NOVEL WEB Chapter 70
I needed some time to think.
Fortunately, the Emperor granted us some leeway. A time to think, that is.
Just one day, though.
“What should we do?”
“I don’t think we have a choice.”
“Right. If we refuse the proposal as it stands, they might just steal my eyes by force. There’s also the option of pretending to let us go while keeping someone behind.”
“Selina, isn’t this what you’ve wished for?”
“……”
I couldn’t find a counterargument. So, I chose silence instead.
I’ve always told Skylar that we need to take the initiative first. We need to actively utilize the information we have.
Persuasion has always failed due to the risks involved, but now we have a reason to act.
A rather irresponsible justification—because we have no other choice.
Skylar is a member of the adventurer group that once discovered a complete God’s Body. They are part of the “Star Chasers.” In other words, he knows the whereabouts of some of the Body Holders.
He hasn’t said it outright, but the moment we were isolated in the North, he hurriedly went to find Propertyius and Nisha.
At the same time, he sought out his younger sister, the witch Osidens, in search of another body to replace his heart.
How many more Body Holders does he know the location of?
Two hundred years have passed, and they must have scattered everywhere, but surely he at least knows their rough last known positions, right?
Does he really have no desire to avenge his old comrades, who were robbed of their bodies just like him by the Mad King?
—No, that can’t be. Of course, not.
Revenge is simple yet the most effective fuel.
“Skylar, it’s an opportunity.”
“I know. It’s an opportunity to catch the Mad King and retrieve my heart.”
“Exactly.”
“When all the bodies gather in one place, one person will surely obtain the complete God’s Body. What happens after that is uncertain, but one thing is clear: there will only be one ultimate victor in this fight.”
Bodies attract each other.
Someday, whether we want it or not, we might be manipulated by our bodies to face each other with swords drawn.
However, I noticed something strange here.
“What happens if we gather the complete God’s Body?”
“…Huh? Out of the blue?”
“Yeah. What do you think will happen?”
“I suppose either ascending as a god or transforming into something that is neither human nor god.”
“Skylar, this is just a hypothetical question. If one becomes a god, could they interfere with or move to another dimension or space?”
“To cut to the chase, yes. It’s possible.”
I have two goals.
They haven’t changed from the beginning.
Survival.
Return.
—If I gather the complete God’s Body, I might just be able to return. To the original world. To my world.
A plan starts to form.
Even in my foggy state of mind, I could at least think of a simple outline.
It’s like being in a state of early morning daydreaming. That’s the feeling.
“Selina.”
“Yeah.”
“What do you plan to do from here?”
“…I…”
“I’m asking ‘you’ right now. So… keep your hands off your waist.”
My hand, which was reaching for the flask, froze in place.
I was trying to pass off the awkward question to another version of myself. Bad luck, I suppose.
No, to be fair, it wasn’t another personality. Both that form and this form are me, so maybe it doesn’t even make sense to separate the two.
“Skylar.”
“Yes.”
“I want to survive. So I’m making the safest choice. At least, that’s how I see it.”
“…The safe choice.”
“Right. I know it probably looks to you like I’m a suicidal volunteer, willingly stepping onto a dangerous path. But I’m making this choice to survive.”
Skylar’s eyes waver. He was deliberating. He was shaken.
It’s easy to persuade someone who is thoughtful and uncertain.
A final blow was needed.
Just one more word.
“I need you.”
This shy sentence, which might sound like a love confession at first blush, became the decisive blow for Skylar. He regained focus in his wavering eyes and made a decision.
Slowly, his mouth opened.
“I need you too.”
“Back to square one.”
“Indeed.”
Our relationship was one of mutual use. By necessity.
Then, it transformed into a relationship of trust and reliance as comrades. By camaraderie, that is.
Lastly, we used each other because we trusted one another. By an unknown emotion.
We left the Adventurer’s Guild lodge just like that. This time, without masks.
The adventurers on the first floor looked at us with strange eyes. I smiled back at them to deflect their gaze. They hurriedly turned away.
As I stroked the visitor pass the Emperor had given us, we re-entered the castle.
***
The Emperor, awkwardly drinking in the Grand Reception Room, gaped at us with an idiotic expression.
“…So, have you finished considering? Did you perhaps miscalculate the time I gave you?”
“We have.”
Skylar stepped forward. Unlike the first time we met the Emperor, she faced him with her original confident demeanor.
It was the version of her I knew.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“So, what’s the conclusion?”
“We accept. We will hunt for bodies. And we’ll confront the Mad King.”
“What do you desire?”
“…After everything is over, I wish to receive one of the Mad King’s bodies—the heart.”
“Because it was originally yours?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want anything more? To be exact, things needed for your journey. If it’s something the Empire has, I can provide it.”
“Equipment. I’ll choose it myself.”
“Alright. Let’s draw up a contract.”
The Emperor manipulates his magic.
Though not as smooth as Skylar’s skills, it was sufficient to mimic the contracts of wizards.
The awkwardly moving threads and particles of magic gathered in one place to form letters. They fulfill their meaning.
Skylar and I watched keenly, and soon enough, time passed.
Before long, the contract was inscribed in ink and magic on luxurious white paper. The contents of the contract were simple. Just the promises we discussed earlier.
—Skylar and Selina will embark on a journey to find bodies. Before waging war against the Mad King, they will gather as many bodies and Body Holders as possible and return to the Empire.
‘…No issues there.’
The most crucial price. What can we receive?
—Emperor Eckhart of the Empire, alongside Platinum Adventurer Framea, promises you safe travels, top-notch equipment, financial aid for your journey, and the heart of a god after everything is concluded.
The Emperor hands us an ink-stained feather.
Skylar lightly takes it and writes her name. Then, she hands it to me.
Finally, my name gets written on the contract. Invisible chains made of magic pierce into our bodies. We are bound by contract.
“There’s nothing in the contract, but I hope you won’t disclose my identity.”
“Of course.”
I nodded, having gauged the situation adequately.
To be honest… I never planned to disclose it anyway. If I were to write my own song someday, I think it would be quite amusing to use the fact that the Emperor was actually a woman… That’s all!
Now that we’ve made a promise, I certainly don’t plan to!
‘…The Emperor has no body, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Can I use it after they die?’
I didn’t think I would be unable to return to my original world by then, but well, the more future plans, the better!
“So, where’s our next destination?”
“Well, I guess it would take more than a year to cover the entire Empire.”
“A year.”
“Huh?”
“Gather as many bodies as possible within a year. And then, the Empire declares war on the Mad King. He already wields three bodies. If we delay, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”
“Wait a minute. Three?”
“Yes. He has two bodies for himself and one for his lieutenant. The Empire has barely gathered one… Compared to that, with you included, that’s a clear disparity.”
“What bodies are those?”
“I don’t know.”
“…Is that so? Understood.”
“Let’s move on. I mentioned I would assign someone to you. I’ll introduce that person to you now.”
“A comrade…?”
“Basically. The only servant who knows my secret, someone with a body. Allow me to introduce.”
The door to the Grand Reception Room opened.
What appeared was a hunched man with gray hair.
Dressed in a black robe and with chains around his wrists, he stared blankly into space.
Skylar looked at him with sharp eyes. There was an oddly competitive gaze in her look.