◆ ？？？ ◆
“Where is this…?”
As my consciousness awakened, I found myself surrounded by nothingness. It was an indescribable space, unified in a bright, sky-like white. My body floated in this void, and while I could flail my limbs somewhat freely, it felt akin to swimming underwater—there was a certain lack of control. I quickly grew bored of this space.
“Hero…”
“W-Who are you?!”
“Hero, how pathetic to die once more.”
In the distance, I spotted a light. A pillar of light that refracted chaotically around a central point. At its core stood an old man with a long white beard that reached his belly. He wore a white robe that flowed down to his feet, and there was not a single hair on the top of his head, surrounded instead by a halo of white locks. He looked just like a typical god from a storybook.
“Who are you…?”
“I have met you once before.”
“Y-Yeah! When I was killed, you gave me power, right?! Who are you? Why me?”
“You were born with the blood of a Hero. A Hero has a mission to fulfill, regardless of what kind of human you are.”
“I… I died, didn’t I?”
The old man nodded silently. Yes, I had heard his voice when I was killed in the Royal Capital of Mizkal. And when I awoke, I possessed the power to vanquish any monster with a single swing of my sword. But what was the result? I was caught off guard by Pansard and died pathetically. My plan to become a hero and surround myself with girls from all over the world ended there.
All of this was their fault. Those useless fools, I truly wanted to kill them.
“Even with power, I was killed by Pansard. I don’t know who you are, but the power you gave me was only that much.”
“There is no absolute power. Misuse it, and you will lose your life.”
“I see, so I’m game over then. I can’t fulfill this so-called Hero’s mission.”
“That cannot be. You must fulfill your mission as a Hero.”
“Huh? So, are you saying you’ll bring me back to life or something?”
The old man nodded again. To be honest, I couldn’t care less about being a Hero, and I had no intention of fulfilling that role, but if he was going to bring me back to life, I might as well go along with it. I had a principle of using whatever I could. If that was the case, I would squeeze him for everything he was worth.
“Even if you come back to life, there are strong foes everywhere in this world. If you are of the same strength, you will again fail to fulfill your mission. It will be difficult without greater power.”
“Don’t worry, when you awaken next, you will have awakened to even greater power.”
“Seriously?! That’s great, but who are you?”
“I am a god. The absolute and unique existence in this world, the one who determines the fate of all things.”
To be honest, I didn’t understand at all, and I thought he might be crazy, but I decided to flatter him.
“God! With half-hearted power, I can’t possibly fulfill my mission! If you are such a magnificent being, you should be able to grant me power that surpasses even the Demon Lord Army or that infuriating brat Lua! This is the greatest respect I can offer you… Rolling Prostration!”
I spun in mid-air while bowing down. Even if it was improvised, I thought it was a magnificent performance.
“All is determined by fate.”
The light burst into a brilliant white, and my vision faded to nothing. Just as I recognized this, my consciousness plummeted once more into the depths.
◆ Royal Capital Mizkal ◆
“Ah, I’m so glad you’re all safe!”
“Why is Genia here…?”
An oval-shaped airship descended gracefully, its metallic reliefs shining brightly. There were a few armed individuals aboard, but I couldn’t spot Platiu anywhere. She was always by my side.
“I heard you two were heading to the Garden of Beasts, so I literally flew here. The Ballad Continent has long been a place where no country or faction could manage, you see. I believed you two would surely succeed.”
“Ah… So, the Kingdom of Metallica is planning to assist in the reconstruction of the entire Ballad Continent, including Mizkal?”
“Exactly. This place is a crucial base for everyone. If we can rebuild, the economy will flourish once more on a global scale.”
It seemed that for the people of Mizkal, seeing Metallica’s airship was a first. While we were interacting normally, they could only stand there with their mouths agape, as it was an otherworldly sight to them.
Still, how did they know we were heading to the Garden of Beasts? Only the kings of Avangarde should have known. Did they ask the kings directly? It seemed too quick.
“First, we need to create an environment where the people of Mizkal can live safely. This is going to be busy… By the way, is the Detect Ring I gave you proving useful? It actually works on monsters too.”
“R-Really?”
