"Good day. I am the queen of Palerius Island, Central Palerius, descendant of
Alerius Palerius."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Primula, Lady Central. I am the king
of Primula, Ludios Primula Palerius, descendant of Lerios Palerius." The two
Palerius descendants shook each other's hands firmly.
Lerios Palerius was Alerius Palerius' son, so they were basically descended
from the same family.
After five thousand years, two branches of the same family had finally been
reunited.
Queen Central wasn't alone. She'd brought a few escort knights and Millie
West, the representative of Palerius Island's western city.
Millie asked us if she should come, and I was a little apprehensive about it...
But I could understand her concerns about their island's queen heading to some
unknown world alone.
I'd cast my translation magic on everyone so communication was completely
fine.
The girls who had been chosen to, er... monitor my activities this time, were
Yae and Hilde, so I had a sword-wielding duo preventing me from getting into
hot water.
"You have my thanks, Sir Touya... For allowing a reunion that transcends
space and time."
"Don't sweat it, honestly. It's only fair that you get briefed on your family
history. The people of Palerius Island already knew about this world, after all."
I waved dismissively toward the King of Primula. It was probably about time
for me to tell the other world leaders about the Reverse World... It was no
longer just my issue alone.
"These documents were left behind by Alerius. We have various copies, so
you may keep these."
"Fascinating, thank you... These are theories relating to Space-time magic?
This is certainly going to be worth a read..."
Space-time magic was, in short, a separate form of magic from the six major
schools, and Null. It seemed to be a form of magic that lent itself well to magical
devices, meaning even those without any elemental affinities could make good
use of it. The interdimensional gate on Palerius Island could be considered a
culmination of that kind of research.
This world had items that employed that form of magic in a way that
replicated the effects of my [Storage] spell.
They took the form of those storage cards, like the one Mr. Sancho had.
Apparently, that tool became commonplace in the world due to the work of
Lerios Palerius, who passed down his Space-time knowledge to future
generations.
It seemed Primula was a pretty focused nation compared to others when it
came to the pursuit of magical research. Its breakthroughs were still nothing
compared to the level of the world I'd come from, though.
I passed them a copy of the magical book I'd given to Nia, as well. Hopefully,
they'd be able to do some good with it.
"Now then... Lady Central, Sir Touya... There's something I'd like you to take a
look at."
The king of Primula glanced to the left. A butler responded to the gesture by
bringing over a wooden box and setting it on the table in front of us.
The box was rectangular, roughly A4 in terms of size, similar in size to a
medium-sized notebook. The king opened it up, revealing a padded interior
with a black stone tablet resting upon it.
"What is this?"
"This has been passed down to us since ancient times. It is the legacy of Lerios
Palerius."
It was rectangular, much like the box it was kept in. The surface had been
polished to the point where it was incredibly shiny, and as I leaned over it I
could see the reflection of my face staring back. There were no distinguishing
features on it at all, it was just a plain black tablet.
"Is... It a mirror, perhaps?"
Hilde tilted her head as she pondered. It could certainly be used as a mirror,
but I doubted that was the primary intended function.
The king of Primula chuckled softly before handing off the tablet to Central.
"Would you mind channeling some of your magic through this?"
"My magic? Hm... Ah!" When Central poured a little magic into it, the tablet
began lighting up with red-colored, glowing shapes. They kind of resembled
cuneiform writing, a wedge-shaped symbol-based written language invented by
the Sumerians.
After a while, the symbols vanished before appearing once more. The new
ones looked similar, but they were a little different in places. Then, they
vanished again before being replaced by another set. It seemed like the tablets
were scrolling through multiple pages of text in an unknown language.
I wondered if this was similar to the messaging book that the adventurer's
guild used to communicate between branches.
"Each generation, the new king receives this tablet from his predecessor. The
language written here was only understood by Lerios, so we have no idea what
to make of it. Some speculate that it was the alphabet of the world Lerios came
from to begin with."
That was interesting. Plus, it explained why he was so eager to show us. But it
was definitely my first time seeing this language... so it wasn't the kind regularly
used in the world I knew.
"Sir Touya... Have you perhaps seen these letters before?"
"Can't say I have... This isn't any of the ancient languages I've come across so
far..."
Guess it's a language they used five thousand years ago... Sucks, but I got no
choice but to ask Doc Babylon about it... Or maybe I should ask Fam. It's been a
while since I went to the library... It's kind of annoying dealing with that shut-in,
though.
Just as I was about to tell them I'd return home for a bit, Central opened her
mouth.
"Actually... this is a language passed down on Palerius Island. It was originally
used by an unnamed tribe, and Alerius Palerius used the language in some of
his inscriptions."
"R-Really?! Th-Then you can read this, Lady Central?"
"I can. Not just me, either. All four of the descendants that govern the major
cities on Palerius Island should be able to read it. Millie? Can you make this
out?"
Central passed the tablet to Millie, who was seated beside her.
"...Yes, it's plain as day. There are some parts where the structure is a little
awkward, but I can generally grasp the full meaning. Given that I'm the most
educated about this language as far as our island goes... I should be able to
produce a passable translation."
Lerios, the first king of Primula, was Alerius' son. It made sense that he'd write
using the same languages as his father. But given that it seemed to have been
written in something obscure, it must have been something the guy thought
was worth encrypting.
"Hm... Is this a historical record? No... From the layout, it's more like a diary...
Hm? This part here... Crystalline beasts... Oh! Is this referring to the Phrase?"
"The Phrase?! Is there something about them written there?"
"Yes, it seems so... There's some more difficult stuff here I can't fully make
out, but... Give me a little time and I'll have something."
After Millie spoke, the king of Primula called over his butler, who brought a
few bundles of paper to the table.
"These are copies of the text from the tablet. Please use them as you see fit."
"Thank you. That helps. Could I have something to write with?"
Millie scanned her eyes over the pages, occasionally narrowing her eyes and
writing down a rough translation of what she was reading.
Central read the entries on the stone tablet at the same time, her expression
flittering between confusion and shock now and then. The rest of us could do
nothing but wait around.
Damn it. If I knew the name of the language, I'd just be able to read it myself...
After a while, Millie put down the paper and passed them over to the king of
Primula.
The king began passing me the papers that he'd finished reading, allowing me
to take a look at what we were dealing with.
It was like a mixture between a diary and a historical record, meaning that the
tablet was probably like a personal memorandum book that belonged to Lerios.
I began reading the papers that chronicled the strange adventures of Lerios
Palerius.
