break.”
Rinne, who couldn’t hide the wings on her back, couldn’t afford to have her naked body seen in any case. So Reirin was the only one suited for taking a bath together with Hinemarill.
“Good grief, taking a bath in the same lake as a devil…I definitely don’t want my brethren to ever find out about this…”
“Bathing with an elf, you say? It won’t bring me any joy to look at such a perfectly flat body, you know?”
“That’s my line. Just the imagination of having to see your obscene body gives me chills.”
The elf and Succubus Lord walked off while insulting each other.
“Man, now it should be quiet for a while, I hope.”
“Yay! I’m all alone with Kai now! I’ll sleep next to you!”
“Wait, that’s out of the question, too,” he kept back Rinne who had leaped at him like a kitten.
At that moment, faint footsteps approached, treading across the grass. The one walking up to them from behind as if to tag out with the two girls who went bathing was their commander in full armor.
“Ah, Jean~nya, is something the matter?”
“What are you asking!? I came running because I could hear you causing a ruckus over here. My subordinates are worried, complaining about the devil being so noisy.”
Kai and Rinne were the only ones in this place right now. Jeanne seemed to have immediately noticed the absence of the Succubus Lord and elf.
“What about that girl?”
“Bath. Reirin is watching her.”
“Will it be okay with Reirin? Is it alright for you to not watch, Kai?”
“…Me following her will only lead to problems, don’t you think?”
As might be expected of a succubus, Hinemarill’s outward appearance was that of an incredibly beautiful girl. She had a bewitching body that seemed to have been made for tempting humans and since she’d flaunt it to Kai, things would get nasty.
“How about you watch her, Jeanne?”
“No, thanks. If I was shown something like that so brazenly…a sense of defeat…”
“?”
“N-Nevermind that. Now that I know the reason for the uproar, I’ll go back to my──”
『Wait, Jeanne』
『This machine is pretty nice, don’t you think so?』
A tranquil voice. A voice of reverberating affection made the grass underneath their feet rustle in ripples. He would never forget it. This mysterious voice which always seemed to resonate directly inside his head──
“gh”
Rinne’s body trembled with a start. Faster than Kai was able to understand the reason for it, the dull sound of something collapsing hit him from the woods.
“That voice just now…!”
Jeanne whirled around in the direction of the noise. She headed deeper inside the woods with careful steps. Kai was the one following her….but…
“Rinne?”
“──────────────”
Rinne had silently grabbed his hand. She was intently looking up to him as if she wanted to tell him something.
“What’s wrong?”
“…My chest is astir. The voice just now, umm, err…”
“The Prayer Goddess, right? I recall her voice as well.”
She was the goddess who had called herself Prayer Child Asurasoraka. Going by the anecdote of her having bestowed Code Holder to the historical Sid, there was no doubt about her existence being something transcendental.
“Kai, Rinne,” Jeanne beckoned them over from in-between the trees.
Hasn’t a cavity broad enough for a single person appeared at the front of the moss-covered, stone Megalith which shouldn’t have a single seam or groove?
…A hidden pathway? Was it hidden so boldly in front of our eyes?
…No one noticed it during the daytime.
Leaving humans aside, for even a devil and elf to not notice anything must mean that it uses a very advanced technology. It’s an ancient ruin truly deserving of the title Megalith.
“…It’s telling us to advance through this.”
“Wait, Jeanne. If we go, I’ll take the lead. Jeanne, please cover my back.”
A stone pathway. This ruin resembled a graveyard so much that Kai was actually hallucinating that he might be inside a graveyard. The walls had a structure that consisted of stacked-up square cubes with side lengths of one meter that had been cut out of a huge rock and processed.
It was a dark and narrow stone path. And beyond lay a space of prayer colored in a fairy-tale-like 「blue」 as you wouldn’t find it anywhere in this world.
A blue sanctuary.
It was a chapel consisting of pallid glass sheets, reaching all the way from the ceiling to below their feet.
“The same as in the elven forest…?”