“Well, it only displays data like HP (Hit Points) as a reference. It does show levels too, but the accuracy is questionable.”
“Monster levels! I never thought about that…”
If we have levels, it wouldn’t be strange for monsters to have them too. Hearing this sparked my curiosity.
“Even the same Cave Rabbits can have levels of 1 or 2 individually. It’s just that much. Don’t get your hopes up. More importantly, about the girl and the man who were brought in…”
“Hey, I’m all healed up. I guess I should thank you.”
Aleid descended from the exit known as the gangway. He was bare-chested, and his steps were rough. He didn’t seem particularly grateful.
“Aleid! Thank goodness, you woke up!”
“Get out of my way.”
Aleid shoved Kude, who rushed over, aside and tried to walk off. Kude, unable to comprehend what had just happened, grabbed Aleid’s shoulder. Aleid clicked his tongue, and his sudden change in demeanor must have shocked Kude even more than it did me.
“A-Aleid? What about Roin’s injuries…?”
“She’s not waking up, so leave her be. You shouldn’t follow me either.”
“What’s wrong, Aleid…?”
“Because of useless people like you, I lost to Pansard. Damn it… It really pisses me off.”
The people of Metallica quietly observed Aleid’s harsh attitude. The girl named Roin was barely clinging to life, but thanks to Kurinka’s Angel Heal, she had at least been saved. However, her fever wouldn’t go down, and she was still delirious. The so-called medical team from Metallica was scratching their heads over this. They were exploring whether bacteria had entered her wounds and caused an infection, but I couldn’t understand any of it, and they had no results.
Yet, what was up with Aleid?
“If you’re apologizing for being a burden, then I accept it…”
“If you feel sorry, then die. Don’t cause me any trouble in the future.”
“I’m sorry…”
“If you really think that, then die right here and now. Go on.”
“Aleid… Do you hate me?”
“There are plenty of cute and good-looking girls out there. You’re no longer needed. So hurry up and die.”
“No way… Did you really think of me like that…?”
“Aleid, are you serious? She cares about you, you know—guhh!”
Genia, who tried to intervene, was punched with such force that her neck twisted. She collapsed to the ground, and the other Metallica soldiers rushed to help her.
“Aleid, that’s going too far. If Kude and the others are a burden, then you shouldn’t have brought them along. It’s because you lack the confidence and ability to protect them that it turned out this way.”
“…You really annoy me. Should I settle this right here and now?”
In that instant, cracks appeared in the window of a building on the verge of collapse. Small shards scattered, as if they were infecting other structures.
“Do you think you’re invincible or something?”
Something felt different. The pressure he exuded was incomparably stronger than when we met in the Royal Capital of Avangarde. It was a violent presence that affected the atmosphere and surroundings with pure killing intent. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been defeated by Pansard with this level of power.
Even the sturdy soldiers of Metallica were keeping their distance; Aleid was filled with a ferocity that was palpable.
“L-Lua-chan. Something feels off…”
“It’s okay, I’m—”
【Aleid’s Attack!】
My cheek exploded in pain. Something had made contact. I found myself floating in the air.
【Lua took 5433 damage! HP 36307/41740】
“That was harder than I expected.”
Aleid’s blunt words faded into the distance. Yes, I was sent flying, crashing through multiple buildings before finally coming to a stop. The collapsing outer wall fell upon me as if to add insult to injury.
“I-I can’t believe it… What was that…?”
Looking back, I saw Aleid standing so far away. His figure, visible through the hole I had created, seemed no different from Pansard’s. He would use anything to his advantage, devoid of any sentiment. And this inexplicable power was unimaginable compared to the Aleid I knew before.
“Maybe I should have hit a little harder.”
“Lua-chan!”
Kurinka hopped over the rubble and immediately cast a healing spell on me. It wasn’t a fatal injury, but I hadn’t felt pain like that in a long time.
If I were to sum it up in one word, I might say it was carelessness. But if that guy had truly intended to kill me, I shudder to think of what might have happened. So, I couldn’t afford to make excuses about being careless, and now, regret welled up inside me. The fact that I couldn’t react only added to my humiliation.