Today's Date: 19th of Skywater, 2015
■ The eastern capital is gone. Crystals consumed it. They're making tracks for
the grand capital now. Father, rest his soul, will see his wishes granted by my
elder brother. My brother has departed for the island, along with the other
disciples and their families. Once we trigger the barrier on the island, the
crystals won't be able to get us. But on the other hand... We won't be able to
see the outside world ever again. Though such fears seem futile now, I doubt
there'll even be a world to go out to once all this is over. This is our only
method of survival, so we must grasp it with both hands. But even if it is what
will save us, I can't help but feel guilty.
・
・
・
Today's Date: 21st of Skywater, 2015
■ I'm supposed to be heading off to the island soon, toward the gate our
father dedicated his life to building. But I can't. This country needs me. Much
like my father before me, I have found a purpose. I need to trust this person,
and the two they've brought with them. They're come from another world,
after all. With their help, we may yet set things right. We might even be able to
drive these crystals from our world... I must be honest, our chances are slim...
But I'm willing to bet it all on this last chance. I will believe in this mysterious
stranger, and the white and black he holds dominion over.
・
・
・
Partheno's Date: 3rd of Soilguide, 2015
■ There has been a complication... The white and black's power has run
completely wild due to their master falling to despair. As a result, the vast
majority of the crystals were purged from my world. But the reckless and
distorted nature of their might affected all in the area without discrimination. I
have crossed into another world entirely. My entire family is back there, and I
cannot reach them. I see the irony in that avoiding the destination set out for
me by my father, I have ended up achieving the very thing he sought to reach. I
wonder if I'll be trapped here forever...
・
・
・
Partheno's Date: 5th of Soilguide, 2015
■ I have no hope here. The magic of this world is far less developed than that
of my home's. I'm all alone here, and I have little in the way of communication. I
find it hard enough to survive here, so what hope have I of reaching my home
again? My thoughts constantly drift back to those I've left behind. Brother... All
of you on that island... Were you caught in their rampage? Are you safe?
・
・
・
Partheno's Date: 17th of Shineloop, 2015
■ I've been welcomed into a tribe of people. They're called the Primula. By
sheer coincidence, the young girl I saved happened to be the daughter of the
tribe's chieftain. It seems my suspicions were right, and magic isn't welldeveloped in this world at all. My abilities may pale compared to my father, but
I can still use it well enough to amaze and stupefy the tribesmen. It's somewhat
amusing to me, though, given that I find their usage of these mechanical dolls
just as strange and incredible. Regardless, these people are kindhearted,
friendly, and clearly appreciative of my deeds. I've decided to stay with them
for a while longer. I'm grateful for the company.
・
・
・
Partheno's Date: 6th of Dusknight, 2019
■ The war between the Primula and the Zalza is over. The Primula have won.
That means that Primula controls most of the territory in the area. It has been
some time since my last entry, but in that time much has happened. I took the
daughter of the chieftain as my bride and ascended to the position of leader
myself. I have been uniting the tribes through negotiation or force, and we are
now the Kingdom of Primula. I have not fully lost hope. My brother and the
other islanders will surely find a way to this world soon enough, which is why I
must secure this territory in order to keep them safe when they arrive. I'm
hoping to meet with them soon, so that we might finally reunite. I hold that
hope in my heart as I continue my work here.
・
・
・
Partheno's Date: 17th of Flamewing, 2051
■ It is my fondest hope that... Someday... Be it in the lifetime of my children,
or their children, or their children's children... That those who found themselves
on the island will pass through my father's Gate and make their way here, to
their true home. When that time comes, I hope the people of Primula will greet
them with warm drinks, open arms, and boundless love. Please. Treat them
kindly. This world would be sadder if it experienced any more of the loneliness I
had to endure.
・
・
・
I put down the papers and let out a deep breath. If this was true, it meant
Lerios came to the Reverse World after the accident that removed the invading
Phrase army.
His brother and the others closed themselves away on Palerius Island, never
realizing that Lerios had gone and done something that saved them all... And
that was where they stayed for five thousand years, fending off Behemoths all
on their own.
The Palerius lineage has suffered a lot...
I'd assumed Lerios had passed through to the Reverse World before his dad
died, but it seemed like I was wrong.
Still, there was a more pressing matter I wanted to address. I turned to the
king of Primula.
"The white and black mentioned in the text here..."
"Mm... They're likely Gollems. The black is surely the black crown, Chronos
Noir. The white is likely the white crown, as well."
Knew it. Old man Palerius probably got info on building his gate after meeting
the two Gollems and whoever their master was. Then I guess he passed away
without being able to complete the whole thing. His eldest son then found the
island, while his second son got blasted into the Reverse World...
"Touya-dono... This diary is strange, it is... If we go by it, then the white and
black should be somewhere in our world, they should."
"Yeah, I guess... But I think I heard the black crown and its master exist in this
world nowadays..."
Euri had mentioned something like that, if I remembered correctly. She'd said
something about the black crown's master being a rival of sorts to Nia.
But in that case, how did the black crown make its way back to this world
after the disaster? I wondered if it had been accidentally blown back here like
Lerios, or if maybe that was just its power to begin with.
But that made me wonder what was up with the white crown. If it had
something to do with the world's boundary being repaired, then I wanted to
know about it.
Either way, I clearly had to meet up with this black crown.
"Do you know where the black crown is?"
"I'm afraid not. The black crown and its master came through here a few days
ago, but they left after I mentioned a few things about Elluka."
"Hm? Why would the black crown's master be asking after Elluka?"
"Hm? You didn't hear from her? The black crown's master is Elluka's younger
sister."
Wait, what?! I didn't know that at all... Why wasn't I informed?!
"I did mention a few things related to you as well..."
Before the king of Primula could carry on talking, my smartphone started
ringing. I apologized for cutting him off, then picked up the phone. It was an
incoming call from Shirogane, on Drakliff island.
"Sup. Something wrong, Shirogane?"
"I'm terribly sorry to call you while you're in the middle of things, but there's
a spot of trouble over here..."
"What is it?"
"Well... There's an intruder on the island, and they're causing quite a stir. It
seems to be a girl, and she's demanding you show yourself. It's a young-looking
girl and a Gollem, yelling accusatory remarks. She claims you kidnapped her
sister... I'm afraid the way things are going, your holiday home could very well
be a target soon."
Huh? Kidnapper? Me? I mean sure, I've done a little kidnapping here and
there... but that doesn't make me an actual kidnapper!
