Everyone in this world challenges us to "please make your future the way you want it to be". But, "Oh. But the reality is a tough one," and they quickly falter.
You can't mimic the future like sister Yotaki did because you called the skill 'reading' 'writing'. It's a trick that requires human's pseudo-nerve, the "thread".
The current me is not enough.
I'm not sure I've ever had the talent, the magic, the numbers, the time - if you ask Legacy, even the enthusiasm of her sister Yotaki is not up to her.
While confirming my current situation, first of all I will learn 'spellcraft' in the other world.
It's a spellcraft 《Connection》 that moves through different dimensions.
It's not about summoning gentiles, it's a 'spellcraft' that connects the specific places I marked. If you don't learn this, you won't be able to start anything.
--Cursery [Connection]!
A pair of purple doors is created to connect the other world's underground space to my room in Hoozeyer's Castle.
With this, I can take emergency shelter from the Curse at any time, but--
Hah, hah, hah ......!
He was so out of breath that the smell of blood leaked from the back of his throat.
Even if he had the magic stone filled with the 《Connection》 "Technique" and the magic power of the "Ruf Bringer" to assist him, it was not easy to maintain the door.
Even with a well-trained body, the burden was intense.
Since it was an imitation of the "Power of the Dimension", it was natural, but not only did the magic power drain out of my body, but I felt a sickening feeling as if I myself was shifting (...).
However, I thought it was naive to give in no matter what the "price" was, and I rebuilt the misalignment (...) with my mental strength alone. Unlike the thieves, Tiara Fuzzyards had the strength to do it," he said, forcing me to crush the burden.
I opened the purple door as if reclining on it and returned home for the first time in a long time.
I walked slowly through the castle, making sure that the 'slice' hadn't found me yet.
Fuzzyards Castle was hectic and noisy.
This is because one of the 'Gentiles' that the country had been relying on had died, and there were rumors that the remaining brother was trying to kill the 'Apostle'.
It is very upsetting.
At any rate, in the past few years, Master had become famous as the "Founder" and was being called the "Savior" for the first time on the continent. Furthermore, I, the 'saint' who had been following him, had also gone missing.
However, the current Hooziyaz State had the tools to suppress all of that turmoil.
This is because the 'Apostle', the Sith sister and Master Diprakra, had raised the Nosfi Hooziyaz as the 'Banner of Light'. Furthermore, the three knights who followed them were Tida Rowen Fafner, the three knights who had made a name for themselves on the continent over the past few years.
Everyone in the Hoozeyards was reassured that we were now the strongest nation on the continent and that justice was on our side.
I hid in the shadows and went around to check it out.
While I am cultivating the Connection in another world, the fight between the Sith sister and my master has begun in earnest.
I've given up on stopping it.
After all, this situation is the result of that Yangtaki sister guiding me over the years.
If I were to point out Sister Youtaki as the spearhead, I wouldn't get the support of anyone. Rather, there would be more people who would look at me as an enemy for speaking ill of the dead Youtaki sister.
To me, who turns even the slightest hostility into murderous intent, exposure is suicide.
There is no more Yotaki sister who shared the 'curse' with me. The next time I become the target of a powerful enemy (someone else), I will never survive.
Hence, I will carefully finish gathering the minimum amount of information.
I immediately used the purple door to take refuge in another world. As much as possible, I avoid staying there for a long period of time so as not to be caught in the gaze of the 'slice'.
Returning to the usual underground space, I will develop the next 'spell' - or rather, 'magic'.
''-- In the end, the 《Level Up》 prepared by my master and the other 'gentiles' was fundamentally wrong. But the path of 'mutual destruction' prepared by our Lord isn't satisfactory either. Then I--
The magic stone I have now contains not only the Connection, but also many unknown "magic methods".
Perhaps the Lord gave me what I needed for my sister Yotaki and I to fight each other, but I focused my attention on the magic stone itself rather than the magic formula inside it.
The magic stone constructed by the Lord's 'dimensional power' is more pure than the one made by Helmina's 'blood power'.
The information contained in the blood is enormous. Helmina-san was not wrong in using the blood extracted from the 'demon' to make the 'magic stone'.
However, it (...) that the Lord was simply dealing with was better suited for writing and storing.
I touch the magic stone and meditate on it.
