“Sister!?”
Claire let out a scream, but Alice couldn’t make a sound.
If you think about what Sylvia said before she got here, it was clear that the center of this situation was Sylvia.
She knew what powers were used to get Sylvia here, but it seemed even Sylvia herself didn’t know if it was truly the Goddess’s power.
It was a force distinctly different from the divine powers of the priests they occasionally saw. If Sylvia’s power was really that of a Goddess, it was unclear why it was so different from the sacred power used by the priests.
So, if it wasn’t Sylvia herself, then no one else knew the ‘situation’, and everyone gathered here to help with Sylvia’s plan.
With a knife embedded in her back, Sylvia made no sound at all.
No, her expression didn’t even change.
Sylvia’s eyes looked dazed, as if she were staring far off—was it from being stabbed?
Claire shouted and ran forward. A couple of knights tried to grab Claire, but they fell, one by one, to the incoming bullets.
Alice also ran.
Blood was flowing, flowing. It wasn’t blood coming from the Emperor’s visible gash. That was definitely Sylvia’s blood.
With the broken armor shredded away, there was nothing to protect Sylvia’s back—
Bang!
But in the next moment, such a sound was heard.
“…Ah!”
Light returned to Sylvia’s dazed eyes.
She coughed up blood, but Sylvia was still alive.
Following that, more bang, bang, bang sounds of gunfire erupted. It wasn’t from the revolver she was holding when she charged at the Emperor. Flames erupted from the automatic pistol she had drawn at some point.
The Emperor turned his body, but he couldn’t avoid a few bullets fired by Sylvia that had been aimed at his side.
But the Emperor’s hand still held tight onto Sylvia’s shoulder.
Shlick, the knife pulled out of Sylvia’s body.
Cough. Sylvia coughed once more, moistening her chin with blood.
For a brief moment, everyone’s gaze converged on Sylvia and the Emperor. Those who had taken their respective positions, and those who were blocking them.
Even the knights who had come with the Emperor.
In that extraordinarily brief moment, the wide space was engulfed in silence before it shattered again.
Their targets had changed.
Sylvia’s companions focused solely on helping Sylvia. Regardless of the circumstances involving the presence in front of them or their own feelings and purposes, that had become less important.
The very reason everyone had gathered here was Sylvia.
If not for Sylvia, the Emperor wouldn’t have moved like this.
On the other hand, those blocking their path felt the same.
Their ultimate goal was to ensure the Emperor’s plans finished properly. To seize the Goddess’s power.
The directions of their steps, the direction of the swords, the muzzle of the guns, and the tips of their staffs all changed.
Numerous sword strikes, magic, and bullets aimed in one direction.
Sylvia and the Emperor probably wouldn’t be able to dodge all of that.
Sylvia turned her head.
She was still soaked in blood, grimacing in pain. This was a sight that would be almost unthinkable for the usual Sylvia.
Sylvia’s piercing eyes scanned the surroundings. Those eyes searching for someone locked briefly with Alice’s.
For a moment, time seemed to slow down.
Sylvia’s pained gaze narrowed slightly. Though she still looked grimaced in pain, for a moment, Alice felt that expression looked like a smile.
No, it actually was a smile.
Sylvia’s lips moved slightly.
“It’s okay.”
That’s what it seemed like she was saying.
It was the first time Sylvia, always so polite, had passed on such a—
Sylvia’s gaze shifted back, this time toward Claire.
Running ahead while scattering swords, Claire was closing in on Sylvia much faster than Alice.
Countless blades and spells intertwined chaotically. Many of them broke apart in mutual collision and cancellation. The stunningly sparkling scene of countless shards and dust could have made someone think it was a festival, were it not for all the bleeding souls beneath it.
Red, blue, green, and icy reflections of light successively illuminated Sylvia’s face. In a moment, the Emperor’s hand that had been gripping Sylvia’s shoulder finally let go.
But Sylvia’s body turned not toward the mechanical device nor the ‘Zibou’ that had fallen below.
*
Claire, who had been running with all her might, quickly slowed her feet.
Sylvia, having broken free from the Emperor, was running toward Claire.
Sylvia was already losing a lot of blood. If they collided like this, she might not make it out.
With a screech, the rubber-soled shoes squeaked against the ground—
“Claire!”
Sylvia dashed right at Claire.
Claire didn’t fall. Even as Sylvia came barreling at her in a weakened state, Claire managed to support her.
“Sister, are you okay?”
