by Unknown
“Is it fun to cheat like that? Looking at the future, was there anything good there?”
——Even if it wasn’t as much as Tet, who possessed the [Star Grail(Sunny Aster)].
If you’re an Old Deus, then you should be able to see the future to a certain point, right, he laughed with sarcasm.
“——I don’t look at anything besides the past.”
With a single murmur, he made the trash can disappear and brought up a single book and feather pen.
That book, which God had bundled and wrote, was still occupied majorly by blank pages.
“That’s why I’m excited, wanting to write this game’s result——This continuation, you see.”
It was the future expected by the God who rejected omniscience.
It was a story that still didn’t exist——which recorded a myth not even God knew.
…………
Tet let out a wry smile at the silence essentially to measure his real intention. There was no way “she” would accept Tet’s words as true.
——That [Quintessence] definitely wouldn’t allow it to be accepted as true.
【——Did you call me out for such ‘nonsense’?】
“Hm~ alright. The mockery and instigation were, to the bitter end, just a bo~nus☆ The main issue is, you see——”
Yes, together with a wry smile, Tet pointed at the blank page.
“Your name is unknown even to the [Star Grail(Sunny Aster)] you see, so teach me? Because I can't write it here otherwise——”
——He had said so, but, maybe it was because he rejected omniscience.
Tet laughed without even noticing he was pretty much saying the main issue was also an instigation——
————*kshh*
The communication was severed, leaving behind the annoying sound of space cracking.
“……Uwah…… To pull out the entire circuit altogether…… As a gamer, I wonder about that?”
Letting out a sigh, Tet let the feather pen fall to the book in his hands.
On one side, there are people who think the world is so simple even children can understand it.
On one side, there are people who think the world is so complex and strange, it’s meaningless since it’ll never be understood.
On one side, there are people who think the world hasn’t changed and will never change.
On one side, there are people who think the world keeps changing and is trying to change even now.
——Both in the past and in the present, too, it was true for the people, machines, beasts——gods……
Was it truly only one of them or could it be that——
Tet covered his face, as if to answer all and every question.
He thought, alone, about the fact that makes everyone skeptical——as if complaining it wasn’t a lie.
——On that really, really distant day, the world really changed, you know.
When the God of Play(I) held the [Star Grail(Sunny Aster)], certainly——with those hands, it changed, you know.
Turning the heavens and the earth into a game board, the laws into rules…… certainly, it changed.
But, even if the heavens and earth change, there are things that won’t change, that shouldn’t be changed.
I cannot change even the ones who live(players) in this world(game); it’s something I must not change.
Just like how the will of the Old Myth(those two) gave birth to me, to the [Star Grail(Sunny Aster)], the world——To change.
The ones who live(players) in this world must wish for it to change, you know.
“——You guys will change it, right!? You will overturn ‘everything’ until you come here, right!?”
The will of the New Myth(these two) this time, will change even the players(everything).
Surely that——will be pushy, maybe even a nuisance, while asking no questions.
Dragging around everything, with a method just like that of the worst kind of ill-mannered child——
No matter who it is——he will surely be cornered to the point where he has no choice but to change.
——At that time.
Finally, the world above the board(game) will start in its true meaning.
Surely an interesting game ever since the creation of the universe——has finally started.
Tet lowered his legs and crossed it, while waiting from the depths of his heart for the moment it’ll get recorded in past tense, just like that.
“……You too, I’m looking forward to calling you by your name the next time we meet, alright?”
——The only one in this world.
Tet knew what the one distorting the world in front of his eyes——the [Quintessence] Miko harbored had said.
“For it was none other than you, who created that machine with a heart(child)…… yet, for you to be making such a face, that’s——”
……After swallowing his next words, he forcibly…… tried smiling.
He simply gazed at the enormously constructed game board which shook the heavens and the earth.
He deeply gazed at it as if to not let a single hand and foot movement from the ones reaching the Newest Myth escape——
And, no matter what match(game) you are observing, you should cheer for them, right?
Cheering for your favorite player is good, but, it’s also hard to throw away a surprising upset.
Who should I cheer for——Though, the Sole God pondered like that, he soon raised his face.
As if he was materializing the real nature of the world he created with his hands——
“Do your best, every~one♪ I’m cheering for mostly everyone, alright~ Ahaha☆”
……He threw out an air looking so relaxed as if it was appropriate as an end.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
——Awaken.
Sora opened his eyes at the words that pierced through his slumber.
Raising his body as if detaching it from the ground, his eyes wavered dreamily, due to not being fully awake——
……Haha, now this is a splendid situation discernment even for myself, Sora laughed while praising himself.
After taking a quivering look around, with just that single glance he uncovered——two problems.
