“So, let’s hear Ul’s plan again.”
“Tear apart the gods, use that as an engine to regenerate the world. As a result, the Ark and the world will be destroyed, and two gods will be lost.”
“Hmm, complete world destruction. An evil deed, no doubt about it.”
“I won’t deny it.”
Even Diz, who seemed to have some inkling, had this reaction. It was impossible to deny. What Ul was trying to do could be called barbarism. Not that it was a comparable act, but Diz and Shizuku’s actions of making choices and trying to protect one side might have resulted in less damage.
“Can the damage be reduced?”
“It depends on the effort of everyone alive.”
“I see. Truly a distribution of responsibility.”
“My responsibility for forcing such a world upon them is heavy, though.”
In the end, Ul’s plan makes it impossible to entrust success or failure to individuals. The gods with absolute power would cease to exist, and even the spirits would grow distant. It becomes a battle of how far the remaining individuals can go with their own strength. Honestly, Ul couldn’t fathom it either. She couldn’t fully grasp how the drastically changing world environment would affect things.
Of course, Ul, who chose to step into that world, had to do more than anyone else. Yuri had warned her, and she had no intention of running away.
“Then, I suppose I’ll share that responsibility and bear it too.”
“You’re willing to become my subordinate?”
“I can’t become a god, but I don’t want to give up on everyone.”
Besides, Diz said, leaning in to look at Ul.
“You’re the type to have a lot on your plate yourself, even after telling others to do their part.”
“…Perhaps it’s safer to set up a mutual surveillance system.”
“Isn’t that what you’re aiming for?”
Ul stood up, crossed her arms with a troubled expression, and spoke in a threatening tone.
“I’m telling you, I don’t know how long it will take for the world to stabilize. It could be centuries, if not more.”
Ul, who had already deviated significantly from the form of a Human, would likely not meet a natural death. Becoming a subordinate would drag her down with that. She was far from an absolute being like a god, but she was a half-baked existence, having deviated too much to be considered Human. Continuing to fight as such an existence would not be easy by any means. It might even be far more arduous than becoming the god she abhorred.
That’s why Ul stated it clearly.
“During that time, you’ll be my kin, my servant. Be prepared.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Diz replied immediately. Ul looked puzzled.
“…Hey, Akane. Why is Diz like this?”
“It’s your fault, big brother.”
“I see…”
If Akane said so, then it must be true. Ul reflected.
***
Under Ul and Akane’s watchful eyes, Diz closed her eyes and assumed a meditative posture. After a while, a somber, ashen flame erupted from her chest, enveloping her body and forming armor around her. Her appearance, similar yet different to what Yuri had shown, made her nod with satisfaction.
“Yep, it’s a substitute. I can’t use the Sun God’s power.”
The process of becoming a subordinate seemed to have been completed without major incident. Ul sighed in relief. Although she had tested it with Yuri, it was still essentially a first-time attempt.
“Hey, am I being cast out?”
“This is purely a countermeasure against gods, after all. It probably won’t work on Akane… I think.”
Akane next to her looked puzzled, but Ul couldn’t say for sure. She felt like someone like Rine, Greyre, or Shintani might explain it, but they weren’t here. Noah was also silent for the moment, so she had no idea.
“Either way, I’m happy to be able to stay with Akane.”
“Fufufu.”
At any rate, Akane became cheerful when Diz said that, so it was good. For now, the Sun God, one of the major problems, had been dealt with. It probably hadn’t manifested in reality yet, but when she woke up, the Sun God would likely be pushed out of her… The problem is—
“…”
“Ul?”
“Well, it’s just that there might be trouble.”
“Heh, it’s you, big brother, so it probably won’t go smoothly.”
“That hurts my feelings.”
Akane’s direct statement stung. Thinking about past experiences, she couldn’t find any words to refute it, which made it sting even more.
“Well, it’s fine. I’ll think about that later. When it happens.”
There was no point in being paralyzed by fear of trouble that hadn’t occurred yet. As if changing her train of thought, Ul shook her head and turned around.
“Now for the other major problem.”
“Mhm.”
On the hill where Ul, Diz, and Akane stood, a single door had inexplicably appeared. It was an inorganic, pure white door. A mechanical door, like those often seen in the Demon Realm’s domes, which opened automatically without being touched. They all knew what kind of door it was.
The door that led to the soul of Shizuku, the Moon Goddess.
