by Unknown
Receiving a suddenly question in return, Steph made a blank face. Sora then slowly raised up his gaze.
The spiral continent separated into squares that floated in the heavens——a far too magnificent game board.
“……It’s “a concept that obtained a sense of self”……itself……”
“Y-yes……I also heard so……it makes absolutely no sense at all, though?”
That’s right, it was also recorded like that in the books Jibril had and that Shiro read.
Coincidentally, just like Steph, Sora also held his head being unable to make any sense out of it.
——It’s a complicated question that he swallowed up as [It’s another one of those absurdities that rejects understanding].
The transcendentally strong ones didn’t flock together nor did they have a Sole Representative……therefore there’s also no way to steal the Race Piece——then.
——It wasn’t weird at all for them to think that in this world the gods are the players, and everyone else are mere pieces.
But——if that’s true, then, Sora gave a small laugh.
It was this mysterious game’s greatest mystery——in other words.
“……I wonder what is someone so great like an Old Deus is even doing by playing a game with us(the pieces).”
——Why did this game get established——
Steph froze up after being told the mystery that was a question far too basic.
Third of the [Ten Oaths]——In games, each player will bet something that they agree is of equal value.
In this game, no one has to die if someone reach the goal, but on the other hand they’ll have everything stolen by the Old Deus.
Just what in these mere pieces(Sora and the others) would a god of all things “deem to be of equivalent value” to its entire being?
“Even more so when it’s a game……where the Old Deus(oneself) knows clearly that losing is possible——see?”
“……Y,yes?”
——The Old Deus did “not” prepare anything to give him a guaranteed victory.
Steph, who got that hidden declaration, had question marks floating around her, but——Sora simply laughed.
——In the first place, it’s a game where you don’t kill by betrayal(dice), and even if you do try to kill(task) you still end up failing.
It’s a game with enough chance to win with no one dying simply by having someone act in self-interest and ascend.
On top of that——it’s a game where most of the rules were created through the will of Sora and the others.
But——in this game where even the reason for the Old Deus having complied was a mystery,
There are rules that could only have been inserted through the Old Deus’ own judgment——there’s [three] of them.
If those three are what the Old Deus prepared——furthermore, if they are her will itself, then——
“Now here’s a question! It’s about that “only the Leading Player will be spared” rule!!”
Sora shouted out one of them in a weird tension.
“It didn’t get everyone’s approval, and since the Old Deus is always on the lead, it’s a rule that doesn’t concern us! But this rule also has nothing to do with the Old Deus itself, regardless if she wins or lose! Well then, I wonder just who does this rule concerns!?”
——That’s right. If no one ascends, the Old Deus will take everything.
But if someone ascends, then that person will take everything. If it’s like that,
Then this rule is a rule that has no meaning for any of them……but then, just why did it exist——?
“A big hint! It’s “what did disappear along with the Old Deus” at the game’s start!!”
——Steph tried to remember something that had happened about one month ago, but Sora thought.
Please no need to worry——because I didn’t expect any answer from Steph at all——!
“……“Miko-san’s”……body……disappeared……along, with it……”
“*ding dong ding dong*, that’s right!! The one who answered correctly will be presented with a “hug”!!”
Sora help up Shiro, who had answered instantly, along with the heater they finally completed, and shouted while he danced.
Steph seemed to be regretting that she was unable to get the correct answer, but putting her aside——
A meaning had been given to the meaningless rule ……and that was:
“No matter who wins, only Miko that’s on the leading square together with the Old Deus will be saved——that includes the Old Deus(me) losing——and that’s due to that rule that could only be inserted through the Old Deus’ own judgment, you see.”
That’s right——it can freely handle Miko’s life, having [collected] it before the game.
In other words, that Old Deus did so with a rule only it could insert——but, what it really did was:
——Even if I lose, “Miko-san’s life alone should be guaranteed”, or so it came down to.
Then the remaining two preparations(rules) too……if you think about its intention——
Sora let out a bitter smile at his own thoughts.
He lowered Shiro, and in instead he carried the luggage they had finished packing up on his back,
“……Just what is a god. I never met one in the other world, and I only heard about it from rumors, though.”
——For example.
Maybe it’s an entertainer that warns beforehand: do not eat the Fruit of Wisdom, you absolutely musn’t eat it, and then snaps once its eaten.[49]
Maybe it’s an attention seeker that secludes itself despite being a Sun God, and then shows his face outside once he hears a festival.[50]
Maybe it’s a lower body supremacist that keep having affairs while making solemn excuses that it’s for the sake of the universe.[51]
If it’s just like those from the rumors, then all of them sounded completely human.
Also, although they sounded like humans, they’re actually tilted towards the no-good humans——but.
