WG – Chapter 188: Barrier

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“Y-You are going this far…?” (Souma)

Sazan even prepared the key, pulled me to the ‘Thief Shoo Shoo!’ room and closed the door without hesitation.

It is true that you can’t open the door to this room from the outside without the key. 

It is the best place to confine yourself. 

But I didn’t expect to enter a dangerous place like this just to watch a video.

“Come on! Quick quick!” (Sazan)

I was baffled by this and Sazan himself had returned to being a child from the excitement of watching the video.

Seeing Sazan smacking the floor by his side, I sighed and approached him.

It will only take an instant in real time anyways. 

We just have to wrap this up quickly. 

I didn’t really feel like following what Sazan was telling me to do, so I sat at the front of Sazan as if facing him.

The floor of this room has a really fancy soft carpet on top of it, so there’s no issues with sitting directly on it. 

I was thinking that while taking out the stone slate and feeling a heated gaze from my side.

“Now then, Sazan…” (Souma)

“Y-Yeah.” (Sazan)

Sazan needs to be in contact with me in order to see the video of the stone slate. 

I offered my hand and Sazan held my hand…but stopped right before he did, and instead carefully took off his coat. 

And then, held my hand strangely hesitantly at this late point in time. 

“Ready?” (Souma)

“…” (Sazan)

When I asked this, Sazan lowered his gaze as if hesitating and soon responded with a strong expression.

“O-Obviously!” (Sazan)

After confirming this, I stretched my hand towards the stone slate and touched the [2nd Chapter] letters.

—1 year passed since then.

That said, we are not talking about the real world.

It is referring to the story world.

Alex went to a town as an adventurer after his home village was destroyed by monsters and had become a splendid warrior. 

The story of the 2nd Chapter is the story of Alex and his encounters with his future comrades.

Alex coincidentally encountered a scene where monsters were attacking a carriage, but the one who was in that carriage was the Light Princess, Ciel, and her bodyguards… A development you see pretty much in any story. 

I have seen this story all the way until the 3rd Chapter, but the production value has taken a drastic leap and now has audio, so it is already completely different from the original. 

It is true that I have seen this plot before, and yet, if I were to lower my guard, I would get sucked in by the story. 

Especially the Light Princess Ciel who is also a magic swordsman, and the two body bodyguards, the master swordsman Luden and the mage Nameless, joining forces with Alex to fight the leader of the monsters was pretty epic. 

The enemy is a monster called an Archdemon, and its name is Richter.

By the way, an ArchDemon is a late game dungeon boss monster in Nekomimi Neko, and you could consider it the highest class boss excluding the Demon Lord and the Evil God. 

It is practically the same as the Butcher appearing in the Deus Plains. 

It was overwhelming Alex and the others from beginning to end, but with the life or death attack of Alex and the action of Ciel trying to protect him with her very body, Richter left after saying ‘I am interested in you people now’.

Well, it is that. 

An enemy stronger than what you can defeat appears in the early stage, but after acknowledging the power of the protagonist in their dire straits, it would leave unnaturally; a pretty common development in shounen manga.

When I watched it in the game, I thought the video was plain and the plot was stale, but I managed to find this interesting even when I have already seen this before most likely because the recording has been changed and made really well. 

The 2nd Chapter ended while I was analyzing it in that fashion and…

“Wow wow wow, this is amazing! D-Did you see?! Did you see that, Souma?!” (Sazan)

“Hah? See what?” (Souma)

When I got back to the real world, Sazan spoke to me in an excited state. 

It seems like Sazan managed to safely watch the recording too thanks to him being in contact with me.

That’s great and all, but I can’t keep up with this tension of his. 

“The skill of Nameless! See! Here!

He had the same bracelet as I had, right?!” (Sazan)

“Aah, he…did?” (Souma)

Sazan showed me his bracelet by pushing his bracelet onto my cheek as if trying to glue it on me. 

The name was Soul Bracelet…?

Speaking of which, the thin male mage that accompanied Ciel might have been wearing a bracelet.

“The genesis of my family is that great mage, Nameless!! 