『These sanctuaries leading to me are unevenly distributed in places all over the world. I told you, didn’t I?』
On a pedestal, which was assimilated with the inner wall, stood the statue of a female human. Her body was entirely hidden underneath a robe. Going by eye measurement, Kai estimated its height to go above ten meters. A statue of the one called Prayer Child Asurasoraka.
Even though it was supposed to be inorganic stone, the gentle woman born out of it unmistakably used the voice of a living creature with all its undulations.
『But, Jeanne, Kai, it was unexpected that you would arrive in this place belonging to the Urza Federation. Including the fact of you being accompanied by a sidhe and devil』
“…Reirin and Hinemarill?”
『I believe it’s an action you took after thinking it over thoroughly in your own way. But』, the voice admonished them gently, 『I don’t recommend you to have those two races around you. Both of them are the enemies of humans. Even if they kill mythical beasts, that fact does not change. Especially you, Jeanne, should remember. The countless town that were razed to the ground by the devils on this land of Urza』
“…gh.”
『As commander leading humans, you must actually feel the guilty conscience weigh down on you, right? If the people of Urza learned that you allow a devil and elf to secretly accompany──』
“…T-That’s…”
“Please wait. I have something to say about this as well.” As Jeanne faltered in her answer, Kai called out to the goddess statue without waiting for either to continue, “It hasn’t been Jeanne’s intention to bring the other races along. The elf has suggested bringing the sidhe along, and the devil forced herself upon us. We didn’t have the strength to refuse this as humans. That is something you should be able to understand as well.”
『──────』
“Asurasoraka, according to official history, you have witnessed the Great War of the Five Races, right?”
『Indeed, I did』
“In that case you ought to comprehend. The current Great War of the Five Races has started to °°gradually deviate from the Great War of the Five Races as it’s recorded in the history books.°°”
Probably because of the absence of Prophet Sid──
Or maybe because the mysterious monster called Rasterizer──
There might be various reasons for it, but in this world, where the humans have already lost, it’s probably impossible for mankind’s rebel army to keep winning with effort alone.
『You say the humans of this world cannot refuse the proposals from the other races?』
“That’s what I think. It’s what I’ve learned through experience after actually fighting in this world. Aren’t you barking up the wrong tree if you question only Jeanne about this?
『……』
The female statue remained silent. Kai didn’t know what this silence meant, though.
『The future is changing. The biggest cause for this might be you, Kai』
“Eh?”
『You should keep one thing in mind: You’re being targeted by the other races more than you think you are. To the extent that it’d be no exaggeration to even call you being loved by them』
“Me? You’re going too far here. I’m simply being dragged into things all the time.”
『…You might be right. I went a bit too far with my words. The strategy to fight the mythical beasts first is correct. That beastkin Rath=IE was the biggest obstacle of the Great War of the Five Races, according to the official history. I think you can call it the worst enemy for mankind』
The worst enemy for mankind──
The instant Kai heard these words, a freezing chill traveled down his spine.
Seriously? Is that mythical beast truly the worst enemy of men?
“…Asurasoraka.”
『What is it?』
“I agree with you about calling Rath=IE an enemy for the near future. But, is that hero truly the biggest obstacle of the Great War of the Five Races?”
『What do you mean?』
“There’s something I’d like you to tell me. I want to borrow your wisdom and knowledge,” Kai strained his voice as he looked up to the statue.
…Right, isn’t this the perfect chance right now?
…It’s possible that this Prophecy Goddess knows something about what worries me most.
He felt how the palms in his fists were sweaty.
“Rath=IE said something that bothers me.”
『That beastkin did?』
Doubt colored Asurasoraka’s voice.
『This is quite unexpected even for me. I didn’t imagine that thing to be capable of communicating with humans, but Kai, what did that beastkin tell you?』
“Do you know of the 『Great Founder』?”
『────────────────────────────────────』
An eternal silence. Prophet Child Asurasoraka’s silence was so deep and grim that Kai and Jeanne hesitated to speak up.
『…Isn’t that the name of the calamity which Prophet Sid has been chasing continuously?』
“fg! So you knew!?”