“After coming here(to Disboard) and actually meeting god——I saw that they’re all the same(similar)……”
Surprisingly, maybe the rumors in the previous world weren’t really that off the mark?, Sora let out a wry smile.
“One of them is a lonely person[52] who got seriously heated up just because he lost at chess and called us out without any appointment, you see?”
“……Tet is, the first one……to make, Shiro……lose……at……“loneliness power[53]”……”
“It’s about time for you guys to receive some punishment, you know……just what do you think the Sole God——”
——Just what is a god?
Sora and Shiro didn’t know, and to be honest——they don’t even care.
But when the rules were being explained——the way that god looked at them for a moment made both of them think.
It seemed to have almost no interest in whether it would win or lose——it was like it was saying that nothing mattered.
But its eyes seemed to be blaming something, even though the person itself didn’t seem to be aware of it——
“——And so, the other one is a little girl that’s sulking due to being forced to play a game after getting set up by a certain fox……
A concept that obtained a sense of self——it was too far from such a grandiose title.
Like how it was said in Sora’s previous world——that completely human-sounding God.
——That crying child.
Just what did it seek, and what did it prepare——something like that……,
“……At the very least, it would be——something that has nothing to do winning or losing, wouldn’t it.”
Walking side-by-side, Sora and Shiro thought as they looked up to the ends of the heavens.
Surely it was something terribly simple and self-despairing——but, that was exactly why it was something critical.
“……For, example……like a payback, or something like that……right……”
Steph followed their backs with her eyebrows frowned dubiously at what both of them said——………
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
——In short, this was a [sneak thieving].
In the Reception Room of the Eastern Union’s Naval Garrison Post and Surveillance Office, there were two people relaxing graciously in the sofa at the opposite side of Hatsuse Ino.
They were Clammy and Fiel——those whom he had expected to be the reinforcements(allies)——or so he had concluded.
Hand over everything the Eastern Union has!, the girl had said so at such a time and situation.
“It’s not that complicated, right. It’s quite simple——”
——And with a smile, she spoke about her plot.
“It’s a scenario where the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Hatsuse Ino-sama, during a time where Miko was coincidentally absent, judged the two “fools” who had caused a meaningless oceanic blockade and bet one entire province as [easy targets], and after complying to what was supposed to be a sure-win game——the same game as the one Elven Garde had received the wrong information about——he lost, becoming a “huge fool”.”
——Making an oceanic blockade and betting of one entire province, all of that——
“Complying reasonably, and losing reasonably——even your personal acting is perfect, isn’t it?”
“You may lick our shoes to show your gratitude, you know~ But only if you’ll be cleaning and deodorizing them properly later, though♪”
——Aren’t those two supposed to be Sora’s conspirators——allies, or collaborators——!?
Unable to cool down his confusion, Ino’s thoughts remained as mere questions.
“Ye~s♪ The senate was given the wrong information about the Eastern Union’s game, just like Sora-san wanted——far from being an ally, I’m but the overly-used clown, Fiel Nirvalein~❤”
Maybe she had read his thoughts with magic, since Fiel replied while smiling.
——No, there’s no way she could read it, Ino brushed off his own shiver.
Even for high level magic, the browsing and alteration of thoughts or memories was considered harm——it’s a violation of the [Oaths].
But, based on the presence of elements——Ino assumed that there was a magic that worked similarly to the Werebeasts’ cold reading.
Actually, even though he was at such close distance——he couldn’t read anything out of those two.
Their breathing, pulse, body heat……they were disturbing all of them with magic.
“Elven Garde was certainly told the wrong information about the Eastern Union’s game——but.”
And then, while he was unable to know anything, not even if it was truth or lie——
“——I never heard anything about we not being able to be the Elven Garde that came to challenge.”
——The black-haired girl said so with the exactly same smile as that man.
“And thus, without a single person in Elven Garde knowing about the Eastern Union’s game’s true identity nor about our secret maneuvers, the Eastern Union will switch out from Elkia Federation——from [ ](those two), to us. And then, it’ll become a stepping stone for us to engulf Elkia Federation(those two)……Huh? Hey Fii, it hasn’t changed much compared to the current situation, has it?”
“It’ll be even better, since one province from Elven Garde will be added to our Federation~♪”
“Maybe we were too gentle with our demands……? Well, it doesn’t matter either way.”
——The Eastern Union isn’t even in our sights.
Those two were saying that they didn’t had any interest in anything but in all of the Elkia Federation——in Sora and Shiro(those two)——
“Of course, if this scenario isn’t to your tastes then, we do have a different one prepared, you see?”
Clammy laughed darkly——on her side, a sphere of light appeared on Fiel’s raised hand.