Sora thought with his head completely calm, categorizing it in order of severity to priority.
——The [First Problem] was a matter of concern.
A change to the Committee of 300——the Official Bishoujo[1] Rankings inside Sora’s brain——In other words.
It was about the matter of “there was an incredibly cute girl” in the wandering gaze earlier.
Sitting atop of a floating ink pot the size of their height while supporting their cheeks was——a young girl.
Dressed in elegant, oriental clothing——though with a different style from the Eastern Union’s, she was holding a paint brush in her hands.
With countless scrolls spread on her back like wings or a veil, she looked down with her silver-colored eyes——no.
With fake, enigmatic eyes seeming to hold no interest towards anything, it vacantly followed something(somewhere) not here(this place).
As if she was a puppet——but, Sora almost had his eyes forcibly stolen by that god-like beauty.
For Sora, who had gotten tired of seeing only beautiful girls, this was a serious matter of concern.
……You’re completely right if you say ‘what the hell are you saying, even though you’re just a virgin!’——but!!
Each and every single girl I’ve ever met since I came to this world(Disboard)——they don’t know moderation.
A princess that would lead idols to an inevitable public execution if they were to stand near her, an angel that would make top models sink into an inferiority complex, a young girl with animal ears that’s awakening to her loli attribute as an assist for a one-way arrest route for criminals——be it this one or that one, they’re all like that.
I’m still updating my hist
ory of being without a girlfriend, though!
That’s why for the current Sora, who’s just used to women, a mere bishoujo won’t be enough to distress him.
——He dropped the assignment while thinking I also had a time when I thought like that~
The girl in front of him was trying to join the rankings right after immobile Committee Member [Number One(Shiro)]——and so.
Noticing it concerned the next problem, Sora decided to think about that one for now.
That being said, the [Second Problem] wasn’t much of a problem.
After all, it was something that would be solved when asked——In other words.
“……Erm……? Where is this, who is this girl, and what am I doing here?”
——In other words, it was about the matter that “he had no memories(answers)”.
……………………
——Sora reflected on the priority of the problems while clenching his teeth.
It’s wrong, right——! Normally, you would think about this one first!!
What was that about incredible situation discernment, you fool!! This way——
If I don’t know the name of Provisional Number Two-san, I can’t add her to the rankings, right, idiot————!!
“…………Mm…… Nii……? ……Where is this……?”
After looking up at the sunset, Sora heard Number One(Shiro)-san murmuring with sleepy eyes.
——Letting out a small “hmm”, he looked around the surroundings again.
Just like them, those down on the ground were waking up successively.
Jibril, Steph, Plum, Izuna, Ino——
But, after seeing them all look around with troubled faces——Sora confirmed it once more.
It seems the [Second Problem] won’t be solved even if he asked someone.
Because no one seems to have those memories is what he thought, but……
“——Mm~…… Well, I don’t know, but, there’s probably no problem”
Since it won’t change the fact it’s a problem we can’t do anything about, Sora quietly answered.
Taking Shiro’s hand and helping her up, he looked over at [Provisional Number Two-san] before him.
——Even if he didn’t know who she was, it was obvious what she was.
That fear of suffering an unnatural death, like facing a heavy caliber gun, like from the time he first met Jibril.
But, “there wasn’t even that” in the girl floating before him.
Sora thought people must become like this when faced with things like tornadoes and tsunamis.
There wasn’t any despair nor the fear of death. There was only daze and simply——[resignation].
It didn’t even allow the thought of resisting, as the sensation coming from an existence embodying one’s breath of nature(the world) clearly answered.
——This was a [god].
It was the manifestation of All Things in Creation, the peak of the Sixteen Races(Exceed), Rank Number One——Old Deus.
——But, if that’s it, then, it’s a simple story, right, Sora exaggeratedly said.
“Where is this? It’s inside the game!! What are you doing? You are playing the game!! That is all!”
As for where this place is, it’s a place they knew——that’s right, it’s in the past tense.
It was supposed to be within the Eastern Union, at the Temple of the Priestess’ Inner Garden——but now, there were seven doors casually built there.
And if they look up above their heads, there was an enormous land floating as if to cover the sky.
——I see, there’s no memories about starting that kind of game.
But, there are memories up to leaving Elkia to challenge the Old Deus.
So, did the game with the Old Deus start with [memory deprivation] in the rules? ——Anyway, there’s no problem.
“N-Not even once have I looked down upon Master, but, isn’t it about time to remember dread——”
“……It’s incredible how you can remain nonchalant in front of an Old Deus…… Where does that confidence come from?”
An iridescent voice flew towards Sora, who frolicked like a child in a typhoon, but he was smiling bitterly.
