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Translator: Kazumi
Editor: Kabur & Silavin
Kousuke was in his room, located within Asura’s mansion.
He was feeling troubled.
“Hmm. I guess we didn’t find out anything today.”
The room he was now in was the one he stayed before he headed to Earthgard.
It was also the room he used during his visits. Eris had told him to use this room whenever he came to the sanctuary.
The sanctuary was already night, as there was a day and night cycle here.
The reason why day and night existed was to avoid the feeling of being different from Earthgard.
Asura’s personal taste of enjoying the night sky was also part of the reason. Though, not many knew that.
He was pondering over the new power while looking at the nighttime scenery. However, he had no idea what to make of it.
He planned to stay until he could grasp the trigger that had appeared in Peach’s fortune-telling.
However, he did not intend to slack off forever.
“Ah. No. I don’t really know what to think… Maybe I should go for a walk.”
Kousuke knew that sitting still in his room would only make his mind stagnant.
When he said it out loud, it seemed like a good idea so he decided to put it into action.
***
He thought about the last time he was here after using the return circle. He never took a calm stroll outside like he did right now.
Before heading to Earthgard, he wandered around quite freely. Though it was strange in retrospect that he did not see any other Goddesses at that time.
Of course, Asura and Eris were working behind the scenes to prevent him from meeting them unexpectedly.
However, they did not physically escort him, but only advised him not to go to certain areas.
That was not a problem for Kousuke, as he had done this frequently before he arrived. Thus, he knew the areas.
This time, no Goddesses came to attack him while he was around. It was thanks to his promise of making regular visits.
Eris had told him about how the Goddesses had become more docile after he made that promise. Thus, Kousuke was enjoying his leisurely stroll without worry.
When he was in the Towers, he was mostly confined to the administrative floor, so the only time he could enjoy nature was when he went to check on his dependents.
Perhaps it was because of this, as well as the feeling of fresh air out in nature, he began to be in a somewhat pleasant mood.
Following this mood, he got into the swing of things and kept on walking.
By the time he realized it, it was too late.
“…What? Where am I?”
He was now walking through the woods, not the plains, and had lost all sense of direction. He no longer knew where the mansion was located.
“Geez, this is bad, huh?”
He had a bad feeling about this, but decided to be optimistic. He believed that there was no limit to how far he could walk on his own two feet.
Incidentally, the reason he could take it so easy was because he knew there were no monsters in the sanctuary.
If there were monsters, he would never have thought of going for a walk.
The biggest reason he was not panicking was because he had brought along with him equipment he could use to communicate with Jal. Something functional even in the sanctuary.
Since the communion tool was left as his last resort, he was able to relax to some extent.
***
“Hmmm… I think I’ve walked a lot already, but I still have no idea where I am.”
He continued walking, thinking unnecessary things like. “I wish I had a cheat or something that would allow me to see a map,” but there was no sign of anything that would lead him to a place he would recognize.
On the contrary, after a few dozen more minutes of walking, he suddenly found himself in an open area.
The open space did not mean that there was no more forest in front of him.
No trees were growing here, as if the area was protected by something.
It was circular and about the size of a large field.
For Kousuke, who had walked through the forest, the place seemed very bright with the trees gone and moonlight shining directly on it.
He decided to walk to the center of the open space.
At first, he did not notice it, but as he got closer to the center, he noticed that there was a large rock in the center.
Kousuke was curious, so he approached the rock.
As he got closer, his hunch became more and more certain.
He approached the rock and touched it.
…But nothing happened.
“… Huh? That’s strange. I thought for sure there was something here?”
He not only touched it, but also stroked it, but nothing in particular happened.
He groped and fiddled with the rock for a while, but nothing in particular happened.
“Hmmm? I don’t get it. Anyway, I’m tired, so I’m going to take a short break.”
After muttering this, He sat down with his back against that rock.
He had been walking for quite some time and was tired, though he did not feel it while he was walking.
He had no intention of doing so, but he found himself closing his eyes and falling asleep.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
He found himself in a completely white world.
Kousuke was alone there. There was a book as big as an encyclopedia floating in front of me.
[Nice to meet you.]
Suddenly, the book in front of him spoke.
It was not words that came through his ears using sound, but a voice that resonated directly in his head.
“Um? I’m Kousuke.”
[I know. I am <—-> I know who you are.]
“What? Excuse me?”
[Unfortunately, you are not yet qualified to hear my name.]
The book in front of him came over and spoke.
“I see… Hmmm, but I can sort of imagine what it is?”
[Oh. Then tell me what you think thy name is.]
“Well, if you’ll excuse me… World Record.”
The moment Kousuke called the name, the book in front of him lit up and the pages began to flip.
It stopped when it reached a certain page.
[That is one of the names that manifests Me. That is not all. But it is also true that no one can understand all of Me.”]
“Ah. In short, you mean that I do not comprehend your existence?”
[I wonder? Perhaps you could understand it after long, long contemplation.]
“I see. By the way, did you invite me here?”
[I did not call for you. You are the one who came to me.]
“Oh? Is that so? I am sorry for the trouble.”
[It is all right. It may be good to have a conversation with others once in a while.]
Kousuke was relieved to hear that the tone of her voice did not indicate that she was angry, although her expression was not visible because she was in the form of a book.
[So? You have something you want to ask me, don’t you?]
“Oh, I knew you could see through me. But I’ll refrain from asking.”
[Oh. Why is that? I am the one who knows everything. I can give you the answer if you ask me, can’t I?]
“That’s why.”
[Is there any difference between asking me and asking the Goddesses?]
“No, I don’t know, but I have a feeling that you are on a different level… I don’t know how to put it into words.”
[I see.]
It was a short reply, but it gave him the impression that she was somehow enjoying herself.
[You should cherish that feeling. Well then, it’s time for you to go.”]
When the book in front of him said that, it emitted light just like before.
What was different this time was that the light enveloped Kousuke.
When the light disappeared, Kousuke was not there anymore
