“W-what… Are you serious? Are you saying that what you’re saying is nothing short of a denial of us gods!”
Kuzumochi-chan, a clone of Seleneis, looked taken aback for a moment.
*Ugh, I really feel like I’ve said too much… But it’s fine! I can only see this through to the end!*
“Yes, I’m absolutely serious. I don’t need any help from gods! I… I swear to realize the Emperor Kuroie’s ideal… to lead this world to peace, without borrowing the power of gods! I will resolutely stick to this belief… even if the gods deny it!”
Seleneis listened to my following words with a stunned expression, then slumped her shoulders.
*It seems my words did resonate with her after all.*
*…This feeling is precisely what I should call my true conviction.*
“I see… Hahaha! Hahahaha!”
But then she burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
“…W-what’s so funny? I’m being serious, and you’re laughing at me?”
“Hahaha! How can I not laugh at this? I see now, it’s no wonder Raterum couldn’t handle you. Hmm, you truly are excellent. I understand now… It’s as if a being that can be called a god already resides within you. Just like that man who founded Romeo… Is that it? If you don’t acknowledge us as gods, you wouldn’t have been able to become an apostle in the first place. Raterum also apparently used that man as his apostle and made good use of him. In the end, that man accepted his own fate of death, honestly accomplished what he believed he must do with his own power alone, and then voluntarily disappeared from this world.”
*W-what a shocking thing she’s saying.*
*What does she mean, a god resides within me?*
*But, it’s a guess, but she’s probably talking about Ryosuke.*
*Come to think of it, that person…*
*He had an incurable disease and was going to save this world in exchange for prolonging his life.*
*Not a complete cure, but life prolongation… Come to think of it, that was a rather underhanded deal.*
*From the way she gave him an abnormal body like the Manager, I wondered if she could have cured his incurable disease in the first place.*
*According to Aage, Ryosuke was summoned by Raterum like the other Others, but he was clearly acting outside of Raterum’s intentions, that’s how it seemed.*
*I recall hearing that he was a mountain worshipper. In that sense, from the perspective of this world, he could be considered a worshipper of an Otherworldly god.*
*Such unwavering faith that didn’t waver even before the rule of the gods of this world. That’s probably what she means.*
*And then, just like me, he was given the choice of becoming a god’s apostle or going his own way as a human without borrowing divine power.*
*The choice he made was… to accept his fate of death as a human and to do his best within the remaining time to create a path for those who would remain.*
*I don’t know why he chose that path… but I feel like I understand it.*
*Even if the other party is a god and his life is on the line, to refuse to become an apostle… to refuse to offer his soul, is absolute.*
*That’s probably why Ryosuke was so free and able to unite so many people as a great ruler.*
*… In that sense, I think Ryosuke and I are alike. I want to walk the path I believe in… I want to choose my own way of living and dying.*
*Somehow, coming here… I feel like I’ve come to understand Ryosuke a little better.*
“…I am probably of the same kind as that Otherworldly person who didn’t accept Raterum’s rule. I don’t want to be ordered around or controlled by anyone. That’s why I’ve never relied on the power of gods, and I’m undoubtedly still outside of their intentions. But, that’s also why I think I was able to take on the position of Prime Minister of Romeo.”
*I should say this with my chest puffed out now.*
*I won’t borrow the power of gods… I won’t! For the sake of being myself!*
“Hmm, it’s a shame, but I’m starting to see who you are… At this rate, I don’t think I can persuade you through proper means. I see, that’s why Raterum couldn’t control you. Someone like you would be beyond the grasp of someone like him…”
*…She’s given up now, right?*
*Presumably, she can’t make me an apostle unless I willingly choose to be one.*
*If I can’t persuade her with logic, what will she try next?*
*Honestly, she doesn’t look like she’s given up… In fact, I have a feeling she’s become very interested.*
“If you understand that much, I’d appreciate it if you’d give up by now…”
“You’re right. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have enough to persuade you with reason… However, I can’t just let you run wild like this either. To put it realistically… how do you plan to escape from here? This place is too dangerous to get a ship close, there’s probably no one coming to help you, right? And what do you plan to do about escaping on your own? You can’t possibly build a ship yourself.”
“You don’t need to worry. We have a means to move freely on the sea. I understand that help isn’t coming, but I don’t think escaping itself will be that difficult.”