With the acquisition of the 《Connection》 up to this point, I had almost grasped the foundation of the 《Dimensional Power》.
Thanks to that, I could feel the magical barrier on the surface of the magic stone.
It is a chasm between dimensions, a 'boundary'.
Every substance has a wide 'realm' inside, protecting the 'core' deep inside.
We can feel the double wall of 'boundary' and 'area' protecting it.
-- that (...) I felt it (...) was my soul (Tamashii).
When I found out that I could write a 'magic formula' with my soul and not my blood, I thought that was better suited for me (・・・・・).
I'm ...... and I'll make a new 'magic' .......
While muttering, he continued to study, concentrating only on the magic stone and soul.
There are no more collaborators.
In a different world where there is no master, Helmina-san, 'Apostle'-sama, or anyone else, I will continue to silently try out and error.
I knead my magic power until my eyes are snatched and I can't move, I wake up with the pain of lack of magic power, I hold the magic stone while crawling on the ground, and I read the 'magic formula' again.
At the end of it all, I--
I grabbed a piece of the "dimensional power" and was able to gather a small amount of purple magic power at my fingertips.
It was close to what my master called the Dimension, and when I touched an object with my fingertips, I could read a variety of information.
If he touched the snow, he could see how snow was generated in the sky. If he touched the air, he knew the path the air took. When I touched a special stone from another world, I found out the proportions of the materials that make up it.
Every substance (thing) has a "core" that can be called a soul, and every time I read it like a book, my understanding of every substance (thing) increases.
Of course, the reading doesn't end there anymore. Soon I will touch the soul with its large amount of information written on it and try to extract it.
It's another round of trial and error.
While dying, I proceeded with my research and development.
There were many times when the curse made me physically ill.
But it wasn't so painful.
He had only nostalgia for the days when he was sick in bed.
Thus, he spent endless hours without day or night...
At long last, he succeeded in pulling a magical stone out of a drop of snow that was falling.
It was denser than blood, and it was like a magical stone that contained a book called "Snow".
I added the 'magic formula' called 'How Water Freezes' to the book called 'Snow' and lightly passed my magic power through it.
''-- 《Ice》''
I muttered an appropriate name that is often used in fairy tale books.
That's all it takes to create a natural phenomenon in the palm of my hand, contrary to the natural order of things.
My mouth relaxes as I make small, snowy grains of ice.
Immediately I pluck the magic stones out of everything.
At first, it could take me a whole day to pull one out, but after repeating the process over and over again, I became a little more efficient.
I plucked the "power of the earth" from the rubble nearby, the "power of fire" from the flames of the campfire, the "power of darkness" from the nearby darkness, and the "power of light" from the faintly spreading sunlight, and I plucked the "power of light" from everything without manipulation.
Is this thanks to the fact that I didn't steal any logic?
I was able to handle all the power of that magic stone, even if it was the least I could do.
Sometimes, I would procure creatures from the original world and experiment on them. Harmless animals were easy to pull out, but monsters with dense magical power had to be weakened to be successful.
And here, for once, I will check my results to date.
Inside the simple tent I pitched in the underground space, I eat a can of salted fish while arranging the magic stones I collected to date on the wooden table.
When magical stones of the same lineage of power were placed side by side, there were times when they were pulled together while resonating.
When the same type of magical stones were placed side by side, the stones would sometimes change shape and still stick together. It was as if the magical stones were still alive and moving.
Most importantly, the magic stones that stuck together and became one had increased the volume of their souls.
I am reminded of the word 'vessel' that Apostle Diprakra-sama was explaining to me. He said that everyone has a 'vessel', and because of this lack of capacity, when you are exposed to the 'demon poison', your body is transformed. Isn't that 'vessel' this soul?
--I want to be sure.
With that thought in mind, I move on to the Hoosiers.
But on the way, I heard a rumor in the castle.
It was the story that 'Aikawa Uzumi', who had repeatedly attacked the 'Apostle Sith', had finally been defeated and captured.
''It's ......, right?''
Not to mention reading in the skill 'Reading', that desperate master had no chance of winning at all.
He continued to aim at the Sith sister and took on the three of his protectors, Tida Rowen Fafner, and he was probably defeated in order.
While I was at it, I decided to go check on my master.
It would be safe now.