I wondered if this sudden intruder was the younger sister of Elluka. If she was,
this was a serious speak of the devil moment. I certainly hadn't expected to be
hunted down. I asked Shirogane to tell the rampaging girl to calm down and
wait for me, then hung up the phone.
Guess I've got no choice but to drag Elluka with me. Seems like whoever the
girl is, she's pissed. But still, don't call me a kidnapper! Elluka's the one who
asked to come with me!
Geez... Red, blue, purple... Seems like no matter which crown contractor I find,
there's always something wrong with them. Wonder if this girl'll be any better...
But there's only one way to find out.
◇ ◇ ◇
There were several unconscious Dragons laying around Drakliff island's
beachfront. None of them were dead, but their injuries looked grievous.
There was a barrier on the island that prevented non-Dragon intruders from
entering. It was at its edge on the beach that I found the young girl, who stood
atop a fallen Dragon with her arms crossed.
She wore a white blouse with a thick black ribbon at the neck, along with a
black skirt and tights combo from the waist down. Standing by her was a small,
knightly-looking Gollem. It was jet black and had a long scarf. A little bit behind
the two stood a maid with short, violet hair. She had a regretful expression on
her face, but I was wondering why there was even a maid here to begin with.
The girl herself was really small... She was younger than Sue, hell she looked
younger than Renne. I estimated she was around six or seven years old. Despite
her looks, I sensed a strange kind of smug aura emanating from her as she
glanced around.
I was using [Long Sense] to view her from the safety of my mountain villa, so
there was no way she could've seen me.
"That's your sister?"
Elluka wordlessly responded to my query by nodding her head rapidly. I
projected the image of her into the air, and just looking at the girl prompted
Elluka to sweat profusely. I wondered if she was afraid for some reason.
"Alright, let's go talk to her. If you can just explain the situation, then we—"
"No way!"
She outright refused. She immediately began clinging on to the nearest
object, as if preparing to hang on for dear life.
"She'll get angry! You won't like her when she's angry!"
"What are you, a little kid? Come on..."
I stared blankly at Elluka, who had planted her feet firmly against the ground
and kept on shaking her head. I wondered if she was really the elder sibling in
this situation. Yae, Hilde, and I were at a complete loss. What were we
supposed to do? Elluka was older than us, but she was acting like a little kid.
I glanced at Fenrir, her wolf Gollem companion, and quietly implored him for
help.
"Mph... My master is rather bad at dealing with her sister. Given that she left
this world and took off without even informing the girl, she'll surely be quite
angry... I'm not entirely sure if I can do anything here."
"She didn't contact her, she didn't? Is there a reason she did not, is there?
Surely she could have sent a letter, she could."
"If I'd sent a letter, she'd have been able to trace where it came from! And if
she traced it, she'd come capture me!"
...What are you, a runaway? Why are you that scared of making your little
sister mad? If you'd just communicated properly before coming to Babylon, we
wouldn't have this issue!
"My master likes to charge into action without considering the implications.
She'll often forget her circumstances and charge into new opportunities
whenever she can. It is a poor habit on her part."
I could certainly see that. She came to another world without any hesitation
on her part... So I could probably understand why her sister would be
frustrated.
Regardless, sitting around wasn't going to solve anything.
"Alright, let's go."
"Nooo!"
Hilde grabbed Elluka by the legs, but she held on for dear life and absolutely
refused to budge.
She was like a little kid throwing a tantrum, and it was starting to piss me off.
"Perhaps, Touya... You could speak to my master's sister first? If you explain
the circumstances, she may calm down... Potentially..."
"Ugh..."
I wasn't really good with kids that thought they were tough. That one time
the king of Palouf's fiancée picked a fight with me, I ended up making her cry.
Hell, she was even younger than the girl I fought... I had my doubts she'd even
understand my explanation. I shrugged, then asked Yae and Hilde to watch over
Elluka while I reluctantly walked down to the beach.
The little girl stood atop the unconscious earth dragon, glaring in my general
direction.
The two of us stared each other down, the barrier the only thing between us.
Due to the fact that she was standing someplace elevated, I had to look up to
meet her gaze.
"Are you the Mochizuki Touya that the king of Primula told me about?"
The girl looked down on me condescendingly, the effect amplified by the fact
that she had the high ground. D-Damn... She sounds a lot sterner and more
confident than I expected.
Given that she's strong enough to make it out here, too... This might not go so
well.
"That's right. You're Elluka's sister, right? What's your name?"
"Norn. Is something funny? What's with your face?"
"Ah, no... Sorry. I just know someone else with that name."
I smirked for a half-second in surprise. She had the same name as one of our
higher-ups in the knight order back in Brunhild, Norn. It wasn't a super rare
name, apparently. They definitely had different personalities, though.
"So? Where's my sis?"
"Cowering up there, for now. She doesn't wanna come down."
"...I'd have let you off with a light beating if you played along, but you're
going to hold her hostage?"
"Huh?"
"Noir!"
The black Gollem charged toward the barrier and smashed its fist into it.
Obviously it wasn't strong enough to break through, and its tiny fist was held
back by the invisible wall.
...You're really gonna attack like that? Talk about hot-blooded.
"Hey, listen to me. I didn't kidnap your older sister, okay? She tagged along
with—"
"Noir! Summon Weapon No. 10: [Newton]!"
"Affirmative."
Before I could even finish my sentence, the black crown materialized a
massive hammer out of nowhere. It was ridiculously oversized! The Gollem
itself wasn't even one meter tall, but the hammer was easily the size of a
minivan. I had no idea what to say.
A shattering sound rang out as it brought the massive thing down, and the
barrier protecting the area crumbled. Clearly that hammer of his was no
ordinary weapon.
"Noir! Summon Weapon No. 9: [Schrodinger]!"
"Acknowledged."
Norn called out, and the black crown responded. The enormous hammer
vanished into particles of light, replaced by two magical-looking guns.
A bolt of lightning shot from each of the guns. It didn't look strong enough to
be fatal, but I wasn't going to sit around and take it either.
"[Absorb]."
I used my magic to drain the incoming blast. Several shots followed, but all of
them met the same fate.
I needed to take out the Gollem, but I didn't want to break it. I decided on the
next best thing.
"[Prison]."
The crown pulled out the hammer again at the last second, but I'd mixed
some of my own divinity into this particular spell. It wasn't going to break.
The black crown was now encased in a partially see-through cube, about one
meter in diameter. With the Gollem immobilized, I leaped toward the girl atop
the unconscious Dragon.