It was a multilayered structural magic formula——it was originally impossible for a Warbeast(Ino) to understand, or even visually perceive it at all.
But, judging by her intention as she daringly visualized it and showed it off, it was evident as to what kind of magic that was.
——Anti-Eastern Union Magic——“Countermeasure Formula for Video Games”
““This” will be leaked to the senate(govern)——I wonder if you prefer this kind of unfortunate scenario, instead?”
——Then the enemy won’t be those two, but it would change to Elven Garde itself.
The barbarians posing as gentlemen would come attacking like locusts, stealing everything from the Werebeasts, violating and dominating.
If you don’t want that, then play the game right now—— and lose.
As the girl——no, the witches’ eyes were telling him that they wouldn’t wait until Miko, Sora and the others came back, Ino roared in his mind.
——Why.
——Why it had to be at such time——!!
“It’s obviously because it’s at such time~ This dog is bad on the head, isn’t it~?”
“I’ll teach you if you don’t know, but——I have Sora’s memories, you see?”
Sora, who knew from the very start that there was a Old Deus behind Miko.
Sora, who was always waiting for an chance to wage a game against that Old Deus.
If Chlammy, who knows all of that just like him, were to start an Anti-Old Deus War——
“Including the important personnel, the position of the Sole Representatives affiliated with the Elkia Federation——will become virtually empty, right?”
——If Sora had prepared everything from the very start, then.
Then it’s also obvious that everything could’ve been read beforehand and then made use of.
“……Well, you being here was more convenient than expected, though.”
“It’s a moment where the Sole Representative is absent, so anyone would’ve been fine, though. All we had to do was to keep searching for the positions bellow and bellow successively until we reach the one with the second position~♪[54]”
“It’s far easier when compared to doing it to someone whom you don’t even know……right?”
If you omitted all of that, she was saying that all the rights from the Eastern Union were currently laying upon Hatsuse Ino, the “Secretary of Foreign Affairs”.
——Everything was for the sake of this moment, this timing, this very moment——
“——We really went through a lot of trouble to make it in time, you know?……But, well♪”
“If we get to see Sora-san’s face in tears then~ it’s a cheap trouble~♪”
It was as if they were affirming that they weren’t perceived by anyone until now, and from now on they wouldn’t be either, only for that.
——The two witches that secretly stole a territory from the world’s greatest country——the country of the races that excelled the most at magic, Elven Garde——laughed.
“We won’t let the game with the Old Deus……end without us~♪”
“Yes——we will not allow it to end. Now——shall we start the game?”
There was a chilly smile in the place where both truth and lie were uncertain——but, there was weird feeling about it.
Do not repeat the mistake of the game with the Old Deus, Ino hit himself with a whip and continued his thoughts calmly.
——[You being here was more convenient than expected]……than expected——that’s “un”expected.
The authenticity of her remarks was unclear, but “ghost-mocking(this rule)” was unnecessary to the plan of those witches——anyone was fine.
Then this was really Sora’s, or maybe Miko’s intention——but what kind of intention it could have.
D
id they read those two’s attack, and entrusted the interception to Ino?
——Can he win?——[No].
The full-dive model video game was originally a game of sure-victory, impossible to be interfered with magic.
——But if they knew about it beforehand they could prepare countermeasures, and that was why they had been erasing the memories.
Not to mention that those two knew the contents of the game, and even had a countermeasure formula.
——Is it a bluff?——[No].
He can’t read it out due to the magic disturb, but they would simply lose if it was a bluff——!
“Just, what is this……! Just who drew this scenario, and for what purpose——!?”
Unintentionally, Ino’s distress leaked out from his mouth——right away, a voice was heard.
“Ah, yes? It’s a scenario that I drew for my own sake, but……did you call?”
It was the alluring voice of a screechy girl teasing others.
Their gazes turned around all at once, and on its end was a girl that had appeared in the center of the room at some time——no.
It was a “young boy” that seemed somewhat to have a sad fate——even though he was so beautiful that you could confuse him with a girl——
“P-Plum-dono……!?”
“Yes, it’s the Prince of Dhampirs who’s renowned to have little presence, Plum Stalker!”
His appearance was faintly transparent. He must’ve [dropped out] just like Ino, and now has his death on hold.
Maybe he’s using some kind of magic, since Clammy, who was glaring at him sharply,
“——You, since——”
“……Since when you were there……?”
She got interrupted by Fiel,who had lost her composure——and asked with a piercing glare.
“Ahaha~……that question is slightly wrong.”
Brushing aside that blade-like killing intent as if he was simply tired of it——or amazed by it,
“The correct question is——since when I was here ♥As for the answer——”
It happened on the moment that Plum corrected so.