After saying that, Claire immediately shut her mouth. Sylvia looked far from okay. Blood was gushing all over her mouth, and Claire’s hand, which was mostly supporting Sylvia, was covered in blood too. The blood pouring from her body was still warm.
“Claire.”
“Uh…?”
It was supposed to be the usual way she called her name.
Was it because Sylvia seemed so desperate calling for her? For some reason, that voice felt far from the calm tone Sylvia usually had.
Rather, it was like a voice she’d heard in her childhood—
“Do you have the Zibou?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Good.”
Claire blinked at Sylvia’s words. Despite bleeding like that and having such wounds, Sylvia’s voice was still strong.
In an instant, Sylvia’s hand dove into the pocket of Claire’s school uniform, causing her to gasp in surprise.
Without changing her expression, Sylvia pulled out the Zibou from inside her pocket.
It was an incomplete gear, sized appropriately for a small hand to fit inside.
“What do you plan to do with that…?”
“Guess you’ll find out soon.”
“Huh?”
At Sylvia’s mysterious words, Claire blinked again.
*
Honestly, there wasn’t much time to think, so I couldn’t say this was a perfect plan.
In truth, the ‘Zibou’ I had brought was meant to block another ‘Zibou’, and since I might get in trouble if I encountered the Emperor, I had entrusted it to Claire, who was far more skilled than I was…
Moreover, the Zibou itself had indeed reacted clearly to Claire.
If I think back to the truth I saw a little while ago—
The reason I couldn’t use my powers in front of that fake Alice was because ‘the Goddess controlled it that way.’ To deceive the Emperor.
Of course, it might turn out to be a double, triple-layer trap. They might already have figured out how I would act.
But even so, it felt unpleasant.
I hated seeing someone else’s playthrough, so I forced myself to buy the Japanese version first, translated everything, and then wrote my own walkthrough. Besides, it felt bad that my story interpretation was different from others, and I’d ended up passionately munching on translated proper nouns of things that hadn’t even been officially released.
I knew that kind of attitude made me an ungrateful person. In this world, it seems people thought I had a character that deserved some respect for various reasons, but deep down, I knew.
If it wasn’t the story I wanted, I’d attempt to change it, no matter how many times it took.
If it were a story written by the original author in a company, then fine, but in this world, it was a different tale altogether.
If the criteria by which the Goddess chose me were that I was ‘a nerd who loved this world and had an excessive fondness for characters, incapable of distinguishing between reality and virtual space,’ then she definitely picked right.
But if she had chosen me, she should have also considered that I might think in that nerdy way.
The Zibou pulled from Claire’s embrace was shining brightly. Naturally, it was directed toward Claire, not me.
I could say that I had ‘returned the world to its original state,’ but I didn’t believe that. How could I trust the words of someone who had lied from the start?
There had to be powers transferred to me. I needed to change something ‘from within.’
What had been transferred, even if it wasn’t as perfect as the real Goddess’s power, didn’t matter.
Because, anyway, this ‘Zibou’ I held was also imperfect.
It was all according to the Goddess’s plan. Up until now.
“Claire, can you lend me your hand for a second?”
“Uh, yeah…”
With a face that still didn’t seem to grasp the situation well, Claire obediently followed my words.
Even now, she’s a good little sister.
Now, what to do.
The storylines altered because of my existence.
An imperfect, temporarily transferred Goddess’s power.
And likewise, not perfect, but created to block and seize that Goddess’s power.
A being that could surely use that item.
“Claire, listen closely. There’s no time.”
There were still people running toward us. Sure, there were those desperately trying to block them, but it was clear we were out of time.
“I’ll count to three. Then—”
Would this work properly?
I decided not to dwell on such thoughts.
“Got it.”
Claire nodded after hearing my explanation.
I also gave a slight nod and said,
“One.”
The Goddess wanted to make the world into her perfect vision.
“Two.”
The Emperor, while rebelling against her, actually sought to become a new deity who had seized the Goddess’s power.
They had one thing in common.
To both, I was merely a tool. Whether they had affection for me or how far they’d use me was uncertain.
Regardless of the outcome, I’d likely end up unhappy in their ending. I could end up being something that never existed in the first place.
That’s not a happy ending.
In a moment’s look back, my companions came into view. They were all still alive. Each relying on one another while gathering around to protect Claire and me.
Finally, I locked eyes with Alice once more.
It’s okay.
It’ll be alright.
I gave Alice a slight wink before turning my gaze back to Claire.
My resolute eyes filled my vision.
“Three.”
At my last word, Claire opened her hand. And I simultaneously—
“Again!”
—again.
For the first time.
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