I carefully crafted my concept. A mysterious wizard who traveled all sorts of dimensions, rescuing worlds. I lowered my voice, adopting an air of profound meaning.
If I spoke too casually, I strongly suspected Bennet would just hurl his sword at me, yelling, Stop the bullshit! So I had to act like someone who knew exactly what they were talking about to seem worth listening to.
And so, I began by denying the very premise that had caused all this trouble.
“This is not Outer God.”
“Do you honestly believe that? Its appearance, power, even its tone may have changed⋯⋯ but those black, swirling shadows in its eyes—I would never fail to recognize them.”
“Is that so⋯⋯?”
He was sharp, wasn’t he? Perhaps it was his experience as a former dark sorcerer or the countless hours he had spent ruminating over that session.
surveyed the scene. A crowd had gathered, drawn by the commotion of a hostage situation unfolding in the middle of the street. I could have defused it quietly with illusion magic, but I had intentionally created a scene to draw attention.
There were two reasons for this.
First, it served as a signal—a call for help directed at the Pink-Haired Lesbian who had wandered off, and the Tower Master, who was still sulking and had hidden herself.Second, public attention acted as a shield. It was a cheap trick, yes, but if it could prevent Evil God-chan from having her throat slashed, it was worth it.
In the center of the city, openly murdering someone who appeared to be a frail young girl would irreparably tarnish Bennet’s reputation.
Bennet needed the『Hero Selection Tournament』to go in his favor, particularly if he wanted to save Tara. That alone made it likely he would hold back⋯⋯ or so I had hoped.
But it seemed his grudge ran deeper than I anticipated.
“I owe you. I feel indebted to you as well. But my revenge comes first. So I’ll warn you—step aside.”
“Do you think the others would have made the same choice?”
“Yes, Tara and Niolle would have made the same decision.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
His answer didn’t waver.
What Bennet had experienced was nothing more than a carefully constructed story. Completely Illusion Magic. There were no actual victims. But he didn’t know that.
If I told him now that all of it had been fake⋯⋯ he wouldn’t believe me. Convincing him would take a long, long time.
Ultimately, the only way to resolve this was to make him understand the difference between the Outer God and Evil God-chan.
“⋯⋯You’re not planning to hand me over to Bennet, right? Right, Mima?!”
“I’m thinking right now. Quiet down for a bit.”
pressed down on Evil God-chan’s head, which clung tightly to my leg. Her fear of Bennet was almost irrational.
It was as if she were a child who had become forever terrified of bugs after one had crawled down her neck. Bennet’s existence—and her origin—seemed to have inflicted a lasting trauma on Evil God-chan.
Crime and punishment.
But even if Bennet’s experiences had been real, I firmly believed that the Outer God and Evil God-chan were entirely separate entities.
Just as I saw the ‘Thing’ and Evil God-chan to be separate beings.
I decided to draw upon a philosophical concept from my previous life.
“If you feel indebted to me, then please just listen to this story. Have you ever heard of the Ship of Theseus, Bennet?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Of course you wouldn’t have. It’s a term that doesn’t exist in this world. There may be similar ideas here, but not with the name of the ancient hero Theseus⋯⋯.”
“Explain.”
There was a famous and interesting story. It was a story that could be interpreted differently depending on perspective.
“There was once a ship captained by the hero Theseus. The people of Athens, wishing to preserve the ship that bore his legacy, replaced each plank as it rotted with a new one.”
The Athenians continued this practice. To honor the hero, they replaced the old planks with new ones. Time passed, and eventually…
“Not a single original plank of the ship remained. In such a case, could it still be called the Ship of Theseus?”
“⋯⋯If none of the original remains, then no—it couldn’t.”
“Then at what point did it cease to be the Ship of Theseus? Was it after the first plank? Ten planks? Or was it no longer the Ship of Theseus the moment even a single plank was replaced?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett contemplated the question. He could have brushed it off as a pointless riddle, but he didn’t—how unexpectedly considerate of him.
Naturally, this question had no absolute answer. It hinged solely on belief. And here was mine. I placed a hand over my heart and spoke what I truly thought.
“My belief is this: 『Meaning』 must always be aligned with 『Direction』.”
What worth is there in a conscience that does not act, a weapon that is never used, or a theory devoid of practical application? Meaning must be paired with purpose.