If the rumors in the castle are to be believed, Master is now--
Your father: ......
The Master and her were in the newly built pavilion on the Hoosier's grounds.
As my 'replacement', she was the 'Stealer of the Light's Reason' who had been contributing to Hoosiers as the 'Banner of Light' for the past few years. She had been taking care of her unmoving master.
The eyes underneath Master's overgrown black hair were vacant, almost crippled.
Perhaps her spirit was nearing its limit and Tida or Fafner's power had hit her directly. It is no longer a matter of time before the body dies following the necrosis of the spirit (mind), but I know that ...... master will never die.
At any rate, this world has already become such a story.
Every hardship is there to encourage the master's growth, and it has been determined that he will always be able to overcome it.
'Father, look ...... at me. Please take me to .......
However, the heartbroken "The One Who Steals the Truth of Light" continues to care for his master with great effort. And yet, instead of the name of the girl who is so cheerfully devoted to him, it leaks out of his mouth.
Tiara (・・・・) ....... Thank you .......
"--Hey!
A chill runs down my back in horror.
I immediately stopped peeking at the two of them and ran out.
I was hoping that the 'curse' would fade a little bit.
But even in that state of mind, Master is still doing me a favor that could kill me.
Suppressing my mouth from loosening, I search for the person I originally wanted to find.
I have to finish the experiment before I'm captured by the 'break'.
In the midst of that swift movement, I use the skill 'Reading' to lightly read the future of the girl I mentioned earlier.
I thought I should know the movements of the piece called 'The One Who Steals the Reason of Light'.
"--In short order, the Northfield Hoosiers will take on the debt of Aikawa Uzumi's spirit 'instead'. But then, the action my father would take was rejection.
When he learns that the child is a man-made combination of his and his sister's genes, the man confronts him with the words, "You're not a decent person" and runs away.
The girl who chases after him continues to blame herself for not having carried on enough.
If she doesn't give up, the One Who Steals the Reason of Light will be rewarded one day, and she believes, and just goes forward.
Forward, forward, forward--
Oh, I knew it: .......
Now I understand the role of the "Stealers of the Reason of Light".
No, to be precise, the role of the second (・・・・・) generation of 'the one who steals the reason'.
I left the mansion and came to the area near the knights' quarters.
There, the three knights who guarded the 'Banner of Light' were gathered there.
There was a rumor that a wedding parade was coming up soon, so they must have been called back from the front lines as guests and guards for that.
I was particularly attentive to Lowen Alais's reaction and looked at the situation from afar. Fortunately, thanks to the fact that I'm now wearing the 'Power of Dimension', it's easy to peek in.
Of these three knights, the two who could be considered the second generation were Rowen and Fafner.
The two are said to be the 'stealers of reason' chosen by the 'Apostle', the Sith sister, but in reality, they are not.
It was Sister Yotaki who chose them.
These second generations were chosen with the main goal of replacing their master's power with their own.
Each of them have very dedicated personalities and can allow others to inherit the extreme characteristics of 'Bloodline', 'Sword Art' and 'Immortality'. It is predicted that the aim of Sister Yotaki's mass production of the 'Stealing of Reason' is to have her master inherit these three extreme traits. I just confirmed the phenomenon that makes this possible with the magic stone just a few minutes ago.
''Since when did Sister Yotaki start doing this ......?
While I was leisurely thinking about 'just surviving', Sister Yotaki would have been in contact with the three of us where no one was looking.
For example, if she was dealing with the 'one who steals the truth of light' earlier, she would have approached them under the guise of my mother, giving them the impression that my master was my father.
The more I grow up, the more I realize how circumspect sister Yotaki really is.
There is always a 'thread' tangled up in those who want to ask for help, and it's impossible to unravel.
If I can speak now, the only people I can speak to are the first generation of 'reason-stealers' who were around before Sister Yotaki came. Among them, if they have the ability to meet my purpose, that would be--.
Tida. This way.
I waited for the three knights to disperse and called out to Tida when she was all alone.
I show up behind the knight's quarters in Hoozeyards Castle. Tida wriggles her black Noh mask, which eventually never healed, and shows her surprise at my appearance.
''--Huh? Huh, the Princess of Hoosiers or ......? Where have you been all this time? I thought he was already dead. ......
I don't blame them for thinking so.