***
Since Shizuku and Diz were simultaneously touching and influencing it, the souls of the three were currently closely connected. That connection had manifested in the form of a door.
“Yuri and Diz, I was able to talk with them rationally, but…”
In front of the door, Ul crossed her arms with a bitter expression.
“This one, well…”
“Is it that difficult?”
“There’s no doubt something dangerous will come out. After all, it’s soul contact.”
She didn’t mean to imply that Yuri or Diz had easy pasts or souls. Rather, they each had vivid pasts and emanated strong wills. However, Shizuku’s soul was likely on a different dimension, in a bad way, compared to theirs. Ul couldn’t imagine what might come out. Even Ul, who had become accustomed to soul contact, felt an aura from beyond the door that made her hesitant to step forward easily.
“I can’t go?”
“You’re my subordinate now. I don’t think you can’t go…”
As a test, Diz reached her hand towards the door, but—
“Hm.”
The next moment, something like an ice shard, sharp as a blade, sprang from the door, trying to pierce Diz’s hand. Diz immediately pulled her hand back and distanced herself, but she scowled at the door, which had clearly directed hostility towards them.
“Yeah, it’s a complete rejection.”
“What about me?”
Next, Akane approached in her Fairy form. But it was exactly the same. The cold air emanating from the door blew Akane away.
“Nyah-!!”
“No good.”
Ul grumbled, cradling Akane, who had been blown away.
“To her, I and Akane are enemies to be killed. There’s no room for dialogue.”
In that case, Diz’s gaze shifted to Ul. Ul nodded and approached the door. Indeed, the same painful, intense cold air was released towards her as had been directed at them. However, it wasn’t enough to blow her away and reject her. It wasn’t unbearable.
“It hurts, but I can go.”
“Mmm.”
“You seem dissatisfied.”
Akane pouted. Pointing at the door with an indignant look, Akane shouted.
“I have a lot I want to say!”
It seemed Akane had been truly fed up with something before Ul could reach out to them. It was rare for Akane to show such clear anger over something unrelated to Ul. But it was anger born from affection. It was passion that arose from caring for the other person. That’s usually how it was when she was truly angry. Ul repeatedly patted Akane’s head to appease her.
“I’ll convey what needs to be said as much as possible, for you too.”
“Mmm… Big brother.”
“What is it?”
Akane, in her Fairy form, placed her small palm on Ul’s hand. As if entrusting a wish.
“Hold Shizuku’s hand. It will surely be difficult for her alone.”
“Alright.”
Ul nodded, and Akane, looking satisfied, smiled and moved away. Now then, Ul tried to approach the door again. But before that—
“Ah, right. Me too.”
“Hm?”
Diz approached Ul as if she remembered something.
“It will probably be chaotic when she wakes up, and we don’t have much time, so it’s better now.”
Before Ul could ask “What?”, Diz leaned in and, without hesitation, brought her face close and kissed her. The action was so natural that Ul couldn’t react at all.
“Did you dislike it?”
“…No, I’m happy about it.”
She tilted her head and asked, looking very adorable. Ul accepted it honestly, though she seemed a little nervous. She had a lot she wanted to say and ask, but that would be later.
“I love you. Please don’t die.”
“I’ll do my best to make sure I don’t.”
“Please save Shizuku.”
Ul nodded and, this time, touched the white door with her hand. Feeling the strongest rejection physically, she willed it, and the door opened with a mechanical sound, just like the automatic doors in the dome. Beyond the door stretched darkness, seemingly sealed off from the landscape of Diz’s memories. Ul took a breath, steeling herself, and stepped into it.
***
She proceeded into the darkness. Looking back, the white door through which Ul had entered had already vanished. Ul could sense that she was now in contact with Shizuku’s soul. When she was talking with Diz earlier, Ul had felt a warmth against her skin. That was likely from touching Diz’s kindness, emanating from Diz’s own soul.
However, there was none of that in this darkness. “It’s cold,” Ul couldn’t help but think. It wasn’t the coldness of rejecting someone. It was a coldness that seeped into the inner self, a coldness that wounded herself too. A deep, bone-chilling coldness filled the space. Ul proceeded through it without hesitation. How long had she walked through the endless darkness? The passage of time was extremely difficult to gauge in the world of souls. Gradually, her vision began to change.
“……Hm?”
Ul frowned.
“—”
Something white stood there, as if waiting for her.