A transcendental existence beyond the understanding of a mere human, surpassing both despair and fear——!!
Uwah, what a fearsome thing……!!
——But, going by the “mere human” that was Sora——he couldn’t feel anything.
What would a native from Earth do when facing natural calamities like tornadoes and tsunamis?
Take out a cell phone to take a photo and spread it on the net, like a duty.
As such, Sora approached Provisional Number Two-san, aiming for a low-angle shot of the one estimated to be a god——
But the Old Deus, who didn’t even say one word and just moved the brush with eyes reflecting nothing, spoke.
Indifferently, emotionlessly, lifelessly, as if to simply “confirm”.
【Game Start Condition “One”: The challengers’ memories from the past twenty-four hours——Collection, confirmed.】
——At the words affirming his guess, only Sora and Shiro gathered and laughed fearlessly.
That god(That), just by floating in space, made even Jibril become pale.
This non-standard existence——This Old Deus, we challenged it to a game, they thought.
And the [Starting Chip] was, in other words, twenty-four hours’ worth of memories——it was this kind of situation.
Sora’s chest was filled with expectation, excited by a worthy opponent, but——
【“Two”. Provisional fee——the commonly called [Miko]’s life——Collection, confirmed. It will be considered as established by the Game Start conditions. 】
——All thoughts stopped after those words.
“——Wha……!? M-Miko-sama——!?”
It was concealed by the too overwhelming presence.
Right below the Old Deus floating in space, they noticed a puppet lying on the built white, wooden steps.
Ino let out a scream and ran, kicking from the ground as if to break it and Izuna followed after him.
The two of them lifted up the powerless and immobile Miko, continuously calling her but……
——With the Werebeasts’ five senses, they should’ve already known even before running.
If there was a breath in Miko’s body, if there was a pulsation——they should’ve noticed it long since.
That’s why, it was just like the Old Deus said——Her [life] had been collected.
——It was unmistakably…… Miko’s…… [remains].
——Just what had happened?
While Ino and Izuna’s backs were trembling, Sora desperately soothed his thoughts that were becoming a mess.
——Calm down. The memories are still fine, but, Miko’s life was also a [starting chip]?
There’s no way such a condition would ever be accepted…… Did Miko, herself, wish for it? ——Or was it——
【Now…… The [Sugoroku(game)[2]] you have desired——From this moment on, it’ll be considered to have started and the [regulations(rules)] will now be disclosed. 】
With an expression seemingly holding not the slightest interest in them——no, towards anything in the world.
The Old Deus(She) spoke indifferently, essentially lifelessly, with eyes releasing a cold shine——No.
——Exactly, effortlessly…… the [regulations(rules)] or whatever they were.
Directly into Sora and everyone’s brains——it was simply poured without question.
——Just what is going on!
————Seriously, just what the hell is up with…… this——!!
“……Hey, don’t be lazy and explain it with your mouth…… even a god has one right or is it really that annoying?”
Sora was talking lightly but, his face was dyed with an anxiety that couldn’t be hidden.
It wasn’t just Sora, when the
rules were poured into their brains, all who instantly understood reacted the same way.
They looked at each other’s puzzled, apprehensive, and anxious faces and——chests.
That’s right, chest——At the ten white cubes that had appeared near their chests at some point.
——I see, just like the Old Deus(brat) said, this…… looks like [Sugoroku].
On that land of spiral(game board) expanding above our heads, we throw these white dice and move on the squares.
As we throw the dice, they’ll decrease by one, and the one that reaches the goal is victorious——
But, that means——
——Why did it——
————Become a game where the players kill each other——!!
【……Originally, words were the hand of creation.】
Was it because she knew what Sora thought inside his heart or was it because she didn’t know——or maybe, it’s because she didn’t care.
The Old Deus(She) answered Sora’s light talk with an unchanging cold gaze.
With eyes as if looking down upon a small pebble rolling near their feet, disinterestedly and lifelessly, but——
【If it’s a god’s words, then know that it’s far too much for mere lower beings like yourselves.】
Those eyes had certainly captured Sora and Shiro’s figures.
As if seeing through the two of them——or maybe something or “someone” existing deep inside.
“————?”
Those eyes he saw for a moment…… for Sora, they looked familiar.
An Old Deus——Those familiar eyes were far too unbecoming for someone of the transcendental species, but——
【You should learn the weight of your own words——If you have the wisdom for that, that is.】
It disappeared in an instant. The Old Deus(She) simply pointed the brush in its hands to the sky.
【I await at the end. Spend your predetermined life idly crawling on the ground——then, you may climb up. 】
After that proclamation, the Old Deus'(her) figure disappeared along with Miko’s corpse.