It's been a long time since he was missing. Although I've been back at Hoosiers occasionally, few people know about it.
'Oh, there's been a lot going on. ...... It's partly because there's no place for me at Hoosier's since my mentor went off the rails ....... Anyway, I think it's best to be quiet now.
That's ...... right. That's better. There are quite a few knights who talk about you, who were always working with Kanami, as an enemy.
Tida believed my appropriate excuse for this, and she believed me.
Then she called my name in a very nostalgic and friendly way.
'And yet ...... you've grown up, Tiara Hoosiers. You look different, but your mannerisms have changed, too.
What ......?
I stare at my palms in that surprising assessment.
The size is the same as it used to be.
I hadn't grown in height or changed the way I spoke.
I didn't feel like I had grown up, but neither did Tida seem to be lying to me.
'No, it's been seven years since ....... Is it any surprise that the Princess of Hoosiers has grown up? On the contrary, I suppose we just haven't grown up.
Tida makes a self-mocking smile at the black Noh mask.
She spreads her arms out further and self-mocking her situation.
'Hoozeyers princess, just laugh. After all, it was impossible for me to be a knight all along. Now, I am a 'knight-modeling' that spits on both the North and the South. ...... Since that time, you already knew that, didn't you? This is how it ends.
I haven't been staying at Hoosiers all the time, so I've only heard of its 'knight-modeling' story through rumors.
But even that was too much to read with skill.
"--Seven years ago, after leaving us, Tida became a knight.
Initially, the knights around him were fond of Tida, who was able to perform her duties foolishly, even in her deformed form. However, that trust was short-lived. Once a battle begins, it only takes a moment for it to crumble.
Knight Tida Rands valued her friends more than anyone else.
That's why he would try to do his best without allowing a single casualty.
If that happened, Tida would no longer have the luxury of wielding a sword like a knight. Thanks to the teachings of his friend Romis Neisha, he knew better.
If you want to save someone, you should wield the Power of Darkness instead of wielding that sword.
That if he wanted to protect his friends, he should go dark alone rather than unite with them.
He wishes to be a knight, but chooses to fight away from the knights more than anyone else.
It didn't take much time for his friends to gradually drift apart and be ridiculed as 'knight-modders' -
A reasonable ending.
Tida just isn't cut out to be a knight.
I thought so.
But I can't say that in front of Tida, who is now on the verge of tears right in front of me.
Taking that silent me as an affirmation, Tida continues to talk.
As you might expect, I was not knighted enough. I've been told that the three knights who protect the Banner of Light do not have a single subordinate who believes in me. No wonder. This me is the one who doesn't believe in me more than anyone else. ...... There is no way anyone would ever admire such a man as a knight.
My heart is broken.
I've been so weak that I've just seen him again and he's been complaining to me.
'After all, I've betrayed not only Romis and Arti, but also Kanami ......! I said I'd return the favor to my friends, and here's what it looks like: ......
'No, that was just Master becoming the enemy first. ......
Can you tell me that Kanami's betrayal itself is not my 'curse'?
I can tell you that that was Sister Yotaki's plan.
But I didn't say it back. I knew that no matter what I said to Tida, who was becoming self-deprecating, I couldn't reach her.
If this was a board game, he was on the verge of becoming a dead pawn.
There's no point in reaching out to him anymore. But that's why I reach out my hand.
I've decided not to trust anyone. If I don't believe, I will never be believed. I can't be betrayed and I won't be betrayed. I'm alone. I can be alone now. ...... That's just fine for a sinner like me.
In front of Tida, who continues to mumble and mutter, I put the sword on my hip in my hand. Then, I try to hand the 'Rufbringer', sheath and all, to the man in front of me.
...... Tida. It's for you. I'm not going to be fighting or anything.
When Tida sees the sword, she exclaims in surprise.
'The sword, me ......? From the looks of it, isn't it important? ...... I'm still swinging like a beast, you know? After all, that's the only reason why no one can beat me. There's no point in training at all. Haha.
Tida says it would be a treasure to be given to me. But as if to deny it, I shook my head and pushed the sword at her.
'You don't have to wield it. It's just that it's a useful sword to have, here.
'Just to have it: ......? Is this something else masquerading as a sword?