"Milady!"
The maid, who had been standing off to the side, suddenly pulled out a thin
blade from nowhere and came charging at me. Yikes, can't be doing that...
"[Paralyze]."
I moved to the side and grabbed her by the wrist, then cast my spell. But... For
some reason, the maid wasn't affected at all.
"Wh—?!" I dodged her follow-up attack and regained my composure. She
seemed physically strong, but untrained in swordplay, which meant her strikes
were too telegraphed.
My spell didn't work? Does she have a talisman or something? I didn't expect
the people in this world to have stuff like that...
"Sorry, but... [Gravity]."
"Eek!" I placed my hand on the maid's shoulder and she came crashing down
to the ground.
"Guh!"
Norn suddenly pulled out a magical gun from under her coat. She pointed it
down at me.
"[Slip]!"
"Gaaah! My spellcaster!" Norn slipped and fell down from the Earth Dragon,
dropping her weapon in the process. I quickly sealed her up in a [Prison], much
like her Gollem. With that, it was checkmate.
"Gwuh! Open this right now, you bastard! Kidnapper! Coward! What school of
magic do you draw from, huh?! Perversion?!"
"...There's nothing perverted about me. What are you talking about?"
I suddenly frowned as I looked at the girl, who was now frantically pounding
her fists against the walls of her confines.
Hm... Does she think I kidnapped Elluka for her body or something? Urgh...
That's pretty messed up.
I sighed quietly and shook my head. There had been a fundamental
misunderstanding that I had to clear up.
◇ ◇ ◇
"...So yeah, now you know the story. Elluka asked to come to my world. Pretty
firmly, might I add. Do you get it now?"
"...I understand, yes. There's a lot of it that seems odd to me, but I have a
good grasp on the situation... It seems my sis has caused you a bit of a
headache."
My shoulders sagged in relief. I was glad that someone as young as her even
understood what I was talking about, but given that her sister was some kind of
unparalleled genius, it stood to reason that this girl would be following suit.
"...So, would you mind letting me out of here?"
"Oh, my bad."
I released the [Prison] around Norn, ending her grumbling.
I also dispelled the cage around Noir and dispelled the effects of [Gravity]
that I'd cast on the maid.
The maid dusted herself off and bowed her head.
"Well then, nice to meet you. Name's Norn Patolakshe. This is my Gollem,
Noir. My maid here is named Elfrau... What's with the funny expression?"
"Oh, sorry... It's just, there's a country in my world called Elfrau..."
"Oh. And you said I had the name of someone you knew, too? That's kind of
annoying."
Yes. It definitely was.
"My name is Elfrau. If that's too confusing, you may refer to me as Frau."
Elfrau said something that reminded me of my maid, Cesca. Surely El
would've been a more logical nickname? Kind of like how Fran would've been a
better nickname for Francesca than Cesca... Perhaps there was some unwritten
rule I was unaware of.
"So, my dumb sis is up there?" Norn pointed up the trail toward my villa.
Dumb sis, huh...? I guess even being a world-renowned genius doesn't matter
when family's concerned.
"Fenrir's with her, too. Elluka ended up panicking because she thought you'd
be mad at her."
"Obviously I'm mad at her! Not only did she go to another world without
telling anyone, she spent two whole years wandering around! She's been
walking all over the world, causing trouble... And who do you think has to mop
up her messes?! Me! I've been suspected of crimes thanks to her! I got involved
in shady stuff with casino owners because of her! All sorts of dumb stuff! I have
more than a few words for her!"
It seemed like Norn had quite a few bones to pick with her elder sister. I
decided the wisest thing to do was let them both hash it out.
"...Man, you sure have it tough. Elluka sure is a bad sister, having a little girl
like you take care of her problems."
"Ack, don't say that...!"
"Ill-advised language detected."
The maid, Frau, and the black crown, Noir, both attempted to warn me in
their own ways.
Hm? I turned and wondered what they were talking about, which distracted
me from Norn's quick-draw on her gun. She brandished the spellcaster with a
menacing fire in her eyes. Then, she dashed forward and, at point-blank range,
blasted a metallic pellet right into my groin.
"Hngh! Ghhh!"
I couldn't even speak. All the wind was knocked out of my lungs and I fell to
my knees. Then, I curled into the fetal position, cradling my precious crown
jewels beneath my palm.
Hngh... I-It hurts...! I-It hurts... Ghhh... Ghaaaugh! Why?! What I felt was the
pinnacle of male body pain. Sweat caked my face, my back, my arms, and my
legs. The sensitivity made it hard to move, so all I could do was writhe atop the
sand.
There wasn't anything I could do but ride through the agony.
"Don't you dare call me a little girl! I'm fifteen!"
Fh... Fifteen? Th-That's the same age as Linze and Elze, isn't it? Nngh... I-It's
still hard to breathe... Oh... I can see... I can see a white light... Is it my time
already?
The surprise attack was driving me wild with anguish. She couldn't possibly
have understood what I was experiencing.
"A-Are you okay?"
"N-Not... really... But... let me lay here... fhh... for a while..."
Frau rushed over, but I just shook my head. There was nothing anyone could
do for me. I just had to wait...
Something similar happened to me once in the past... It was the work of the
storehouse's Terminal Gynoid... That clumsy idiot, Parshe... I didn't expect to
receive this kind of critical damage again. I was careless...
"Suggestion: Apologize for rash action."
"Guh... No way, Noir! He was rude to me first!"
The Gollem turned toward its master and shook its head. If she was six,
maybe this would be forgivable, but there was no way I'd forgive a teenager for
this... Hell, I wasn't so sure I would've actually forgiven a six-year-old.
Seemed like she had a complex regarding her physical appearance. Which
seemed fair, given that she looked to be around six or seven years old. She
definitely wasn't part of a race with a long lifespan like Leen, either... so I
wondered what was up with her.
I quietly cursed her name as the dull pain continued coursing through my
gonads. It was at that moment I made a silent vow to enchant my pants with
[Shield] as soon as I possibly could.
◇ ◇ ◇
Chronos Noir.
That was the name of the black crown. Its abilities were space-time
manipulation.
It was capable of pulling things from alternate realities and different worlds
for about a minute.
Those abilities weren't limited to physical objects, either. It could pull forth
alternative concepts such as weight, resistance, strength, or even alternate
versions of itself. It can use these to amplify its own powers. But such power
obviously comes with a price, as with all the other Gollems. The black crown
could only use the full extent of its abilities during the night, and whenever it
did, its master's physical age was reversed in proportion to the strength of the
ability.