“Even if none of the original planks remain, as long as the ship continues sailing in the direction of the hero’s great journey, it remains the Ship of Theseus. Conversely, even if the ship is preserved perfectly but never ventures out, it becomes less and less of Theseus’ Ship.”
So.
From the ship called ‘Thing’ that lacked any capacity for joy in doing kindness…
Yuna removed a large plank and built a new ship. I then added a sail named conscience to it. Evil God-chan was such an ambiguous existence, and I explained her nature to Bennett.
“This girl is an isolated fragment of the Outer God. I imbued this fragment with kindness. She exists in a gray zone—neither entirely a new entity nor wholly the original.”
“So, you’re saying her past crimes have been erased entirely? Wizard?”
“What I’m saying, Bennett, is that her identity has yet to be fully defined. What truly matters is her 『Direction』, and that direction will be determined by Evil God-chan herself.”
Just as I—a being caught between black and white—chose the middle ground, Evil God-chan deserved the opportunity to chart her own course. I provided her with all the tools necessary to make that decision.
Now, it was up to Evil God-chan.
“If she chooses the path of evil, then you can call her the Outer God. You may hold her accountable for the crimes of the Outer God. If that time comes, I will help you with the process of chopping her into pieces⋯⋯ and burning the remains.”
If, however, she rejected her past and declared her intent to walk a new path…
“Then⋯⋯ would you see her as a girl with terrible parents, rather than the Outer God?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
That was the end of my persuasion.
Bennett repeatedly clenched and released the hilt of his sword. He seemed like he was deep in thought after hearing my explanation.
I pretended to relax my body as though leaving the decision entirely in his hands but⋯⋯ I secretly prepared a spell with the hand resting on Evil God-chan’s head.
I could physically defeat the Succubus Queen or kill her if she materialized, but dealing with her as an informationized entity in a dream was different. By exploiting that property, she could potentially fake her death.
I didn’t want to stand against Bennett, but I couldn’t abandon Evil God-chan either.
Softening Evil God-chan’s information a bit, I began to adjust her presence. She let out a few strange noises, but she didn’t do anything because she knew I was doing it to save her life.
And fortunately.
“⋯⋯I see.”
Bennett closed his eyes and slid his sword back into its sheath. Had he understood?
It wasn’t just Evil God-chan who carried sins from the past. Bennett himself was a former dark sorcerer. So maybe he saw himself in her.
He bought it.
Both Evil God-chan and I let out a sigh of relief. It was good that he accepted it. Now, all that was left was to diffuse the tense and frigid atmosphere.
We spoke quietly.
“⋯⋯Hey, Evil God-chan. Can’t you try acting cute or something?”
“⋯⋯Mima, are you crazy? If I try acting cute for that guy, who barely kept his patience, he’ll draw both swords this time and come charging at us.”
Fair point.
Just as I was about to resign myself to the idea of sacrificing my dignity to lighten the mood with a bit of comedy, an unexpected twist occurred.
From the crowd surrounding us, a priest stepped forward.
“That was quite⋯⋯ an impressive story, Sir Wizard. And you as well, Sir Bennett.”
I recognized him. A long time ago, during Irid’s think tank, I had seen someone like him—the young lady’s uncle, the War Priest Jul-something. This man resembled him.
With a calm and measured smile, he approached the tense space between Bennett and me. Fixing his gaze directly on me…
He spoke with a calm yet loud voice.
“In that case⋯⋯ I have a question for you, Sir Wizard of the Purple Tower. There exists a grand ship called the Church of the Goddess. Long ago, every plank of this ship was replaced, and in time, it will be replaced again—new followers, new cardinals, new popes⋯⋯.”
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder as many seemed to recognize him. His name carried weight as a former cardinal, and now, all eyes were on us.
Although I was momentarily startled by this man’s abrupt intrusion, a jolt of realization hit me.
“⋯⋯Then, how could this ship truly become the Goddess’s ship?”
He intended to use the argument between Bennett and me as a political weapon, using it to put pressure on the corrupted members of the Church.
Quickly, my mind started spinning ideas. Since I was already planning to help Bennett’s 『Reformist Faction』, this was a golden opportunity. The more I discredited the opposing faction, the better it would be.
The priest seemed to have reached the same conclusion. Fine. I’ll play along. I could hear about the details later.