“Well, I’ll let you off the hook this time. We’ll continue after we defeat the Demon Lord. Hahaha, this power is really something…”
In the next moment, Aleid leaped off the ground as if kicking the earth itself. Just when I wondered what he was doing, his body soared into the sky without touching the ground. He vanished into the distance, and soon, Aleid was nowhere to be seen.
“What was that just now…?”
“I think that was the One Move spell, which can only be used by the Hero lineage. It’s a dream-like magic that allows you to instantly travel to any place you’ve been before. Wow, so that’s what legendary blood is like…”
Genia, who had somehow returned to us, explained as we walked back. It was clear that she had held back quite a bit against Aleid. More than that, it felt like she had barely been touched. Still, it seemed like she had been hit by Aleid before. She really was a pitiful person.
“So, Aleid flew off somewhere with that…”
“Even so, considering he’s been holed up for years, the places he’s been to are probably limited. More importantly, are you okay? Any injuries?”
“Yeah. It hurt for the first time in a while…”
“That’s impressive. Just the other day, I bumped my pinky against a wall corner and was writhing in agony…”
I had done that too, but I ended up scraping the corner off. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal if I didn’t mention it, and I told the innkeeper to keep quiet, but Kurinka got incredibly angry. Lua-chan apologized for scraping it, which left the innkeeper in quite a predicament, and I felt troubled too.
“Well, it’s not like we should stand around talking. Please rest on the airship today. We’ll be stationed here for a while… The main country’s additional supplies should be arriving soon. The others will have to stay in the temporary living quarters for a bit.”
I thought about asking about Platiu, but the shock from earlier was too overwhelming for me to feel like it. What was I getting so flustered about just because I defeated someone like Pansard? I needed to get stronger. More, more, more. I had to reach even greater heights.
◆ Metallica Airship – Corridor ◆
“Kude seemed really down, though…”
“There’s nothing we can say to comfort her. Let’s just leave her be for now…”
Why didn’t I fight back at that moment? Did I subconsciously understand that fighting Aleid here would cause collateral damage? He had become that strong.
“Was Aleid really that strong…?”
“He said something like, ‘This power is really something.’ From the way he said it, there might be something behind it…”
“Does that mean it’s related to him suddenly becoming strong?”
“I don’t know. At least in terms of personality, he’s always been a recluse, so I think he lacks empathy for others. Even though he’s much older than us, he feels strangely immature…”
I couldn’t say anything about others when I was just as flawed, so I kept quiet. The way he referred to this power made it sound like it didn’t belong to him. It seemed he had no combat experience because he had been a recluse. Yet, suddenly becoming strong meant…
“Ah!”
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
Lost in thought, I bumped into a woman coming from the opposite direction. She wore a lab coat, exuding a neat image, with her black hair tied back beautifully. She was picking up a scattered pile of papers, her glasses glinting as she did so.
“Let me help you…”
“Oh, no, no! Don’t worry about it!”
“It’s fine, we don’t mind. Are these important?”
“Babel Project proposal?”
“Don’t touch it!”
The woman snatched the paper away from Kurinka, who had casually read what was written on it. The image of her being docile shattered in an instant. She clutched the papers protectively, as if to say she wouldn’t let anyone else have them. I felt like I had done something rude.
“Oh, I’m really sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine, Harp.”
“Oh, Director Genia…”
Genia appeared from behind, calmly picking up the papers. Harp seemed to relax completely at Genia’s presence.
“I wouldn’t let you carry around documents that could cause trouble if seen.”
“R-Right. That’s a relief…”
“Are you curious? About the Babel Project?”
“Oh, no…”
“Do you two believe in the Divine Being?”
The question came out of nowhere, and I couldn’t answer right away. But Genia didn’t seem to be looking for an answer and began to speak animatedly.
“In this world, there exists a Divine Being who watches over and governs everything. The Divine Being has observed the birth of this world and has guided it. The Divine Being has made all decisions. And sometimes, those who go against its will… are destroyed.”
I couldn’t even nod in agreement. It seemed like once she started talking, Genia wouldn’t stop. Yet, I couldn’t make sense of what she was saying.
“Well, it’s just a made-up story.”
“It’s a made-up story?!”
“Yes.”
What does that even mean? That only made me more confused about what she was trying to say.