In terms of time magic, it could peek a few seconds into the future, enhance
its own speed, and even slow down enemies. However, it wasn't capable of
stopping or rewinding time... Not yet, at least.
"So what you're saying is..." Doctor Babylon took a few steps to her right,
then pointed to where she'd just been standing.
"Let's call where I'm standing right now Point A. Let's call where I'm pointing,
where I was a few seconds ago, Point B."
"Okay."
"And a couple seconds before that, I was standing over here. Let's call that
Point C. A few seconds before that, I was standing right there. Let's call that
Point D. So now, each second has left an imprint in time, and I exist in those
particular positions for the seconds I spent in them. To be blunt, the black
crown doesn't pull things from different worlds so much as different times. It
could realistically pull the me from Point B, the me from Point C, and the me
from Point D out into this moment in time, allowing me to interact with them
from Point A. It would be temporary, but four of me would exist in this world at
the same time." Four copies of the doc? No thanks.
But, hm... I kinda get it, but... If the me from a couple seconds ago was pulled
out of time, wouldn't that erase the timeline that brought me here in the first
place?
"Time flows in a singular pattern, but infinite possibilities still branch from the
forward march. Here I am right now, standing. But in five seconds, I could be to
the left, or right, or forward, or backward. If I move forward right now, and the
black crown called upon the hypothetical me that moved backward, the flow of
time that led to me being here wouldn't be disrupted at all."
So it's basically like a parallel world kind of deal? I guess you see that stuff in
fiction all the time. I know time paradoxes get used as cheap plot points, too.
For example, the Grandfather Paradox, the one that posits a scenario where you
go back in time and kill your grandpa before you or your parents were born.
What would happen then? From what I understand, the death of the
grandfather would prevent your own birth, but that also means you could never
have traveled back to kill him in the first place... That's the paradox, basically.
But there's also the idea that killing the grandfather would create an off-shoot
reality that preserves the universe by preventing the paradox. It would create
two worlds running in parallel. One in which the grandfather survived, and went
on to have the family that produced the grandchild... and one in which the
grandfather was killed, and thus the grandchild was never born...
In short, it was a "what-if" sort of world, with infinite possibilities. It seemed
like Noir's ability reached into hypothetical potentials, and manifested them as
realities without compromising the past. And that was pretty incredible. If I had
faced Noir at night, it might've been really dangerous... But given the toll the
contractor had to pay, it might not have been so simple.
"So it's not exactly pulling things from other worlds, then."
"Not quite, no. More like pulling things from the same world, in a different
hypothetical timeline. In the many worlds under the survey of that god you
mentioned, I'm sure one or two are nearly identical, aside from a few little
differences. You can consider alternate timelines to be kind of like that.
Identical to this world, but tweaked due to different actions."
Made sense to me. The idea would be that there was a single world, and a
single flow of time, so Noir wasn't pulling things from other places, just other
potentials.
"Wonder if that's the power that pushed the Phrase back five thousand years
ago..."
"I wonder, too... I don't think the ability alone could push back so many
hundreds of thousands of Phrase from the world, though. Elluka hasn't done
much in the way of uncovering information on that, and it seems like Noir has
undergone multiple memory wipes since then... There's nothing we can do for
now. Not to mention the fact that messing around with its abilities is
dangerous, given the price its contractor has to pay."
The cost of mastering a crown was a heavy burden. The fact that its true
abilities could only be used at night was probably a blessing in disguise.
Apparently the weapons it brought out against me during the battle were just
supplementary gear and abilities installed on to it by Elluka and had nothing to
do with its actual innate power.
In Noir's case, when it used its temporal abilities, Norn's age would regress.
She was fifteen, but looked around seven or six due to repeated use of these
powers.
At first glance, it might seem incredible since it can basically guarantee
immortality, but using it one too many times could have you regress to a fetal
state, which would basically be the same as death. And the fact that she looked
so young meant that Noir had consumed at least eight or nine years.
It was a little bit of a scary power... But if used sparingly, the time could be
gained back just by waiting and growing. Norn would grow to be physically
fifteen again if she waited those eight or nine years she'd lost. Though mentally,
she'd be in her twenties at that point.
Apparently commenting on her height or looks was ill-advised, and it was
simply within her instincts to attack anyone that pointed it out. Or that was
what Noir told me, at least. I remembered a movie I saw once that had a
protagonist who got reflexively upset when he was called a chicken. That movie
involved a time machine too, actually... A bit of an amusing similarity... But
nothing more than a coincidence, in the end.
Elluka got chewed out by her angry sister, but I could glean little snippets of
legitimate concern and worry for Elluka's wellbeing in the girl's harsh words.
Seemed like she was hiding her real feelings behind a harsh façade... Maybe.
"So, what is the little lady Norn doing right now?"
"She's going to stay in this world for now, since Elluka doesn't plan on leaving
Babylon any time soon. I asked her if she wanted to stay in the castle, but she
said no and booked out a stay in the Silver Moon instead."
"Hmph... Well, it's helpful to have a crown on hand. Hopefully it'll help us
out... Now, on to more pressing matters." Doctor Babylon picked up a bundle of
paper, set it down on top of her desk, and flipped through it. It was a full copy
of the translated journal left behind by Lerios Palerius.
"We're assuming the white crown is still in this world, right...? Have you tried
using your magic to locate it?"
"I have, yeah. But there were no hits. I've seen the red, blue, black, and
purple crowns at this point, and they all looked visually similar. Given their
distinct similarities, I don't think the white crown would look much different." If
my magic couldn't locate it despite all that, it either meant that the white
crown's appearance had changed, or it was hidden behind a magical barrier.
It was possible that the master of the black and white crowns from five
thousand years ago ended up sealing the white one somewhere for safety.
"Actually, something concerns me regarding the master mentioned in the
diary. The compensation for Noir's abilities is regression of age, right? And it
was used to wipe out the Phrase some five thousand years ago. I'm fairly sure
that the cost for such a feat would be massive... Even if their master was
extremely old, it wouldn't surprise me to find that using the ability turned him
into a zygote and killed him immediately."
"So you're saying he must've died when he used Noir?"
"Not... exactly? There's a possibility of him belonging to a non-human race
with a longer lifespan, after all... We can't draw any conclusions, but I did think
of another possibility. I was wondering if the white crown's contractual price
could be the opposite of the black crown's."
The opposite? If the black crown's price is age regression, then... age
progression?