It's a sword. Just a sword that sucks magic power. The main thing it does is suck the enemy's magic power, but it also absorbs it from the surroundings, so ...... your 'curse' might be reduced.
The sword that reduces my 'curse' ....... If you're wondering what I'm doing, you've been doing that ......
Surprise after surprise, he spills out his excitement.
The "Ruf Bringer" is not a sword made for Tida, but I won't correct my mistake. Selling my gratitude, I cut to the chase.
''In return, I have a favor to ask. If your master ever wakes up, then help him escape.
'...... Helping Kanami? Certainly, there is a good chance that he will awaken through the devotion of our Lord. But Kanami now resents the world terribly. If you leave her alone, she's in a state of mind where she can do anything she wants.
I know. I know. Still, please. My Sith sister will sacrifice her master. Treat him like a thing, and sacrifice him for world peace ....... That's not something I want to see .......
Sure, if you're an 'apostle' ......, you might as well use up your current kanami .......
I pretended to be sad and persuaded him to add a plausible reason.
Tida nodded and agreed with me.
As expected.
As usual, the Stealers of Reason may be powerful, but their spirit (mind) is immature and gullible. I'm glad that the deception worked, and I'm ready to move on to the next story. But before I do--
'You don't have to tell me anything about what's behind it, Princess of Hoosier's. Just tell us who it's for, ......?
The question flew out as if he had read my inner thoughts.
'......?!'
For a moment, I was so upset that I was lost for words.
But I could immediately see that the fear was unfounded. I didn't have my mind read. It's just that Tida believed in her own 'curse' and was convinced that I would betray her.
To this day, Tida has probably made many promises to his friends, betrayed and betrayed them repeatedly. As a result, he has come to believe without a doubt that the only future he will be betrayed by is the future.
Seeing him give up on resisting that 'curse' and just checking to see if there is someone who can be saved by his sacrifice - a hot (...) feeling comes from deep within his heart!
'I always live for my Master. But this time it's not just him. -- "I'm fighting now to make everyone happy.
That's what I wrote and spun with my emotions.
I surprised myself by spitting out a line that wasn't what I had planned.
"...... I see. So that everyone can be happy.
The response would be something Tida hadn't expected.
She spilled her bright voice and smiled slightly.
'...... All right. If the time comes, I will betray Fafner Helvirshain and Lowen Ares and fight. I'll use the sword you gave me to stab those fanatics and the Grim Reaper in the back. That's the only atonement I can make for my betrayed friend Kanami - the only atonement I can make.
He took on the task.
Even though he has lost the 'trust' with his current friends - no, he seems to be working to 'rescue Kanami' because he's already given up.
Does he regret not being able to save his friend Romis Neesha seven years ago?
I can sense that this time, he will never regret it.
Thank you. ......
'No, no thanks ....... This should be what I myself want .......
With that thank you, Tida and I parted ways.
-- and from that day onwards I would regularly record Tida's progress from the shadows.
My main objective this time was to see the change in 'The One Who Steals the Reason' when I let her have the empty magic stone called 'Ruf Bringer'.
The change was immediately apparent.
The black mud on Teada's body had decreased slightly, and the Rufbringer had taken on a creature-like will and was now clothed with a sense of evil.
After confirming the results of this experiment, the marriage parade between 'The One Who Steals the Light's Reason' and his master began.
At the end of the seventh year, a national festival was held to celebrate the re-emergence of the Hoosiers.
Soon, the One Who Steals the Truth of Light takes Kanami's spirit in its place.
The Master, having regained his senses, made his escape, and the Hooziyars sent all of their pursuers after him - but as promised, Tida betrayed him, and the Master escaped from the pursuit of the Apostle Sith.
The Master succeeded in defecting to the 'Northern League'.
On the other hand, the "Stealer of the Light" represented the "Southern League" and declared war on the "Northern League".
--The great war that divided the continents finally began.
However, by having Master join the "Northern League" at an early stage, they prevented him from inheriting power from the second generation of "The One Who Stole the Reason".
As it was, at the very least, Master would have gotten the 'Sword Technique'. By skipping the "Kanami and Rowen became best friends" page, the "The man who became stronger than anyone else became a monster like his sister" page should have been skipped.
But as if that level of stalling was within the realm of expectation, the next incident occurs.
On that day, a strange tree grew on the Hoosier's premises.