To think I would be able to see my ancestor with my own eyes! 

I am the most fortunate person in the world!” (Sazan)

“I-I see. That’s great…” (Souma)

I was a bit taken aback by Sazan who was holding my hands and waving it around.

Well, he might be having fun watching the achievements of his ancestor, but isn’t he getting too happy here?

“Actually, this Soul Bracelet has the power to seal the soul. 

This bracelet has the memories of the heads of previous generations, and there’s a few memories of Nameless-sama in it.” (Sazan)

“I see. Could it be that you know a lot about the Evil God Great War because…” (Souma)

When I asked this thoughtlessly, Sazan grabbed my hands even harder and began explaining to me while leaning forward.

“Very perceptive! This bracelet is amazing. 

It is a treasure that’s said the history of the family would have changed if there were 2 of this, and right now it is only fragments of the mission and memories of the family heads, but if you use all of its power, you can do even more incredible things. 

In the first place, Nameless-sama became the top mage at that young age thanks to having inherited the memories of the family predecessors with the ring. That’s why every generation succeeds the name Nameless as an immortal mage with no name…” (Sazan)

Sazan had completely entered explanation mode. 

The words of Sazan entered one ear and out the other while I understood a bit here.

If the ancestor of Sazan is a hero of the Evil God Great War, I can’t really say it is wrong that the family of this guy are esteemed nobles. 

Being raised like a flower or a butterfly since childhood…sounds weird for a man, but anyways, if he has been raised with a silver spoon, I can understand how he ended up being a selfish guy. If you have talent in magic that rivals that of your hero ancestor, I can understand admiring him. 

“Oi, Souma! Are you listening?” (Sazan)

“I am, I am. I know that that bracelet is an important thing.” (Souma)

“Guh, you are not wrong, but putting it so simply…” (Sazan)

Sazan seemed to be dissatisfied with my half-hearted response, but his excitement from seeing his ancestor must have won, he swallowed it. 

“A-Anyways, this is the next most important thing after my life…no, it might be as important. 

That’s why, Souma, if I die, please bring this bracelet to my family. 

Alex knows where my home is.” (Sazan)

“O-Oi, what are you saying all of a sudden.” (Souma)

I didn’t expect Sazan to talk about what to do when he dies. 

I furrowed my brows, but Sazan snorted.

“Of course, I have no intention of dying. It is just in case.” (Sazan)

“No, as I said…” (Souma)

“Well, you will be leaving to your own world, so it doesn’t matter though.” (Sazan)

I was going to say something, but the somewhat sad words of Sazan robbed me of the timing. 

Sazan didn’t say anything after that and stayed silent for a while, but began to talk while trying to not match my gaze. 

“I left my home, but it is not like I don’t understand wanting to return to where you were. 

That’s why, uhm…is it actually…a pain?” (Sazan)

“Eh…?” (Souma)

Those way too unexpected words made me let out a dumbfounded voice. 

“As I said! You want to return to your world, right? 

And yet, I am stopping you because of my own desire for knowledge. So it really must be…” (Sazan)

“Sazan…” (Souma)

I honestly didn’t think he was someone that would think of others this much.

…No, that’s not it. 

He might have…changed as well.

Just like how Ringo, who was the very definition of an NPC at the beginning, had obtained emotions. 

Just like how Mitsuki, who was uninterested in anything other than fighting, had begun to think of others. 

Sazan must have grown into a different branch from the one of the game. 

Having shown such a change, I…

“Don’t try to be unnecessarily considerate here, you idiot.” (Souma)

“Ouch!” (Sazan)

I flicked the mask facing down real hard.

It seems like quite a lot of power showed up because of my Strength, and Sazan is writhing in pain somewhat seriously. 

“W-What are you doing?!” (Sazan)

I spoke to Sazan who was raising his voice in protest.

“Listen here, I do think I have to return to my world. 

I want to give my farewells to everyone, and it is not like I am hurrying to the point where each second counts. 

