chapter 54
Episode 54
Chapter 13 Main Scenario (3)
“Procuring supplies for consumption on the frontlines has become too much trouble, and since there is no end in sight to the cleanup work, the number of soldiers enlisting voluntarily is on the decline.”
Even after risking their lives, nothing improved, so those who risked their lives began to disappear.
“No one wants to be killed by a dog, right?”
“… … That’s how it is.”
The voice expressing positivity was full of self-help.
“Maybe that’s why everyone was half insane at the oracle that came down a year ago.”
“So what is that oracle?”
“A stranger who will leave despair behind will visit with the seed of hope.”
The answer was not Rashar, but Raul, who was standing a little further away.
As soon as I looked back at him, Sigram, who was by Raul’s side, answered.
“Leave footprints on the divine land before you leave.”
Only then did Rashar sigh and add a sentence.
“Only then will hope arise.”
My eyebrows twitched.
‘hope… … .’
That one word scratched a nerve.
From then on, other things piled on top of the word trust.
Hopes, strangers, wars, halls, enemies and allies, games, monsters, even missions.
The words I knew became tangled here and there and became a big picture.
And when I thought of the behavior of the party, who had paid so much attention to me that it was burdensome after hearing that I might be a stranger.
“It is a prophecy and will left by the former apostle of Mepheroseta.”
Rashar said in a heavy voice.
As I remember, Meferoseta’s power is foreknowledge.
However, unusually, there is only one apostle of that god at the time.
And he doesn’t easily talk about the future he sees.
It is said that if you spit it out, you will be treated as an oracle unconditionally.
It was said that there were apostles who ended their lives without ever giving a prophecy.
“Seeing the future is an area not allowed to creatures. So, to say it is out of the ordinary. You are breaking the rules of moderation.”
“… … What if I break it?”
“Meferoseta is on the strict side.”
When I added the word will to those words, I was able to roughly understand the situation.
‘Seeing the future is a tremendous power.’
The benefits gained by providing that information will be beyond imagination.
That’s why you can prove your self-control by not talking about what you saw.
The point to note here is that the apostles of Mepheroceta are not unable to tell the future, but that they do not.
If you are prepared to die, you can say anything.
“You die the moment you talk about a future that others shouldn’t know about.”
Rashar smiled faintly. As if my words were correct.
“Power is the power that ignores causality. That is why it is the power of God. It makes no sense that there is no backlash against those who use the power of a god without a godhead.”
It means that there is a penalty that other apostles also receive if they do not abide by the restrictions.
“Whoa.”
To be honest, I can’t get used to it.
The world where the miracles of gods can be confirmed, and the existence of gods who directly intervene in human affairs with reason are unfamiliar.
Even so, instead of denying it, I keep thinking about it because I have already used that power.
‘I saw it clearly.’
Time passed in a place where there were no CCTVs or cameras.
I saw the time that should only remain in Lashar’s memory, completely unrelated.
I wasn’t stupid enough to deny what I experienced.
That’s why I didn’t intend to treat that oracle lightly.
“That’s how great power was asserted. If you bring the stranger to the holy land, there will be hope.”
It is said that when the apostle from the previous generation died after saying that, everyone turned on the light in their eyes and searched the continent.
Just because you want to find a stranger.
Ten days, a month, half a year, and a year have passed since that day, and many people still have that hope.
It was a moment when I understood the attitude of the people who became bizarrely polite when they heard that I might be a stranger.
“Whoa.”
Tuck, Tack, Tack.
I crossed my arms and stomped my feet, lost in thought.
‘The sacred land must have something to do with God.’
If you think of it as a temple, it becomes clear why Rashar agreed to take me.
It is as if they were instructed by an oracle to bring me to the temple.
That too a year ago.
‘Hope, hope… … .’
If I really am the stranger they say.
My visit to the temple means hope for them.
‘why?’
Because I’m a player.
‘All players are combat personnel.’
More than 90% is still low, but we can go beyond human limits.
So that’s hope. It’s like additional troops are coming in a situation where the charter is pushed back.
‘The monster is the enemy, Rashar is the ally.’
If you look at that naked distinction, there is a high probability.
This damn system is meant to push players into a world war through the form of a game.
And the people of the world are ready to welcome the decision of the system.
“Oh sh*t… … .”
When I reached that simple conclusion, the profanity leaked out without any time to bear.
I’ve never enlisted, but it looks like I’m going to be dispatched!
I gritted my teeth and rubbed my face briskly.
‘Calm down, it’s time to think calmly.’
I began to catch my breath to control the agitation.
Then, when I unconsciously glanced at the side, I ended up chewing the flesh in my mouth.
Was it because he was silent for too long after he started swearing?
Everyone was looking at me.
One eye that seemed to be frightened or glistened with strange heat.
As I turned my head away from that gaze, my hands were sweaty.
‘Is it right to go to the temple like this?’
Until the conversation started, I was thinking of gathering information before going to the temple.
However, as we were talking, the idea of going to the temple began to shake.
‘The moment I set foot there, I might be pushed into a war that has nothing to do with me.’
The awareness that I had to destroy the mediator and jump out immediately rose.
I asked, closing my eyes.
“Didn’t I say there were many countries that perished? How many are there?”
To that, Rashar hesitated, hesitated, and finally answered.
“Eight countries have lost their territories and lost their lives.”
“What remains so far?”