I was told by the person who grew it that it was a young tree of the World Tree type, a medium used in the 'spell' of the strongest and oldest 'seal' in the world.
I listen to the culprit's defense in the noble room of the Hoosiers.
'--Because Diprakra is a liar! It was a bad 'apostle'!
I heard directly from the mouth of my Sith sister that I 'sealed' my fellow Diprakra-sama in the World Tree. She told me how and why, and everything else, and asked for my consent.
'Those who lie to you are disgusting. ......! Isn't that right? Hey, Tiara: ......!
The signs of a falling out with Diprakra-sama had been there for a long time.
It was all a script written by Sister Yotaki, but she kept trembling as she blamed herself.
It was hard to watch her go from innocent and confident to very vulnerable.
'I want the world to be nothing but justice. I want the world to be free of bad guys ....... But I don't have any allies to help me anymore. My yang-taki is also gone ....... I am the only apostle of justice in this world. So, please ......, Tiara--
You don't realize it, but right now, the Sis sister is heartbroken and confused.
And that's what's causing everything in her heart to fall apart.
Seeing the weakness of that admirer, I have the same emotions as I did with Tida.
--oh, hot (...).
'We're friends, aren't we?'
I wish my sissy sister would smile more.
I hope so, and I spin my words a little differently than I planned.
'...... Yeah, my sis sister and I are friends. I think lying sucks, too.
'......! Oh, thank goodness: ......
Heartily relieved, my cis sister bursts into tears and jumps into my chest.
Patting her head and soothing her, I pull out a very old wish.
'It's all right, Sis sister. Because people are creatures that can understand each other. ......
'Can we understand each other ......? Really ......?
'Yeah, we'll understand each other someday ....... Everyone will, I promise, .......
I used to wish I could 'read' everything in order to get to know the people I admired.
But now it's different.
I don't wish to read beyond the story, I wish to change it. Guided by that wish, the heat and magic in my body is transformed and added to a certain skill.
The new differences (skills) that have grown inside me tell me what I really want to do.
'I'm on the side of my Sith sister,'
Tiara: "Tiara: ......
'It's not just me. I'm sure you and your mentor will understand each other one day." In the end, we can all laugh together. Because people are creatures that understand each other. So it's going to be okay.
The cis sister in my chest looked up at me with a surprised look on her face.
She looked at me and bit her lip in happiness and regret.
'Tiara, you've grown up ....... And yet, I am ....... I'm--'
For some reason, I've been told the same thing as Tida here.
.............
I was a bit shocked.
Had I aged that much?
Suddenly I was curious and turned my attention to the mirror stand in the guest room.
On the mirror, a woman who had grown up from a girl and was on the verge of adulthood was standing alone.
The woman had a pale, dead-faced face, perhaps because she had been wandering around the border of death.
Although she was not tall enough to reach her master, her age exceeded her master's at the time of the summoning. "Long hair mixed with young white hair that is far removed from the expression 'flowing gold sand'. "Just like a doll" is an unrealistic description of his face. Instead of "fantastic golden eyes", there are two dull ochre eyes. His whole body is entwined with white 'threads' that make him look like a puppet. A little bit behind them, the 'slit' was slowly beginning to split open.
I thought, "Ah, it's time to escape to another world," and smiled at Tiara Hoozeyers in the mirror.
Maybe that margin is the mark of maturity.
And I acknowledge Legacie's words - that only Tiara Hoozeyers' time was moving - that I was moving.
Of all the 'still' characters, I was the only one allowed to grow. Indeed, that would be the special treatment that would be a sign of a 'protagonist' in a book.
'Yes ....... So ......, let's get it over with, 'all (...)' -
I whispered to the 'apostle' in my chest in an adult and responsible manner.
I gathered the purple magic in my fingertips and plucked one of the nearby 'threads'. Furthermore, I twisted it around my finger with a twirl, and then twisted it off with all my strength as it was.
--The "New Year 8" begins.
When you think about it, it was during this eighth year of the new calendar year that I made the decision to abandon everything in the world.
It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with your friends.
...... Sis sister, do you know what a magic circle is?
First of all, it's the 'clearing up' of the troublesome 'curse'.
For the sake of the 'magic' that makes everyone happy, I'm going to start manipulating the 'thread' as well.