"My current hypothesis is that the white crown's price is physical aging. By
using the white and black crowns in tandem, it's possible that their master
could use their abilities with no cost whatsoever... That's just a theory, though."
Opposite prices, huh? Growing old, and growing young... A plus and a minus...
Or rather, a minus and a minus that form a plus in this case, I think.
Well, that was all hypothetical. There was no point in thinking about how it
worked without solid proof.
"Well, let's put that aside for now... How's the Gollem research coming?"
"Quite well, actually. Would you like to see a sample unit?" Doctor Babylon
produced a strange sphere with robotic limbs and a head sprouting from it. It
was a miniature model of what we were hoping to produce in the end.
Design-wise, it was pretty different from a Frame Gear and felt a little more
coarse. It wasn't colored either, but that was probably just because it was a test
model. There were various areas with clear parts incorporated into the design.
On the real thing, they'd be made of Phrasium.
"The Gollem's core is encased inside, then submerged in a gel that can
transmit magic much more efficiently. After that, it amplifies the power output.
Putting the details aside, the end product would be something just as strong as
a Frame Gear, with the capabilities of boosting Gollem skills."
"Interesting..."
"We need to be careful when experimenting with the Crowns, though. We
don't want to accidentally amplify the cost of their abilities."
That was definitely true. Depending on the Gollem, that could cause
disastrous effects. Especially for Nia's Rouge or Norn's Noir.
"Could normal Gollems be powered up, too?"
"Yep. We can use the sphere core as a base, then swap out parts to change
the model. If we used Fenrir as a base, for example... it'd become animalistic,
like this."
As she spoke, Doctor Babylon popped off the limbs and head from the
humanoid model and fitted new parts into the empty slots.
Before long, the once-humanoid robot was quadrupedal and vaguely
resembled a wolf. It seemed like the customization of these new machines was
much higher than that of the Frame Gear.
We'd be able to customize them to accommodate any kind of Gollem... But
stuff like Mr. Sancho's crab bus would probably be out of the question.
This would definitely give us the edge in the battle against the mutants. Even
non-crown Gollems would be able to hold their own against them if powered
up in this way.
The Reverse World's boundary line was in way better condition than the
tattered one in this world, so it was doubtful any seriously scary enemies would
show up there... But it was still way better to be safe than sorry.
"So, how close are we to completing these?"
"Around sixty percent, I'd wager. We still need to make tweaks to the crown
functionality, though. That'll take a while."
Hmm... I don't exactly want to force them to rush, but we need to keep up
with our enemies. Guess the best I can do right now is wish them luck.
I left the research laboratory and headed for the rampart. I wanted to speak
with the group over there.
"Yo, Touya. Been a little bit."
"We should eat katsudon for dinner tonight..."
"Lady Melle, we had that two days ago... My personal vote goes to ramen."
"Fish. We should have sashimi. With heaping bowls of rice..."
I sighed quietly as I looked at the four of them. They'd certainly made
themselves at home... I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at how easily
they'd gotten accustomed to living here.
"So, have you guys come to a conclusion?" I turned toward Ende and asked
him the question, while glancing at the Phrase. The Sovereign Phrase, Melle,
was chomping on some cookies. Ney and Lycee were sitting opposite her,
eating apple pie.
"Mm, not exactly. We're still undecided as to what tonight's dinner will be..."
"Not that, moron."
Ende just shrugged in an over-exaggerated motion. I was a little bit irritated
that their only worries seemed to be what they'd be eating for dinner.
"I don't care, so long as I remain with Endymion."
"I wish for Lady Melle to return to Phrasia. That is the consensus of my
followers, as well."
"...I can't. I'm no longer your leader..."
Seemed like they were still at an impasse. They'd made no progress at all. Had
they just sat around eating snacks? I was pretty irritated. Apparently the three
Dominant Constructs, who were unfamiliar with food, found the experience
quite novel. As a result, they were eating three square meals a day, and several
snacks.
They didn't take energy from calories like ordinary people, so it was entirely a
pleasurable experience for them. It was just irritating because they asked for so
much food every day. At first, they were eating even more than Yae. Every day.
Each. We were going through roughly ten cow's worth of steak every twentyfour hours. It wasn't sustainable.
After a while, they stopped eating so much, but the three of them were still
eating enough for ten.
As far as I was concerned, these guys were freeloaders. They were eating free
meals on my dime, and I wanted to kick them out... But it would've been bad if
the wicked god got ahold of them, so I had no real choice.
I could have chosen not to feed them, but that would've been cruel.
"Much happening out there, Touya?"
"Not really, no. More mutant attacks in the Reverse World, though."
I shrugged and sat on the couch opposite Ende. The whole situation with the
mutants felt like a termite infestation. You might not see any clear signs of an
issue, but one day the whole house could just come crashing down.
"Have all the Phrase been absorbed by the mutants now, Ende?"
"The ones that Ney and the others brought are, yeah. I'd say there are around
hundreds of thousands of them now... Consumed ones, I mean."
That's... a hell of a lot. I also remember hearing that Lesser Constructs could
replicate themselves under the right conditions. Hopefully the mutants don't
have a stronger version of that ability.
That meant I'd be getting no more Phrasium to use, though. I had a ton of it,
but I needed to start being more conservative with it if the supply was finite.
Either way, it seemed like these guys were used to their lives in confinement.
The Phrase had long lifespans, so they were probably used to being bored.
From what I'd heard, Melle had actually been borrowing books from Fam and
reading them, though. Much like Elluka and Doctor Babylon, Melle could be
considered a genius from her world. She had outstanding talent. She was the
one who created the method that allowed the Phrase to cross between worlds
in the first place. Looking at her hungrily chowing down snacks, I wouldn't be
able to tell that at a glance. Seemed like there was really a fine line between
genius and idiocy.
"Say, Touya... Can't you let me out a bit?"
"Moron, didn't I tell you? If Melle or the others leave this protective [Prison],
the mutants will be able to locate them. Are you trying to bring chaos to
Brunhild?"
"No, of course not. I get the risk. I'm asking if you can let me out, not them."
Hm... I guess Ende isn't likely to abandon Melle or anything. I can easily
change the settings to allow him to freely pass through... But what does he want
to do, exactly?
"I want to train... I guess. I have a little bit of pride in me as a man, Touya. If
those twins come back at me, I want to be strong enough to defeat them."
He was referring to the mutated duo that defeated him last time... It was
irritating that we had Dominant Constructs on Yula's side.
