"…" "…"
Urd and I were staring at each other with bewildered expressions, caught off guard by this sudden reunion.
She seemed just as surprised by our unexpected meeting.
Inside [The Nameless Hawk]... or what was it called again?
The Well of Fate...? The heart of Yggdrasil…?
‘The name is so meaningful, but I still don’t really understand its exact significance.’
Anyway… the space filled with stars was still twinkling brightly. However, the girl living there didn’t seem to be in a good state.
‘She looks… kind of tired…?’
Her complexion seemed paler than before, and instead of bustling around and chattering endlessly, she was lying down with some chairs pulled together.
It was an unseemly posture, almost like a drunkard sleeping in front of a subway station, but on the other hand, it also showed just how exhausted she must be to disregard her usual demeanor.
Feeling uneasy, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Um… are you okay?” “Mmm…☆ Well…” “…?”
Urd… was unusually hesitant, unlike the straightforward and blunt 'original Clara.' Watching her like this, a sense of unease began to creep into my chest.
“…”
But at that moment. I felt someone outside grabbing my legs and hips, trying to pull me out forcibly. Simultaneously, the passage I was held in—[The Nameless Hawk]’s throat—began to quiver and contract.
Damn bird!! Who do you think you're swallowing—!! Spit it out! Spit it out—!! Ugh…! Gah…! Then, the opening around me started to shake as if it was trying to eject me back out.
“Whoa—?! What the—?!” “…Hehe, really… such a familiar voice—☆ I guess they were worried about you outside—☆” “But…?! Ah, anyway! Are you okay? You don't look too well!” “Haha—☆ Well~♪ I'm now a competent star who can help others—☆ Yes~ that's right! I've thought of so many things, so let's talk more leisurely next time! Oh! Maybe you could bring some snacks when you come by again—☆ You can't have a proper tea time without some sweets…☆”
Urd tried her best to sound cheerful, using ‘Clara’s’ usual lively tone. She kept smiling brightly.
“…”
But I still couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. So, I carefully asked her again.
“You’re really okay… right…?”
“…” As I began to be pulled out, I looked at Urd urgently, but she just nodded with that same pale face, assuring me that she was fine.
“…”
Honestly, no matter how I looked at her, she didn’t seem okay. But Urd kept smiling and waved me off as if to say, "Go on."
It was clear she had no intention of giving me a straight answer right now.
“…”
Looking at her forced, calm face, for some reason, Frida-senpai's face came to mind.
‘…Well, at least I now have a way to talk to Urd again, so I guess I’ll have to save the details for later.’
Even though this reunion was sudden, it was a relief to reconnect with someone who knew about this world. More than anything, I was worried about her, who had given up so much for me.
I told her that I would come back to see her again.
“…Okay♪”
She waved at me with a cheerful smile. But maybe it was just my imagination… that wave seemed strangely weak.
“…”
Before I knew it, I could hear the voices of my juniors coming from the wriggling passage. They were frantically yelling as they tried to pull me out of there.
“Senpai—! Hang on! We’ll get you out soon!” “Comrade Senpai! Can you hear us?” “Guys! Grab hold, and on the count of three, pull—!” “One!” “Two!” “Three—!!”
The hands gripping my legs all pulled at once. With immense pressure, the space that had swallowed me began to convulse.
Guhargh—?! …And then, with a retching sound from [The Nameless Hawk], I started to be expelled.
Swoosh—
The space filled with shining stars rapidly faded away, and as I passed through the giant chick’s throat, feeling the wet, warm texture slide past me, I found myself back on the familiar training ground.
Thud—
“…”
I collapsed onto the ground like a wet shrimp just before being breaded for frying. My juniors also tumbled to the ground, unable to control the force that had suddenly propelled me out.
“Cough! Ugh! Aargh—!! Cheep…!”
[The Nameless Hawk] was doubled over, gagging from the effort of forcibly expelling me.
“Puhah—?!” “She’s out—!” “Are you alright?!” “Senpai, are you okay?”
My juniors hurriedly rushed over to me. The giant chick was still retching and bobbing its head. It was a thoroughly chaotic scene.
‘There’s so much information to process all of a sudden, I can’t even organize my thoughts.’
I stood there, dazed, in the midst of the confusing scene.
The awakened [Nameless Hawk]. The cosmic space within its mouth. The three chairs I saw before. The tired-looking Urd.
“…”
The story seemed to be continuing, but somehow, it wasn’t. But there was nothing I could do about things I couldn’t change right now.
The first thing I should do is reassure my worried juniors and thank them. Everything else can be dealt with later.
I looked at my juniors, who were staring at me with concern.
“…Yeah♪ Thanks. I’m okay—☆” “…I’m so relieved. When that thing suddenly swallowed you up, I was so scared.” “I thought you’d get out right away, but when you stayed inside, I got really worried.” “Sorry, sorry—☆ I’m really fine~♪ I was just a bit surprised~☆”
At my words, my juniors smiled in relief. Then, they quietly glared at [The Nameless Hawk], who was still doubled over in the distance.
“Cough… Hack…! Cheep! I almost choked—! Do you even realize how fragile this body is…?! Cheep, cheep—?” “…” “…” “…” “What, what is it? Cheep? Why are you suddenly glaring at me and coming closer… Cheep! No, don’t come any closer!! Stay back!! Don’t come near me—!” “…” “…” “…” “Cheeeeeep—!”