“The concept of a Divine Being was created as something for people to cling to. Humans are creatures filled with anxiety if they don’t believe in something. There are various legends across different regions, and they have been passed down for such reasons. Just like Daigami of Azuma and the Dragon God…”
I had actually met Lord Daigami and the Dragon God, but I felt like mentioning that would lead to a lot of trouble, so I kept quiet. I shouldn’t interrupt Genia, who was passionately sharing her thoughts.
“But even if it’s a made-up story, there’s a certain romance to it, isn’t there?”
“Ro-Romance?”
“Yes, if such a powerful existence were to exist, it would be truly wonderful. If that power exists, or rather, if it did exist, humanity would become even more prosperous. The Babel Project is a dream that carries such aspirations. A mysterious realm that reaches the Divine Being… If we can realize that power with our own hands, we could eliminate wars.”
“Wow… that’s grand.”
“It might take years, or even decades. It’s a long-term endeavor. Right, Harp?”
“Y-Yes. I’m sorry for yelling earlier…”
All I could say was “I see.” I wondered what would happen if I got scolded, but it felt like a letdown. But reaching the Divine Being? I couldn’t help but think if that was really okay. If it would lead to prosperity, that would be great, but was that really all there was to it? I couldn’t articulate it well.
“I’ll guide you to a private room. Even though it’s an airship, it’s more equipped than your average lodging, so please relax and rest.”
◆ Metallica Airship – Private Room ◆
After Genia escorted me to the private room, I spent my time reflecting on today’s events. My cheek still throbbed from being hit by Aleid. I couldn’t help but feel pathetic for how shocked I was.
“Phew! Hah, hah… that was tough.”
“Whoa! Something came out of your tool pouch!”
“How rude! You should appreciate the effort I put into bringing this here… More importantly, I saw it. That Aleid.”
“If you say any more, I’ll get angry.”
There was no need to hold my breath that much. I glanced at Kurinka, who was worried about the stretched tool pouch, and collapsed onto the bed. I felt utterly exhausted.
“The Babel Project… and the Divine Being. Hey, Kurinka, what do you think would happen if the Kingdom of Metallica gained power like Lord Daigami or the Dragon God?”
“…Regardless of whether the plan is good or bad, I feel uneasy. I wonder if the Kingdom of Metallica truly has everyone’s best interests at heart.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just have a feeling… that there’s something behind it. Sorry, I’m probably overthinking it.”
“Hmph, a Divine Being, huh? The guy who said that is probably referring to something different from Daigami or the Dragon God.”
I wanted to scold Shin, who was munching on the emergency rations I had carefully stored in the tool pouch. But Kurinka silently took it away from him.
“What do you mean by different?”
“I mean a Divine Being.”
“How is that different from Lord Daigami?”
“It’s more like the Sea God Zelard. It doesn’t actually exist, but it’s something humans have made up. That guy is talking about realizing the power that exists in legends. If you ask me, that’s why humans are foolish.”
“Hmm…”
In some regions, when going out to fish, people always pray to the Sea God for safety. Kurinka added that, but halfway through her explanation, I felt my consciousness starting to fade. Right now, I was more concerned about Aleid. Had he gone straight to the Demon Lord Castle?
With that kind of strength, he might actually defeat the Demon Lord. If that happened, Eeks wouldn’t be safe either.
“How can you fall asleep while someone is talking to you? Well then, in this gap, I’ll…”
I remember something strange about Shin writing just before bed. There was a fleeting impulse to see what he was up to someday.
◆ Shin Report ◆
I fell asleep again.
Hehe, after all, he’s just a kid. Shin is an adult, so I can stay up late.
Those two women who were rejected by that guy—
It’s their own fault for being deceived by someone like him.
They looked a bit pitiful, but if they’re going to blame anyone, they should blame their own lightheartedness.
In that regard, these two are unwavering.
Look, even today, they’re all snuggled up together in the same bed.
No, no, no, no!
I shouldn’t be looking at this!
The Babel Project, huh?
That kind-hearted guy was joking about it, but something feels off.
Long ago, humans tried to reach the heavens by building a tower.
That’s the tower that exists in fairy tales.
And that’s Babel.
To name something after that… Hmm.