“I see. Both of you are Water magic users… If that’s the case, then it’s not a lie or a bluff. However, the biggest problem is that the Leviathan is still waiting for you around this island. I don’t imagine you think you can defeat the Leviathan with your current power, do you? In other words, faced with a physical obstacle that human power can never overcome, a situation where you *must* rely on divine power that transcends human wisdom, what will you do? That’s precisely what interests me.”
*…So that’s how it is.*
*She’s quite good at negotiations, after all…*
*Indeed, that’s the biggest problem.*
*The Leviathan is a straightforward power-oriented monster, but it’s difficult for Latrie and me alone to defeat it.*
*It’s huge, fast, and incredibly tough.*
*Just that alone makes it more than strong enough… It’s truly a monster.*
*No, according to Latrie, it’s an enemy that should normally be fought with an army, prepared for heavy casualties.*
*This is a roundabout offer of a deal.*
*This might be a crucial moment.*
“…It is true that it would be difficult for us to defeat the Leviathan right now, and its presence certainly makes escaping this island difficult. Of course, if you, Lady Seleneis, wished it, you could grant us the power to eliminate it… Is that what you mean?”
*In short, Seleneis-sama realized that reasoning and emotion wouldn’t work, and is now trying to recruit me by offering to lend us the power to overcome this obstacle.*
*Unlike before, this isn’t persuasion, it’s a trade.*
*Seriously… She’s a tough negotiator who doesn’t pick her methods, changing tactics constantly.*
“Of course. If you become my apostle, I will grant you power befitting my apostle. Before that power, the likes of the Leviathan will be nothing more than dust!”
*A direct hit here, huh…*
*Since I realistically don’t think I can win against the Leviathan, I suddenly feel like my options have narrowed.*
*I’ve thought about it a lot since then, but my conclusion is that there’s no sure way to win a direct fight against the Leviathan.*
*Latrie’s ultimate attack, the Ice Lance for large monsters, couldn’t defeat it in one blow.*
*She said it might take about 10 hits to defeat it, but even with 1-2 hits, it was only enough to deal damage.*
*While it has the weakness of only being able to move in the sea, we have no choice but to fight on its home ground, so it’s hard to call that a weakness.*
*Normally, not engaging it would be the best option, but to escape, we have to fight and repel or defeat it.*
*I was about to conclude that the only option was to wear it down in a long battle, forcing it to give up, and to stay on this island.*
*But if I can borrow Lady Seleneis’s power, defeating something like the Leviathan would be literally effortless… and I would be granted immense power.*
*Seriously, this is tempting. But not yet! I can’t give in here!*
“Latrie-chan, I want your opinion. Can we defeat the Leviathan with our current fighting strength? Please answer honestly.”
*There’s nothing I can do alone… but if Latrie and I join forces… there might be a possibility!*
“If it’s you and I, Master, it will be a tough fight, but I can’t say we wouldn’t win. If we choose favorable conditions and prepare sufficiently, we have a good chance of victory. Don’t worry… I will defeat the Leviathan, even if it costs me my life. You won’t need to use your own power… or rather, I believe Lady Seleneis is hoping you will become her apostle and wield power. Therefore, please don’t casually borrow power.”
*As expected of Latrie-chan.*
*She’s reached the same conclusion as me.*
“This is a trap, isn’t it… I’m sorry, Lady Seleneis. With your blessing, defeating the Leviathan and returning home would be easy… But I can’t fall into your scheme.”
*It’s true that I’m very tempted, but I have to refuse!*
“Whoa, wait, don’t be so defensive… Hear me out. Even if I say I’ll lend you power, it’s only temporary. Think of it as a trial version. I won’t officially recruit you as my apostle just by using my power once… I don’t want to recruit you against your will. I want to build a good relationship where you willingly become my apostle with mutual understanding.”
*Ugh, what is this woman?*
*Is she reading my mind? The idea of a “trial version” makes me a little…*
*After all, it sounds like there are no downsides.*
*And, somehow… she’s very difficult to deal with.*
*Just when I think I’m being assertive, she chooses her words carefully to avoid provoking me.*
*So, basically, she’s offering me a trial experience of a cheat apostle, like a sample.*
*This means she’s also made concessions to some extent.*
*But this is a trap, no matter how you look at it.*
*Even if she says it’s a trial, if I borrow her power even once, it will be a debt to Lady Seleneis.*
*This isn’t a contract or anything like that, but something that will be imposed on me in the form of a personal obligation.*
*She’ll use that as leverage for something, and I’ll end up in a crisis, seeking more power… and before I know it, I’ll be Seleneis’s apostle.*
*…I can see that scenario unfolding.*
