Episode 53: At Least Exchange Contact Information
“The Astrology Cauldron? I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”
Barbat and Aquila must have let it slip once.
It came up during a conversation about prophecies.
I never imagined I’d encounter them in a place like this.
“I’m probably the black sheep of the group. I can’t go into detail, though.”
“So, what brings the black sheep here?”
“It’s a secret.”
“Tch.”
I couldn’t help but click my tongue.
“…Don’t click your tongue at me. There are things even I can’t talk about.”
“You mentioned Iitakarna earlier. What exactly is that?”
“Oops, did you hear that…?”
Jill scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed.
If I remember correctly, Aquila mentioned that those who defeat Demon Beasts become Demonbane Warriors.
Maybe I should try asking more pointedly.
“Do Demon Beasts have names?”
“I don’t like the term ‘Demon Beast,’ it sounds too aristocratic. Well, as you might guess, Iitakarna is the name of the Divine Beast residing within you.”
“Divine Beast? Not a Demon Beast?”
“That’s right, an undeniable pillar of God, maintaining the world’s harmony.”
God? I can’t really wrap my head around it.
Whether to see Demon Beasts as disasters or to worship them as gods…
It feels like a difference in religious views.
“Is it okay for a being like a god to reside within me?”
“…I have mixed feelings about that. But the fact that we’ve reached this conclusion is ultimately our own fault.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
Jill spoke with a self-deprecating tone.
I have no idea what she’s talking about.
Seeing my confusion, Jill hesitated for a moment before beginning to explain.
“…Take a look at that.”
Jill pointed to one of the vertices of the Enneagram.
Standing there was a shadowy figure, like a blurred black mist.
“That’s one of your kind.”
“One of my kind…?”
“Yes, a human who also hosts a Divine Beast within them.”
Looking around, I saw a total of three similar figures.
“There are three others like me…?”
“Don’t be so pessimistic. Unlike the other three, the fact that you can bring your consciousness here already shows a clear difference in power. …Actually, how are you even able to come here?”
“Who knows?”
I casually brushed off Jill’s probing gaze.
I doubt we can share anything truly important anyway.
“…Well, whatever. Excluding you, the most recent one was about forty-five years ago. The other two have been possessed for over a century.”
“Is that a problem?”
“It’s a huge problem. It’s only natural that harmony will be lost if they are occupied for too long. Ever since the first three went missing, we’ve been playing catch-up. It’s also my responsibility for neglecting my comrades. But…”
“But?”
“…No, never mind. No matter what I do now—it’s too late.”
“I, I see.”
I listened to her explanation, even though I didn’t fully understand. Jill suddenly said something ominous and cut off the conversation.
Honestly, I don’t really want to be friends with her.
“…Hey, I have a little proposition. How about we meet in the real world? If we met in person, I might be more willing to open up?”
Jill asked me, sounding a bit desperate.
Is this an invitation to a meetup?
Her avatar is a young girl, and her voice sounds like one too.
But I can’t rule out the possibility of a “B-Virtual Middle-Aged Man” using voice-changing magic.
“…I don’t know about that.”
“I’ve never been interested in humans before. I usually live alone in a dark forest, and it’s a bit lonely. Hey, Shalka, let’s be friends. We can talk without worrying about the time in the real world…”
“Sorry, I don’t have time for that.”
If Jill is truly a cute girl, not meeting her would be a great loss.
But, just like the saying “honey trap” from my previous life, there are countless men who have been tricked and left in tears.
I’m a man who can hedge risks, so I won’t make the same mistake.
“Ugh… I don’t know why, but my chest feels really tight right now. I’ve never met you before, but my heart races every time I talk to you. Could this be love?”
Jill made a gesture of clutching her chest.
This is bad, I’d be in trouble if she became a stalker.
Jill already knows about my existence.
There’s no guarantee that she won’t suddenly appear in front of me and say, “I came to see you♡… Stab!”
“You’re mistaken. Besides, I don’t trust you that much.”
“If we get along well… we could even do that. I’m not a noble, so you can just use me and throw me away. Anyway, I don’t have much time left…”
“What… did you say?”
Being offered something so convenient is making my heart waver.
No, the Astrology Cauldron is probably some shady religious group.
They might be planning to squeeze me dry by claiming I fathered a child.
I shouldn’t trust them so easily…
“Even if we have a child, it’s okay. I’ll raise them on my own, so don’t worry about it, Shalka.”
“…!”
…When I think about it carefully, sowing seeds is important.
Not just nobles, but every male creature has that desire.
Humans are the only ones who suppress it.
What kind of utilitarian am I if I don’t fulfill this desire?
For example, if I accidentally got Nicoletta pregnant, Elmia would surely be angry.
But with Jill, she seems to live in the forest, so the risk of it becoming a problem is extremely low.
She might be a bit mentally unstable, but that could be a spice in life.
“Okay, I’ll seriously consider it…”
“Ah, too bad, it looks like it’s time.”
“Huh?”
Jill muttered, sounding disappointed.
When I looked at my own body, it was starting to fade.
Could it be that she’s logging out?
“It was nice meeting you, Shalka. And sorry for saying strange things… Please forget what I said earlier, it was just a whim.”
“Hey, uh, wait… At least, let’s exchange contact information…!”
My last words were in vain, and my consciousness returned to the real world.