I cast a discreet illusion spell to enhance the clarity and resonance of my voice, ensuring it projected effortlessly to the entire crowd. I did the same for that Jul-whatever War Priest-Man.
Then, I began my speech.
“A ship called religion is destined to have its planks replaced. The flow of time will eventually send the saints to distant waters, leaving only the 『Direction』 behind.”
“Then, what should the direction of the Goddess’s ship be?”
“It must return to its roots, following the path the Goddess herself pointed toward when the Church was pure and devoted. That is the grand purpose we must pursue.”
Wattle Priest-Man wore a theatrically sincere expression. The crowd began to murmur in approval, with some nodding or even clapping in agreement.
“⋯⋯I have learned much from your words, Sir Wizard. Perhaps you and Sir Bennett would be⋯⋯ willing to share more thoughts on the future of the Church of the Goddess?”
“That sounds good. Brother Bennett, let’s go together. Such a fortuitous meeting calls for celebration. Let’s find a place with good company and scenery.”
I casually released the young lady, as if she had never been a hostage, and moved to stand next to the Battle Priest-Man, pretending to be friends with him.
Bennett, though visibly perplexed by the sudden turn of events, seemed to recognize the priest. A subtle glance from the older man was all it took to make him reluctantly follow.
And so, what began as a midday hostage situation ended as a gathering to discuss religious reform.
===============================================================
When I thought about it.
The fact that this man had survived as the brother of the ruthless Grand Duke of the North, a man willing to exile even his own daughter.
The fact that he had managed to insert himself into Irid’s assembly unnoticed back then.
The fact that he had climbed to the rank of cardinal before stepping down, and still maintained a good reputation, recognized even by this crowd.
And the fact that the young lady was so confident that meeting this “uncle” would solve all her problems.
All these facts⋯⋯ pointed to one conclusion: this War Priest was far more than a mild-mannered, good-hearted man. It meant that he was an expert at navigating the treacherous waters of politics.
“I am Dakiten Julius, former cardinal and currently operating as a War Priest. Haha⋯⋯.”
His easy smile might have fooled others, but I could see the shrewdness of a sly fox lurking behind it. Sitting cross-legged with Evil God-chan perched on my lap, I leaned back and asked bluntly.
“What was that show earlier? I played along, but still.”
“It seemed like a good opportunity so⋯⋯ I apologize if it came across as rude.”
“Back when I saw you in front of the Second Prince, you didn’t seem to stand out much.”
“There were too many high-ranking people there, so⋯⋯.”
Which was his way of saying he had deliberately avoided drawing attention in the presence of the Prince, Princess, and Magic Tower Masters.
“Bennet, well⋯⋯ you know him? If so, could you explain a bit for me?”
“⋯⋯Right.To cut to the chase, Wizard, you already know Tara cannot use Divine Power. She has been surviving by siphoning corrupted priests’ Divine Power through her Metamorphosis 『Thorns of Lament』, but that method has reached its limits.”
Even in a world teeming with villains, overusing such a method would inevitably draw suspicion.
If every location Tara visited ended up littered with husks drained of Divine Power, it wouldn’t take long for someone to connect the dots. She needed a stable, reliable source of Divine Power—
Someone aware of her inability to use Divine Power, willing to overlook her theft of it, and was even willing to allow it.
“This man approached us, the 『Reformist Faction』, claiming to share our grievances with the current Church of the Goddess. He saidwe were working toward the same goal.”
“⋯⋯Did I phrase it that dramatically?”
“He offered to share his Divine Power. Moreover, he told us a way to fake Divine Power.”
Interesting choice of words.
At Bennet’s introduction, War Priest-Man stood and formally introduced himself. He seemed more like a⋯⋯ seasoned politician rather than a Priest.
“⋯⋯War Priest Dakiten Julius, now working as a member of the 『Reformist Faction』. It’s an honor to work with you all.”
I clapped half-heartedly as I organized my thoughts.
The young lady’s request had been fulfilled on its own. Clear.
The misunderstanding with Bennet had been resolved. Clear.
Now, all that remained was to lend a bit of help with Bennet’s predicament, enjoy some dating in the Holy City, gather more information on the Goddess⋯⋯.
⋯⋯And, of course, to get some love advice.
***
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