Hmm... His eyes seem pretty honest. Guess he's upset he lost.
I didn't really care if he wanted to go out and get stronger. It'd only be a
benefit to us.
"That's the spirit, my boy!"
"Wh-What?!" Ende and I called out in confusion at the sudden, booming
voice. A man appeared next to us in less than the blink of an eye. He looked to
be around thirty. He had short hair and wore a white, sleeveless training
costume that showed off his defined muscles. He had sharp, eagle-like eyes and
thick bushy eyebrows. A bandana was wrapped around his head. There was no
other way to describe him than... martial artist. He almost looked like a
character from a fighting arcade game.
Given that he'd been able to breach this area meant he was no ordinary
person.
"Wh-What... I-It's you?!"
"You know this guy, Ende?"
"Y-Yes, I do! Wh-When I got the divine blades, h-he appeared and beat the
snot out of me!"
"Nice to see you again, my boy!"
The martial artist laughed out loud. His booming voice was almost
overbearing.
Wait... The one who beat up Ende...?!
"Are you... the god of combat?"
"That I am, son! I've descended to this world in a human body! Why? I'm glad
you asked! It's to make my boy Ende's dreams come true!"
Seven gods? This is all getting a bit much. We're at maximum god capacity
already, thanks! What is this, some kind of lucky sevens deal? I don't want it!
"I'm here now, my boy! Leave it all to me! I'll etch the very meaning of battle
into your body!"
Ende just stared blankly and pointed at himself in confusion, as if to ask
whether the guy was actually talking to him or not.
God Almighty did mention something about him wanting to take on a new
disciple... He'd probably been watching and waiting for a good moment to
interject.
I felt bad for Ende, but it wasn't any of my business. The god of combat could
do whatever he wanted with the guy. Ende wanted to get stronger, so it was
perfect. He was going to be the disciple of this god, and that meant neither of
them would bother me.
...It was a necessary sacrifice.
◇ ◇ ◇
"It's me, ya boy Mochizuki Takeru! I'm Touya's uncle, so let's get along,
sports!"
The god of combat... Or rather, uncle Takeru, laughed boisterously as he
greeted the others. They just stared at him in stunned silence. To be honest, he
could've easily passed as my elder brother, but Karen and Moroha refused.
They said they'd rather die or go home than have a brother as irritating as he
was. And so, he became my uncle. In short, he was taking on the role of the god
of agriculture's younger brother.
"...He's your uncle, Touya? So that means he's... one of those, right?" Elze
quietly whispered to me.
"Oh... Yeah... He is... He's the god of combat. He covers fighting, basically...
Unarmed combat, martial arts... That kinda thing."
I saw the sparkles in Elze's eyes and realized I should not have said any of
that, but it was too late. It was far too late. Elze immediately charged up to
uncle Takeru and greeted him.
"Oho... Those are some well-used gauntlets. You're a battler like me,
ain'tcha?"
"That's right. I'm Elze, one of Touya's fiancées. Can you teach me some new
moves?"
"Fwahahahaaa! Amazing! Well, that makes you my niece! I'll be training my
disciple right after this, so you can sit in on our lesson!"
"Thank you!"
Augh... I guess I should've considered this. Yae and Hilde learned a lot from
Moroha, but Elze fights in a totally different way, so it's not like she learned all
that much... It's only obvious that a martial artist god would appeal to her from
a training perspective. Well, Ende... good for you. You got yourself a sparring
buddy.
"Feel free to train with him, just don't overdo it."
"I won't. Thanks!"
Elze grinned as she bunched her hands into fists. She'd be fine, I was sure.
Due to the fact that she was being influenced by my divinity like the others, I
couldn't imagine her getting hurt or anything.
"Alright, you two! First up is a special skill! It's a special uppercut imbued with
the power of a dragon! Who's ready to sit under a waterfall?!"
"I am, I am!"
"U-Uh... I am, I guess..." Ende stared on, looking positively horrified. I
wondered if he'd be alright, since he certainly didn't look it.
Uncle Takeru put his hands on their shoulders, and they vanished into thin air.
He'd probably warped them to some far-off waterfall. Even in a human body, he
wasn't restrained by laws of logic.
"...Goodness me, Your Highness. I thought I'd gotten used to the sight, but
your family is truly... Special." Prime Minister Kousaka stood there, shaking his
head, obviously still reeling from the battle between Takeru and Moroha that
he'd witnessed earlier.
Honestly, that duel was hard to describe. They clashed against each other like
primal elemental forces. I was fairly sure that only I and the other gods could
even catch their movements. They were going beyond the speed of sound. The
match ended after Karina stepped in and notified the combatants that if they
continued to fight they risked destroying the entire training field.
I couldn't understand how he deflected Moroha's sword attacks with just the
cloth bindings on his hands... Sure they were dulled training swords, but... man,
gods were scary.
"I wonder if she'll be okay..." Linze muttered quietly out of concern for her
elder sister. Karen patted her on the shoulder with a smile.
"It'll be fine, you know? That guy might be a musclehead, but he knows about
all the right care and consideration in training, you know? Elze will be fine."
"He's actually pretty sweet on chicks. On the flip-side... he's extra tough on
dudes. If anything, I'm worried about the boy." Moroha butted in and finished
Karen's explanation. The information she'd provided was a little unsettling,
though.
...G-Good luck, Ende... Please come back breathing.
◇ ◇ ◇
"I never expected you to come down to the mortal world... But I guess it's not
the first time you've shown up, huh?" Mochizuki Karina, god of the hunt, sat in
a bar with a rugged-looking man, casually chattering to him.
"I mean, I'm just here to get the stolen weapon back! I guess I'd be lying if I
said I wasn't a little interested in the new guy, though..."
The god of combat, or rather... Mochizuki Takeru, grinned a bit as he swilled
the mug of ale in his hand.
"Mmh... This stuff's great! It's been a long time since I've tried mortal booze,
but I must say I like it far more than sacred wine!"
"Nyahaha! That's the spirit, Takeru! I like it a bunch, too! Hic! Sacred wine's
good and all for offering, but thish kinda drink just can't be beat! There's more
appeal in variety, and the mortal realm sure ash hell has a ton of that, hic!"
The girl muttering to the older-looking man was none other than Mochizuki
Suika, the perpetually drunk god of alcohol. She was laying on the ground next
to Karina and Takeru.
The melodic sound of strings came from nearby, as Mochizuki Sousuke played
the lute. Karina often came to see him play, as he was her brother in this world.