[The Nameless Hawk] eventually got mobbed by the juniors in retaliation. Thanks to their refined control, it got just enough of a beating to not get seriously hurt. And now, it sat by us, letting out pitiful whimpers as we ate dinner.
“Cheeep… Cheeeep… They don’t believe me… This is too much…” “Who in their right mind would believe the words of a crazy chick that suddenly swallows people?” “Cheeep… But… To prove that I’m a divine beast, I had to show you the sacred space connected to Yggdrasil… Cheeeep…!” “…” Twitch—
Rota’s orange cat ears perked up.
She set down her soup bowl and looked over at me. Her orange, jewel-like eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Senpai, was there really something inside that thing’s stomach?” “…” “Actually, the concept of the ‘Well of Fate’ that it mentioned is something Frida-senpai also talked about… So it might actually be a real ancient divine beast.” “Like the giant snake we saw last time?” “Right?” “…If that’s the case, shouldn’t we deal with it now? We can’t have more of those incidents.” “Cheeep—?!”
[The Nameless Hawk], who had been slowly picking up crumbs from the floor, flinched and looked up in shock.
“…”
What should I do… Should I just show them?
“Hmmm—☆”
At this point, the original story and all that… It might be time to come together and make some unified decisions. Introducing our hidden ally—‘Urd’—now might be the right moment.
‘If Urd is the ‘Clara’ from the original story, she’d be happy to see the juniors again.’
If the juniors see Urd living in the Well of Fate, and they get shocked, thinking ‘What?! Two Clara-senpais?!’…
Hehehe—☆ Actually, we’re the Claras of the Academy City—☆ We belong to an organization working in secret to save Yggdrasil (serious). As [Saints of Sacrifice], we know the truth of the Academy City! …Well, it would be something like that.
Now, even if I reveal the truth, the justification isn’t in my head, but something Yggdrasil will take care of for me.
… … …
It’s not a bad plan.
With the Double Clara Attack leaving the juniors dazed, I could follow it up with something like this:
‘The role I played as [The Faded Spiral] was actually following the prophecies of Yggdrasil, and any knowledge about <Ratatoskr> and future events is thanks to Yggdrasil.’
Clearing up all the distortions in their perception until now, and finding the fastest way forward.
“…”
The <Anyways, Thanks to Yggdrasil, Double Clara Peace Peace Yay—☆> operation was now fully prepared.
From now on, I would act as the Saint who follows the great prophecies of Yggdrasil.
Before starting the <Anyways, Thanks to Yggdrasil, Double Clara Peace Peace Yay—☆> operation, I fully released the Pretty Filter, raising the cells responsible for my empathy and emotional intelligence.
‘Cry out, Pretty Filter.’
Anyways, Yggdrasil is amazing, so incredible—☆ Knows everything, and even provides forest baths—☆ Hilde is so pretty and cute, I want to kiss her every day—☆ ‘Mmm… Perfect.’
My reason had dropped just enough, so now I felt like I could say anything, no matter how nonsensical.
Before responding to Kara and Rota, I looked over at Albite, who was next in line to obtain the next legendary weapon according to the flow.
“…”
Albite was gently tossing small pieces of bread towards [The Nameless Hawk], who had been battered around like a ragdoll. She had been quietly listening to our conversation.
“Uh, I’ve been curious about that too… Did you really see something?” “Mmm—☆ I felt something… holy for sure—♪” “Really?” “You’re telling me that stupid chick actually showed you something?” “What did you see?!”
I am a girl who has witnessed the truth. I am a girl who has discovered the reality of this world.
“The truth and reality of this world—☆” “…!” “…!” “…!”
The juniors, hearing my words, immediately looked at [The Nameless Hawk], who had been pitifully picking up crumbs.
Sensing their stares, [The Nameless Hawk] seemed to get nervous and tried to scamper away, but was quickly caught.
“Open your mouth—!” “Craaaaw—!”
Albite had originally started this half as a joke.
No matter what the senpai said, The idea that the world’s truth was contained in a chick’s stomach sounded a bit far-fetched.
But…
[Watch over me as I move forward—!] [I’m your senpai—☆] [Haha…☆ I might’ve done something…☆] [Oh—♪ Is this a ‘coincidental’ dungeon…?!]
“…”
Clara always seemed like she was pretending to make mistakes, pretending to joke… like she was preparing ‘something.’ That’s why Albite had always been curious about what exactly Clara was preparing.
“…”
And now.
Here.
For the first time, Albite was witnessing one of ‘Clara’s’ truths.
“Sen…pai…?” “Haha—☆ What, what is it? Are we all signing autographs now?” “Wh-why are you here…? Senpai is outside right now, isn’t she…?” “Yeah♪ Surprised?”
‘Clara’ gently patted Albite’s head as she looked at her in confusion. Her touch was kind, but she seemed somewhat weary.
“Don’t worry. ‘Your senpai’ is still waiting for you outside—☆” “Then who are you?” “Mmm…☆ I actually wanted to tell Clara first, but things seemed urgent earlier…♪”
The current ‘me’ had given up being ‘Clara.’ I sacrificed my time to turn back the clock on a doomed future.
The pink-haired girl gently stroked Albite’s head as she spoke.
“In other words… Mmm…☆ You can call me the ‘Goddess of Fate,’ the past Urd—☆” “God…dess…?” “Yep! ‘Clara’ is, well… my agent? My upgraded version? Haha—☆ Anyway, we’re kind of like friends—☆”
A friend of the goddess. An agent of the goddess.
People in the world called such individuals priests or apostles.