Glancing at each other for a few seconds, the Ten Authorities and I exchanged gazes. In other words, we were sizing each other up, trying to ascertain the other’s true identity. In any case, we wouldn’t get anywhere like this. Eager to fight as soon as possible, I decided to introduce myself. Thoroughly, like a gentlemanly battle junkie.
“Now then, there are so many things I want to ask you about why you came to this place, but first, I need to greet you.”
“Hmph, it’s strange. There was no presence at all until just now, but I felt as if you suddenly appeared in this place in an instant.”
“…”
“I’m Kelvin, Kelvin Celsius. You’re one of the Ten Authorities, right? Fight me.”
“My name is Kelvum Lipita. You are Kelvin, right? That’s perfect, I have a proposal for you.”
“…”
Our words overlapped twice, and an indescribable atmosphere began to fill the air. No, even if we felt some sort of connection, there was no need to time ourselves so perfectly. Not to mention, our names were similar. See, now we were both in a situation where it was difficult to speak.
“Uh, uhm… Since you know my name, I assume you’ve heard of me among the Ten Authorities to some extent?”
I spoke carefully, trying not to overlap my words this time. Good, I didn’t overlap this time. …Why am I even worrying about this?
“Ahem! …I heard that it was your faction that subdued Ridwan and defeated Baldo. It would be strange if there were no rumors? However, to seek battle immediately upon meeting… you truly are a battle maniac, just as the rumors say.”
As if he sensed my words, the other party also seemed to be treading carefully. No, it’s probably my imagination.
“I admit I’m a battle maniac, but regarding Baldo, it was someone else who defeated him… well, since we’re in a cooperative relationship, it’s all the same. If that’s enough for you Ten Authorities to remember my name, I couldn’t be more honored. So, what proposal do you have for me, who is an eyesore to you? If it’s an invitation to battle, I welcome it wholeheartedly?”
“You – you’ve been saying that all along… No, well, that’s fine. My proposal isn’t entirely different from what you’re thinking. …Kelvin, will you join me in defeating Eld, the leader of the Ten Authorities?”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected proposal, I blurted out a bewildered sound. Lately, I feel like I’ve been making strange noises quite often.
But honestly, I did not expect this proposal at all. If I recall Rukil’s story, Eld was the top of the Ten Authorities, a Fallen Angel who was once the right hand of the Evil God. He’d likely be like this Kelvum’s superior. And he wants to defeat Eld together? Why on earth? Did they have a falling out?
“Hah, I understand what you’re thinking. Why would I propose this to a fellow member of the Ten Authorities? Is that it?”
“…That’s about right. To be honest, I don’t understand the true meaning of your words. How can you make such a proposal to me, whom you’ve just met?”
“I don’t have the luxury of being picky. Those whose skills are guaranteed to the extent that they can fight together with me are few in this world. Or rather, from the perspective of us Ten Authorities, even if you are in a golem body, the fact that combat with us is even possible means this world is already quite strange…”
“Is that so? The world is vast. It’s not strange for a human to be able to fight gods, is it?”
In my previous world, perhaps. But in this world, besides me who defeated Kuromel, there’s Gordiana, who became a Reincarnated Goddess from a human, Serge, the strongest ever free hero, and many other powerful beings. It’s not strange for such beings to contend with the Ten Authorities.
“…Is that so? Hah, if you think so, Kelvin, you seem to be thinking very much from our side. You have quite the discerning eye. How about this? If we succeed in defeating Eld, I may even invite you to become a new member of the Ten Authorities.”
“Why would that be the case… If you’re going to try to recruit me, at least make a more appealing offer. Joining the Ten Authorities, whose goal is the revival of the Evil God, is hardly any enticement.”
“Hmm? I see, so you’re saying that you cannot fully agree with us until you understand the truth of this world. In that case, I have no choice. …Let me tell you, the truth of this world!”
I thought to myself, “Oh, this is going to be a long story.” I came all this way to fight the Ten Authorities, but somehow, it’s turning into a lecture on the truth of the world. That’s not what I wanted. I’m not looking for a lofty exchange of opinions.
“First, let’s start with why our God Adams opposed the false god who currently rules this world. I will explain it to you meticulously. This is something you should understand with a calm mind, so listen carefully with all your might!”
It really does look like it’s going to be long… I suspect this guy, despite his appearance, is quite the caretaker. However, he seems to be the type who is terribly poor at sensing the other person’s heart or reading the room. If he’s satisfied after explaining, will he fight me? I’ll remember the information he provides, of course, but I’m a bit worried about what happens next. I should think about a reason to start fighting now.
…Come to think of it, don’t the Ten Authorities and golems have a limited activity range outside of the White Wing Land? Will it be okay to have such a long lecture like this?
“That great war, yes, it happened long, long ago, so distant that it cannot be measured by your human sense of time—”
—This won’t do. I need to summarize his story to save time.
Once upon a time, in the distant past, the Gods divided into two factions and began a conflict, possibly due to differences in their ideologies. On one side was the faction of the Main God who currently manages the world. On the other side was the faction of the Evil God Adams and the Ten Authorities, who were sealed away. The ancestor of demons, to whom Sera, my father-in-law, and Victor are related, also fought on the side of the Evil God.
The cause of this conflict was the policy of the world managed by the Gods.
The Main God’s faction’s policy was to keep the strength of the lifeforms they managed below a certain level. In other words, they aimed to prevent individuals from gaining excessive power, thus eliminating existences like Heroes and Demon Kings. The idea was that all lifeforms living in the world should possess average abilities, with only slight differences in physical capabilities. This was a preventive measure to avoid the destruction of the worlds they managed and to ensure that the lifeforms they governed would not become a threat to the Gods. In essence, it was a world similar to Earth, perhaps.
In contrast, the Evil God’s faction’s policy was that Gods should not manage the world at all. Instead, the strong should live as they are, and the weak should be eliminated according to the natural order. They believed there was no need to place restrictions on beings with the potential for evolution. If, as a result, they grew strong enough to challenge and break through to the Gods, that too would be a natural law. The former Evil God declared that he was a God who could control such lifeforms that had evolved freely, and sought like-minded individuals to join him.
Eventually, the Main God’s and Evil God’s factions clashed, sparking a battle of Gods known as the Great War of the Mythological Era. In the end, the Main God’s faction emerged victorious. The leader, the Evil God, was sealed for eternity, and his subordinates, the Ten Authorities, had their physical bodies annihilated. They became soulless entities and were confined to a prison in a different dimension. Those beneath them were unified under the race of demons and imprisoned in the Underworld, a closed-off land—or so it seems.
Up to this point, it’s understandable. However, I have a question. In this world where we are, there are Heroes and Demon Kings, and there are no restrictions on strength, right? Moreover, it seems more like the world the Evil God desired… Ah, I see. That’s why Kelvum finds it strange.