“… … The Atar Empire and the Principality of Heilas are the two that maintain all the sovereignty, people, and territory.”
“What if we add the places where the sovereignty was lost?”
“Three groups like Ferrell have converted to the military and received support from the rear.”
“What is the exact number of troops that can be mobilized?”
As I recited in a ferocious voice, Rashar hesitated.
However, let’s replace the urge with a silent look.
“If we mobilize all the troops in the rear… … I am guessing that it will be around 500,000.”
this is a losing game The numbers I saw through the missions are proof of that.
‘There’s no reason to lend a hand to someone else’s war that you’re bound to lose.’
You must step out immediately.
As soon as I came to a conclusion, I grabbed my shield.
I was thinking of destroying the medium like this.
But to my dismay, my hands didn’t move.
“f*ck… … .”
Because of the magical energy stored in this medium.
Something on the other side of the hole where the mana drains keeps grabbing my ankle.
A creepy sound came out, saying that it was because of the evil mouth.
‘hall… … .’
If what lies beyond is really Earth.
If this hole is a ‘hole’ and through that hole I can come and go through the mission.
It is quite possible that monsters cross over to Earth.
‘Didn’t I say the war suddenly started?’
Rashar said that a monster that originally did not even exist in this world suddenly appeared.
As I pondered and pondered the story, I suddenly thought of that.
Could it be that monsters originally from another world came through a hole in this world? do.
‘It can’t be a coincidence that it attaches to a medium and sucks mana.’
If you think like that, you shouldn’t look at the hole between this world and the earth.
It would be like saying that the next target is Earth.
Gulp, I swallowed and opened the mission window with trembling eyes.
When I scrolled down to the end, I saw a number that was higher than the one in my memory.
12,354,973
13,608,154
18,154,320
… … .
If that number is the number of monsters.
If only monsters could cross over to Earth through the hole.
‘no.’
I clenched my hands so tightly that they turned white.
“Whoa.”
The tremors and hesitations were only momentary.
It is better to be prepared for the worst than not to be prepared for the worst.
Even if the worst I’ve hypothesized is all vain delusion and goes by without incident.
Even if all the effort, time, and money put into avoiding the worst is meaningless.
It’s better to over-prepare than to watch quietly with a complacent mind that I’ll be fine.
My past life proves it.
Maybe that’s why the words that came out of my mouth were calmer than I thought.
“Didn’t you say that you would depart when Ahel’s magic was restored?”
“… … Yes.”
“When will you recover?”
Rashar stared at my face and swallowed dryly.
“We can leave right away. Before that, I wanted to make sure you were a safe person… … .”
“Have you checked?”
“… … It must be closer to wanting to believe it.”
“Then don’t hesitate and go right away. I seem to be in a bit of a hurry.”
After clearing the hidden mission, there are things to check.
It would be better to act swiftly in order to make plans for the future.
Rashar nodded at the calm urging and turned around first.
I immediately followed behind Rashar.
“Are you done talking?”
Ahel, who was sitting next to Raul and waiting, stood up and brushed his butt.
“Okay, we can start right away.”
He looked me up and down with his arms crossed, despite Lashar’s reply.
“If we go on like this, it will definitely be a headache…” … .”
Then he muttered something incomprehensible.
“Just one day.”
Ahel didn’t give a proper explanation, but just said what I wanted to say.
Then, he reached out his hand toward my head.
I quickly grabbed his wrist and blocked it.
“Uh-huh, don’t avoid it. Because this is all for Kay. Really. Because you swear?”
It was a while to have a silent confrontation with Ahel, who started playing with her fingers with a smile on her face.
I let go of Ahel’s hand with the feeling of seeing it for now.
As long as he wanted my magical power, I didn’t think he would do anything to harm me.
Ahel’s hand, which had regained freedom, approached quickly.
Right after that, a thin finger pricked my forehead.
Scary to frown at the sudden touch, a transparent film covered my body.
‘… … It’s like soap bubbles.’
It wasn’t uncomfortable, but I felt disconnected.
Half curious, half wary.
“What is this?”
“I blocked the reverberation of magic from leaking out.”
Reverb? Come to think of it, Ahel mentioned the word reverberation when he first came to see me.
‘I told you to learn how to quickly hide it.’
It seems that there are traces of attribute magic.
Take a moment to observe what happened to my body.
I raised my head to ask for more details.
“How can you hide that reverberation… … .”
However, as soon as Ahel’s eyes met, he couldn’t finish his words and froze.
Because he was looking at me with a satisfied smile.
The gray eyes were shining brightly, as if I had seen them somewhere.
Where the hell did this deja vu come from?
As I was looking at Ahel’s face as if I was thinking about it, I suddenly remembered the twins’ faces.
‘When in front of sweet and sour pork.’
These are the eyes when children gulp their saliva while looking at delicious food.
‘So, to that guy, I’m on the same level as sweet and sour pork, no, delicious food, right?’
My eyes went cold as I looked at Ahel.
“If you’re going to exchange, you’ll be the first with me, you know?”
It was uncomfortable when the young boy approached me with a charming eye smile.
“… … It goes down a bit.”
“Ah, what’s going on between us?”
You and I barely even had a conversation a few hours ago?
I was dumbfounded, so I just looked at it, and what I said was very spectacle.
“Are you saying you’ve solved all your questions now? Eating and throwing away like this is too much!”
I took a step back from Ahel with a straight face.