Alice and Claire finished their conversation and stepped outside, but the situation was far from over.
Just looking at Charlotte, who seemed extremely uncomfortable, and the children who couldn’t grasp the situation, it was clear that there was a mountain of issues to address: the survivors of the Order of Knights bound up tightly, the Cardinal with a severed horn, and much more.
I could understand Charlotte’s discomfort. In an already chaotic situation, I acted as if I knew everything from the start, and now she had no clue how to handle the potential international turmoil that would arise from this incident.
Of course, Charlotte was not yet the King of Velbur. But if we’re to be honest, she was much closer to the “throne” than Alice. The Emperor hadn’t clearly determined his line of succession yet, but the King of Velbur had definitely designated Charlotte as his successor.
And my discomfort mirrored hers.
Where on earth should I even begin and end this explanation?
If I dared to tell Claire that the blood of the Emperor flowed through her, I would have to reveal everything I’ve guessed about the “backstory.” Just that topic alone could spark hours of discussion.
Moreover, Claire insisted that she would be “with Grace, not Fanggriffon.” And that claim wasn’t just her whim; I had presented the options first, and she chose. So, I had an obligation to respect her words. Otherwise, wouldn’t I just be getting a slap in the face?
It would be wise to give Leo a hint as well.
“So…”
However, from Charlotte’s perspective, not knowing all these details seemed quite unsatisfactory.
“Could you explain what that thing is?”
She pointed to the piece of the ‘Zibo’ in my hand.
“This…?”
Exactly, what the heck is this thing?
I had no idea what the “true purpose” was. All I knew was that throughout the game, it was referred to as “an item related to the power of the Goddess,” and there were people wandering around collecting this. The Emperor seemed to ultimately want it as well, but what effect it had when fully collected remained a mystery.
If I had played through to the end of the series, I might have known what it was, but alas, I was dragged into this world before I could enjoy the sequel.
Sad times. If only I were lounging in my chair at home, casually fiddling with a gamepad, my mind would have been much more at ease.
Though I was glad to meet characters I liked and even make friends, those very connections made me feel even more uncomfortable. Unlike the past when I’d get frustrated while watching characters move across my monitor, any action I take now directly affects these kids.
“My guess is that it’s an item related to the power of the Goddess.”
Still, based on what I knew, that seemed to be the case.
“Perhaps it’s a part of some device. If we gather these pieces and assemble them properly into a complete part, and use it at the right place, I believe we could utilize the Goddess’s power…”
I noticed the Cardinal sitting far away flinch at my voice.
Knowing that, I guess the Papal State had been moving as well.
“Then why is such an important item hidden in Velbur and not in the Papal State…?”
“It’s not just Velbur.”
Seeing Charlotte’s complexion turn pale, Alice chimed in.
“It was also in the Empire. While I can’t say for certain what happened with that device long ago, it seems those pieces are scattered all over the continent.”
“So that means this is one of those scattered pieces.”
I nodded at Charlotte’s question.
“Technically, it would be more accurate to say ‘pieces.’ This one itself must already be a significant part of the collection.”
It was quite large compared to the ‘Zibo’ I had seen directly. The reactions visible were also different. A piece of a broken gear that emitted a faint glow. The Papal State must have really put a lot of effort into collecting it.
“The reason for hiding this here was probably to prevent the Emperor from coming in. While Velbur may not be as strong as the Empire, it still has a rather threatening military force.”
Of course, if a full-scale war broke out, the Empire would win decisively. Perhaps the scars etched in the Empire from that war wouldn’t last as long as thought.
However, the military strength of the Papal State was but a handful compared to that of the Kingdom of Velbur.
So perhaps they chose Velbur to collaborate with by force in a war, hoping to flee while Velbur held back the Empire. Royal City Lutetia, while not perfectly modernized, is an ancient city. Naturally, there are complex alleys spreading here and there, and the ruins underneath are probably scattered throughout Lutetia.
Isn’t it a perfect hiding place to stash something for a quick getaway during a crisis? Moreover, if they filled the ruins below with their own “military.”
“…”
Charlotte pressed her hand to her forehead as if her head was about to explode. After standing like that for a while, she lifted her head again, and her gaze was quite sharp.
And that sharp gaze was directed at me.
“If that’s the case, my next question is… Sylvia, how did you know all these facts?”
“…”
This was a direct question regarding my ‘identity.’
While Alice, Claire, and Leo might think it had to do with my “abilities,” it was a different story altogether.
I had a rough idea of how the events of this world unfolded from the outside. I didn’t roam through the entirety of “the setting,” but I did wander around the “core story parts.” That too, repetitively.
If it could be said that I had a sneak peek in advance, it was indeed that—
“I’ve just known from the very beginning.”
Therefore, I could only respond like this.
“…From the very beginning?”
Charlotte’s expression turned incredulous.
“I don’t know who my real parents are. I spent my childhood in an orphanage and later was adopted by His Majesty the Emperor and raised as his daughter. And that ‘daughter’ was probably based on my abilities.”
Pushing past her incredulous expression, I quickly launched into my backstory. And this had an effect. A pity-inducing past always serves to ease the other’s defenses against my suspicion. Generally, it’s the kind of secret one wouldn’t want to divulge.
Bringing up such a narrative made it seem more sincere.
“Honestly, I don’t know who I am. I was apparently once known as ‘Sylvia Black,’ but I have no idea who my real parents are. The orphanage director, who is no longer in this world, said I was there ‘at some point.'”
“…”
While I continued my story, not a single person interrupted me. Even Alice and Claire, who had some general idea of where I was from, kept their mouths shut.
This was the first time I was speaking so detailed about my past.
“Yes, I have exceptional abilities. I’ve been able to act with information that others couldn’t know from the very beginning. I don’t know the reason for this either.”
I omitted the most important parts but stated only the facts. Even without saying I learned this through “playing the game,” I honestly had no idea why or how I ended up in this world. Even with Alice, who could see through my expressions, she probably wouldn’t think I was lying. Because I wasn’t lying, after all.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I know everything. I knew the location of the ruins and could visualize what they looked like, but I had no idea what was truly hidden in those ruins.”
“So you wanted to check on that, huh?”
Charlotte’s expression was still one of bewilderment as she looked at an oddball of a person, but the piercing suspicion from earlier was slowly fading away.
“You— you don’t even know your own identity?”
“I’m merely trying to find out.”
When I said that, Charlotte pressed her lips together and made a soft sound. At this rate, she seemed to think pressing for more questions might be meaningless.
“Then…”
But still not ready to give up, Charlotte spoke in a strained voice.
“Can I assume that everything you do is… related to the power of the Goddess?”
“…”
I silently nodded.
I thought so too.
What other reason could there be?
After finishing my story, I turned my gaze around the room, taking in everyone present. The Cardinal looked like he had felt a shiver, and the Knights were trembling.
On the contrary, my friends were stiff-faced. What on earth were they thinking—
—Ah.
No, there was one person who looked a bit different than the rest.
It was Sophia.
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