I do want to know about the Evil God myself.” (Souma)

“Really…?” (Sazan)

“Yeah. Cause if I don’t…it wouldn’t feel like a proper end, right?” (Souma)

If I were to think about me coming to this world and its happenings as a single story, the goal is most likely me returning to my world with Maki.

But I feel like the Evil God is an unavoidable path in order to put an end to that story. 

The game didn’t touch in detail about the Evil God. 

It is not like I will do something troublesome like defeat the Evil God or strengthen the seal. 

But that’s exactly why I have to learn just what this Evil God is and what danger it poses. 

Without knowing that, I feel like I will have lingering regrets in this world. 

“That’s why you don’t need to worry about anything.

Also…gathering and watching the same thing is pretty fun.” (Souma)

“Souma…” (Sazan)

Was it something that unexpected? 

Well, it is true that I wouldn’t have been able to imagine myself doing something together with just Sazan alone and consider it fun if that had been me half a year ago.

Sazan’s eyes were wide open on the other side of the mask, and his mouth below the mask loosened into a smile. 

“I-I see. If you say so, it can’t be helped. 

H-Hmhm, I will allow you the privilege of watching the accomplishments of Nameless together with me.” (Sazan)

His mouth was loosened into a smile the whole time contrary to his grandiose tone, and he is wriggling in a really creepy fashion.

“It is not only Nameless who shines here. 

Also, I get that you are happy, so stop rubbing your thighs like that, it is creepy.” (Souma)

“T-That’s not it. This is…uuuh…” (Sazan)

“What is it?” (Souma)

I thought the flustered Sazan was a bit…just a tiny bit endearing, and deliberately asked him teasingly. 

“Y-You know, that’s…” (Sazan)

Sazan was seriously troubled, and it feels like he is having a bit of fun here. 

This is just a feeling, but I think I can now talk to Sazan with an atmosphere like that of talking to a friend. 

—That must be why…I lowered my guard completely. 

I thought that this completely isolated space was safe, and that no one could interrupt us.

“I-It is just that…eh?” (Sazan)

It was truly sudden. 

As if punishing this relaxed atmosphere between the two of us.

“What…is this…?” 

—A blade poked out from the left side of Sazan’s chest.

“Wa…?!” (Souma)

I couldn’t move because of the way too sudden development. 

Even though it is an unbelievable situation, my brain couldn’t process it. 

It was like a heated knife cutting butter. 

So easily…way too easily going through the chest of Sazan.

“Aaah…” (Sazan)

Sazan let out a scared voice, but he still couldn’t move. 

After that unrealistic sight, the knife passed through the whole body of Sazan, and the hand holding the handle came into vision.

“Sazan!!” (Souma)

I was finally freed from the paralysis, but that was too late. 

The abnormal situations didn’t stop. 

The knife completely pierced the left side of Sazan’s chest. 

A long hand slid there and went up.

—*Slide*

Something golden wriggling like a snake appeared from the body of Sazan.

That winding golden medusa-like thing became the face of a woman, looked at me, and…

— “FO-UND YO-U.” 

“U-Uwa—” 

“Hiyaaaaaaaaaah!!” 

The screams of two echoed in the closed room. 

 

“Sazan, how’s the water?” (Souma)

I called Sazan, who is in the bathtub, from the corner of the dressing room.

(Well, it can’t be helped after something like that happened.) (Souma)

What poked out from the body of Sazan was Leila who activated ‘Death to the Infidel!!’.

I completely lowered my guard there, but I forgot that Leila can ignore obstructions when she activates that.

Leila heard the sound of us enjoying ourselves in the ‘Thief Shoo Shoo!’ room, and she activated ‘Death to the Infidel!!’, piercing the wall of the neighboring room, the body of Sazan, and appeared at my place. 

But does that mean it turned into a carnage with Leila losing her sanity? Not really. 

The anger of Leila calmed down after Sazan literally put his body on the line there. 

Sazan was the source of the trouble to begin with, but you could say Sazan was the biggest contributor too.

—Let’s be kinder to Sazan from here on.

The sobbing noises I could hear from the bathtub soothed my heart as I washed the carpet that had a Japanese motif. 

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