『Even I heard about it from Sid. Even after bringing the Great War of the Five Races to a close and succeeding in locking all the races away in the Graveyard, he seemed to be plagued by some sort of doubt… Ah, right, thinking back on it now, I can also guess the reason why he hid Code Holder』
“You mean in the Graveyard of Devils?”
『Yes』
Prophet Sid predicted that the world’s cycle of rebirth would resume. No one other than Dark Empress Vanessa confirmed this. Of course, Prophet Child Asurasoraka had no way of knowing about any of it.
『Kai, your Code Holder is the one I gave to Sid in the past』
“Yeah, I heard so.”
『It’s a sword that becomes unnecessary once the Great War of the Five Races ends. For this reason, I’ve been waiting for him to give it back to me. But, he never showed up. He probably believed that the Code Holder would become necessary again. And this prophecy proved to be correct』
“…I was saved thanks to this.”
Kai had his life saved by Code Holder. The same also applied to Rinne. If not for Sid’s sword, it’d have been impossible to release her when she was trapped in the space where Rasterizer was roaming.
『Let me get back to the main topic. I haven’t heard all there is to the Great Founder from Sid either. The one getting the closest to the core of the matter was Sid alone, and I think even the hero of the mythical beasts only knows of that name as small clue』
“You never investigated deeper into that Great Founder?”
『There are limits. For my current self… I told you, didn’t I? I used up all my power to create Code Holder』
Her intonation had a tinge of self-mockery to it. Even while having the form of a goddess statue, Kai could sense intelligence dwelling within.
『Let me add another reason as well. For Sid and me the Great War of the Five Races was the most important battle which would decide life or death. We focused all our attention on this war, which would directly lead to the destruction of humanity in case of a defeat, and thus postponed everything else』
“…It might be the same in this world as well.”
Kai’s glance was directed at Jeanne, a commanding officer of Resist. Perceiving his look, she nodded lightly.
…The wish of Resist is to end the Great War of the Five Races.
…But, the Great Founder should be the worst enemy for Rinne and me. There’s a discrepancy in our goals.
The reason why Kai was traveling with Resist was his conjecture that one of the four heroes was the main culprit who had induced the world’s cycle of rebirth. That search for the culprit felt like it had entered a new stage.
『Kai, you understand which enemy you should prioritize, correct?』
“I think our first priority is to rush over to the Schultz Federation. The investigation into the Great founder has to wait.”
Right now, the main priority was to defeat the mythical beasts and steel devices. Especially Tusk Emperor Rath=IE was way too dangerous. That beastkin, which had fused with Rasterizer, was genuinely a calamity quite capable of eradicating all of mankind.
“Kai, it’s time…,” Jeanne looked back. “A lot of time has already passed. Those two might come back soon.”
“Got it. I’d like to avoid being suspected by Reirin and Hinemarill.”
If those two come back and don’t find me anywhere, they’ll likely become suspicious. And seeing how Jeanne has her position as commanding officer of Resist, she can’t stay away from her men for too long either.
『Are you going?』
“Yeah. But, thanks to you, I also understood some things.”
As expected, the Great Founder existed in official history. There’s no doubt about Prophet Sid having been suspicious of the Great Founder, too. The problem lies in the question of how to investigate him who doesn’t exist in this world.
…There’s also Rikugen Kiyoko. He should remember Sid. And he’s in the West.
Heading to the Schultz Federation was directly connected to obtaining a clue about the Great Founder for Kai.
“Let’s go back. Is Rinne okay? Somehow she has been silent all the time.
『Just one last thing』, the goddess statue called out to Kai’s back as he had already turned around. 『This is no prophecy, but me being a meddler』
“What is it?”
『────────────Rinne』
The goddess statue didn’t address Jeanne nor Kai. She directed her next words at the girl who had the thinnest presence and kept her mouth shut across the entire conversation.
『I knew that you have kept a distance to me. The power left to me is faint, but you can still feel it, can’t you?』
“……”
“gh? What does that mean, Rinne?”
“…No idea,” Rinne answered timidly. While averting her eyes from the goddess statue in front of her, she added, “I’m getting chills while being in the place, but I don’t understand the reason.”
『Silly girl』, giggled the Prophet Child.