He would frequently play music in the tavern at night, and many people came
just to hear his tunes.
As the music continued to play in the background, a man appeared with a
large tray in his hands. The tray had come from the tavern's kitchen and had an
array of fresh dishes on it.
"Alright, s'done. Got a buncha heapins've cully rice, complete with my
veggies! Oh, hey, uh... Takeru? Might be a little spicy fer your blood, but it
should be good, aye?"
"Mm. Looks good to me."
The god of agriculture, Mochizuki Kousuke, placed a bowl of veggie cully and
rice down in front of Takeru.
Takeru took his spoon and then brought a scoop of the meal to his mouth. His
eyes shot open in shock.
"Amazing! Holy crap! This is delicious... Man, it's so spicy! But it's delicious!
This force, such power! Hot diggity damn that is good stuff!"
"Heh... Glad you like it." Kousuke smiled softly as Takeru continued to wolf
down the meal. The god of combat couldn't afford to lose in a fight, even if that
fight was against spice. He continued shoveling the food into his mouth as his
eyes watered.
Before long, his plate had been completely cleaned. He chugged down a fresh
mug of ale and let out a thoroughly satisfied sigh.
"Whew! Food and booze, what more could a man ask for! Thanks, mortal
realm!"
"Oh! You all got started without me, you know? You should've waited a little
longer, you know?!"
"Ohh, looks good. Where's my share?"
The last two members of the Brunhild pantheon walked into the bar. One was
the cheery god of love, Mochizuki Karen. Following in her wake was Mochizuki
Moroha, the god of swords.
There were seven of them in total. Seven gods, manifested in human form,
eating and making merry.
"Let's celebrate our union, then! Hic! Cheers!" Suika yelled out, prompting
the others to clash their mugs together. Kousuke consulted the waitresses for
additional snacks and drinks, while Moroha turned to Takeru.
"So... how are those two disciples of yours?"
"Mm... They're pretty good! Ende has a lot of intuition going for him, while
Elze has that kind of tenacity I can't hate! Both of them taught me their own
ways, and immediately took to the lessons I started imparting on them! I'm
really looking forward to working with them... But aren't we supposed to be
supporting the newbie god? What's up with that?"
"Ehh... I think by doing what we're doing, we're helping enough. Personally, I
train Yae, Hilde, and the knight order. They end up adding to Touya's power, so
it's good enough for me."
"Mm... Guess that's fine, then! God Almighty told me to help out as best I can,
so I'll keep on training those two!" Takeru said, grinning as he refilled his
tankard once more.
"Just be careful. We're primarily here to support Touya, so we can't half-ass
things all the time."
"There's no problem, you know?! Me and you, Moroha, we're supporting him
as his elder sisters, you know?!" Karen's optimism overtook Moroha's realism.
For the most part, Karen was the vocal representative of the other gods,
anyway. She often presided over his personal relationships and helped facilitate
communication between people in Brunhild. In her own way, she was ensuring
that things went smoothly for Touya as well.
"Plus, a lot of you guys just do as you please! Like you, Suika! All you do is
drink, you know?!"
"H-Hey! It's, hic, my job to be the cute little sister, right? Hic! I can drink all
the time because I'm a mascot! I, hic, do emotionally supportive schtuff!"
"...Didn't you vomit down the back of Touya's neck? What's emotionally
supportive about that?"
"Ghh... How'd you find out about thaaat?" Suika grumbled to herself, poured
some Eashenese sake, and drank some more. Her face was red, but booze
wasn't the only reason.
Even though she was the god of alcohol, she didn't have the chance to drink
all that often. She was making the most of her chance to drink freely. During
that particular incident, she'd had more booze than she was comfortable with,
and couldn't hold back the sudden rush of puke. Given that she was the god of
alcohol, it was a matter of personal shame that she couldn't hold her liquor.
Kousuke suddenly spoke up, breaking the awkward air.
"Now, now... We're all on standby, ain't we? We just got a lotta free time
right now, so it ain't a big deal. No shame in relaxing now and then, right?"
As if responding to Kousuke's comment, Sousuke began playing a more
gentle, relaxing tune. It was a famous song that had been covered by various
artists and helped set the mood for the situation at large.
Ultimately, it was up to Touya to actually face down the wicked god. The gods
themselves were only here to support him. Even if they were taking human
form, it would be no good if they defeated the wicked god on Touya's behalf.
Otherwise, he'd learn nothing. It'd be like a parent stepping in on a child's feud,
and beating up the bully themselves.
"If Touya loses to the wicked god, this world'll get nixed by the god of
destruction, right? I'd prefer it if we could avoid that outcome."
"That's why we're helping him by training the people who matter to him. Plus,
I wouldn't underestimate him, in all honesty... He's favored by God Almighty,
too... I don't think he'll go down so easy..." Moroha seemed to have confidence
in her surrogate brother.
"Mm... Gotta be careful not to let confidence turn into arrogance, though. I'm
pretty impressed by his capabilities, though. I think the lad has some fine
combat stuff going on."
The god of combat nodded as he munched down on some red meat. From his
perspective, Touya was pretty lucky to have the support he'd been given. The
people he'd encountered in his journey so far were a blessing for the boy, and
he was probably aware of it.
"Touya's made a lot of enemies, but he's made some excellent friends, you
know? He's even got the support of some excellent girls... I know that one, in
particular, takes all his trouble in stride, you know?"
"Yumina? Yeah, she's a good one. Helps that she can read people's intentions,
too... She's one of the greatest companions he could've met."
Moroha and Karen started talking amongst each other. There were people
who had malicious intentions, who wanted to use Touya's status for their own
social gain. But Yumina's mystic eye put a stop to them before they even got
close.
Thanks to that, it was easy to tell that Touya was surrounded by good people.
But it was still possible for people to change... In the meantime, though, Yumina
put concerns of mistrust to rest.
The other eight fiancées were also capable in their own ways and could do
things Touya wouldn't possibly be able to achieve on his own. He was lucky to
have them.
"So we don't really have to help too much, do we? Seems he has the support
of some great humans as it is."
"Nope. A world of humans is best left to humans, in the end. We can jus' keep
on bein' subtle with helpin' the lad..." Kousuke quickly followed up on Karina's
postulation.
"Well then, let's just celebrate for now! Touya's gonna be fine, so let's take it
easy and help him when he needs us!"
"Cheers to that!" The seven gods wished good fortune to the budding newbie
they'd been called to help. The divine in mortal flesh, invigorated by their good
evening together, pledged to support him in any way they could.