Her mouth underneath the stone-made robe moved slightly. A being that ought to be stone.
『It’s your hate towards your own kin』
“Eh?”
『Right now you’re facing your sole brethren in this world. Your heart still isn’t adjusted to it because of the lacking experience』
“…Huh? …U-Umm…”
『If my body hadn’t become like this, I could have shown you by taking off the robe』
“…..You…and me…?”
Rinne lifted her face, her eyes widened to the limit and her breathing stopped.
A goddess statue made out of stone. Rinne didn’t budge in the slightest as she stared up to it in a daze. And neither Kai nor Jeanne knew what to tell her.
『I also noticed the surge released by Rath=IE, who fused with Rasterizer, in an attempt to advance the liberation of the world’s cycle of rebirth. And also how you stopped that』
“I shall accelerate the corrosion of the world’s cycle of rebirth.”
“I’m telling you I’m going to stop that! I hate…your power! I absolutely detest it!”
I certainly saw it. That moment──
Rinne’s blond hair shone dazzlingly while the world changed its color due to the acceleration of its cycle of rebirth. The light which continued to be created infinitely by her transparent hair. It was the color of sunshine, just like Code Holder.
『I noticed that instant, You already understand, don’t you? Especially you, Kai, should know what I mean』
“gh, Code Holder!?”
Why didn’t I realize before?
In accordance with Prophet Child Asurasoraka’s words, Kai looked down at the demi-dragon’s claw he was grasping. The hints had been present from the very start.
…I escaped the world’s cycle of rebirth because Code Holder was there.
…But, Rinne had stopped Rath=IE’s transformation with her own power.
Rinne herself wasn’t aware of it. But, reality was very simple and inevitable.
“Rinne was of a race capable of resisting the world’s cycle of rebirth by nature…!?”
That’s the very reason why Rasterizer has identified Rinne as hostile entity. If you consider it like that, it also allow to explain why Rath=IE’s transformation had been stopped by Rinne’s power.
…As far as I know, there’s only two. Only Code Holder and Rinne can oppose the world’s cycle of rebirth. The power of both has the same nature. Therefore you can deduce that Rinne’s power is the same as the power of Prophet Child Asurasoraka, who created Code Holder.
“In short, your true identity…”
『Rinne, I’m the same as you. Just that I’m an individual who was born in a distant, ancient time, unlike you』
The true identity of the goddess statue, which had its whole body petrified, was a mixture of all races, just like Rinne?
“…The same as me?”
『You don’t need to dwell too deeply about it. Rather than that, I want to give you a warning』
“Eh?”
『You have become unable to hide the wings on your back, haven’t you? You overused your power. Its a recoil for doing the unreasonable by opposing the acceleration of the world’s cycle of rebirth』
Rinne’s wings were hidden thanks to a piece of Reirin’s spiritual garment being wrapped around her lower back. But, as someone of the same race as Rinne, the goddess statue had realized that Rinne couldn’t hide her wings any longer.
『It means you shouldn’t use that power too much while you’re unable to control it』
“I-I’m fine! Stop it! Don’t say such things in front of Kai!” Rinne yelled with an angry expression.
Is it disgust towards one of her kin? Or is she possibly shaken because her most inner anxieties had been exposed like this?
“I mean, I’m not tired or anything! My wings are slightly inconvenient, but my power hasn’t decreased!”
『……..』
“You might be the same as me, but──”
『You will become like me』
You cannot go against it───
Kai suddenly felt a chill. The voice released by Asurasoraka carried such an indisputable certainty that Rinne’s lips turned white as a sheet.
“…What do you mean by that?” Rinne squeezed out hoarsely. “What…do you mean by saying…I’ll become like you…”
『──────』
“D-Don’t stay silent! Answer me! Hey! Come on! Tell me!”
『…No, I went too far with my interference』
Her voice started to fade. The voice coming from the statue quickly became quieter and husky.
『Don’t forget, Kai, Jeanne. You should hurry westwards and you ought to defeat the mythical beasts. You will still have time to find the Great founder afterwards』
The presence seeping out of the goddess statue vanished once again.
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