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“Souma, are you okay?” 

By the time I came back to my senses, there was Maki and Leila looking worried at my face.

“…Sorry for worrying you. I am…okay.” (Souma)

There’s no way I am okay. 

Ringo has died.

There’s nothing to be okay about.

Even so, I must not worry them.

I have somehow recovered enough to think that.

I feel as if I had a bad dream. 

But Mitsuki ordering the disciples busily proved to me that it wasn’t a dream.

“This is…the Hisame Dojo, huh.” (Souma)

“Y-Yeah. You seemed to be…troubled…so we both lent you a shoulder…” (Maki)

It seems like they carried me when I was completely useless.

I bothered Leila and Maki without my knowing. 

I was about to thank them again and then noticed something strange. 

Why is Mitsuki the one commanding at the dojo?

“…Hey, you two, where’s Asahi-san right now?” (Souma)

“About that…” (Leila)

Leila found it hard to say. 

A clear voice rang from her back as if to take over for her.

“My father entered the city alone soon after the city was covered in mist.” (Mitsuki)

“Mitsuki…” (Souma)

Mitsuki came here with the same strained atmosphere as before.

“According to what we agreed beforehand, he was supposed to come back soon after entering the city, but it seems like he couldn’t.

I had a grasp of his location with the Explorer Ring for around 5 minutes, but the location moving suddenly turned vigorous, and a few seconds after, his reaction disappeared.

He most likely fought the fragment of the Evil God.” (Mitsuki)

“That means…” (Souma)

He was killed by the Evil God Fragment? 

But I didn’t have the courage to say it clearly. 

“But we obtained information thanks to that. The mist must be the special ability of the Evil God just as shown in the recording. 

The effect is most likely to block you from escaping the field. 

You may be able to enter the city, but can’t get out unless you defeat the fragment.” (Mitsuki)

After that, Mitsuki paused slightly before continuing. 

“The Evil God Fragment is strong. Strong enough for my father to be killed in just 10 seconds of encountering it.” (Mitsuki)

“Mitsuki…” (Souma)

She clearly said the words that everyone was trying to avoid saying.

I didn’t know what I should do for Mitsuki, who had lost her expressions, no…who was stifling down her emotions.

“U-Uhm, I watched the last chapter of the stone slate…” (Maki)

That’s when Maki raised her voice and gathered attention.

Maki was trying to tell us information we do not know with an uncharacteristic desperate face.

“The Evil God Fragments kill each other. 

The one that wins absorbs the power of the one that loses. 

That’s why, if we go to the place where the main body is sealed…” (Maki)

“It would mean that the main body would recover…no, a stronger Evil God Fragment would be born with the fused power of the fragment and the main body, huh.” (Souma)

I don’t understand the modus operandi of the Evil God Fragments.

But now that it has…wiped out the people of the city, there should be no reason for it to stay there.

If the Evil God Fragment heads to where the main body is, the world will really be done for. 

“…Let’s defeat it.” (Souma)

Those words came out from my mouth all too naturally.

Obviously. 

Those are the words I have been wanting to say this whole time since waking up after all.

“We have to defeat the Evil God Fragment. If we don’t, this world will…” (Souma)

“Is it really for the sake of the world?” (Mitsuki)

Mitsuki’s cold words pierced me as if she were throwing cold water at what I said while bracing myself.

“If it is not for the sake of the world, for what sake would it be for?” (Souma)

“Is there even the need for me to spell it out? You should know that better than anyone.” (Mitsuki)

I could only fall silent.

—Revenge against the one who killed Ringo.

I can’t deny that motivation.

Denying that would mean that I am dyeing away the pain of having lost Ringo, and I didn’t want to say that even if it is a lie.

“Is it not mortifying for you too, Mitsuki? Ringo…and also Asahi-san…” (Souma)

“There’s no way I am not. But I have something even more important.” (Mitsuki)

No matter what strong words I threw at her, she wasn’t faltering. 

This is most likely the difference between a fake and a real one.

The difference between a plain commoner and a seasoned warrior that has walked the battlefield and found her meaning of life in protecting the weak.

“That was clearly stronger than the fragment that you said you fought underground Lamurick inside your entertainment. 

Can you win?” (Mitsuki)

“…I will. No matter what.” (Souma)

I said that, but my preparations and my equipment are clearly lacking. 

The Evil God Fragment is not an opponent that you can win against with brute force.

You can’t even stand in the same stage as that without proper preparation.

But even with that, I have to win or…

“It is impossible.” (Mitsuki)

Cleanly.

Mitsuki cut off my bravado cleanly in half.

“O-On what basis are you—” (Souma)

“Even I can tell whether you are seriously saying something and when you are not.” (Mitsuki)

It is at times like this when the sharpness of Mitsuki and the length of my relationship with her hits me in the back.

I don’t feel like I can hide anything from her.

“Then what should we do? 

At this rate, this world will…” (Souma)

Mitsuki didn’t move a single brow at me who was shouting in anger and answered calmly. 

“Let’s run away.” (Mitsuki)

But I couldn’t understand.

We don’t have any way to stop even an Evil God Fragment.

And yet, we are going to ignore the recovery of the main body and run away? 

“That’s impossible. Run away, you say? Where…?” (Souma)

“To your world.” (Mitsuki)

“Wa?!” (Souma)

The words that followed really went beyond what I imagined.

But that’s impossible.

“That’s not possible. You don’t get it, Mitsuki. 

Death Flash is a bug that forces the player to logout. 

That’s why, even if it succeeds, it would only affect the people with the player attribute…” (Souma)

“That’s why I am telling you and Maki-san to run away.” (Mitsuki)

This really made me open my mouth wide.

“You are the one who doesn’t get it.” (Mitsuki)

By the time I noticed, Mitsuki’s face was extremely close.

That handsome face of hers got even closer and she placed her hands on mine. 

“The important thing I want to protect no matter what is you.” (Mitsuki)

“What…” (Souma)

Strength was put in her held hand. 

The temperature of both hands transmitted to each other, and our cold hands warmed up. 

“My family, my friends, the people of the dojo; even within this situation where a lot of casualties are happening, what am I even saying, right? Please laugh at me. 

But for me…you dying is the only thing I wouldn’t be able to bear. 

Even if I can’t see you ever again, just being able to believe that you are out there alive would allow me to do anything. 

Even if I were to lack the strength and fall, I wouldn’t have regrets.” (Mitsuki)

—“That’s why, please, return to your world.”

Mitsuki’s plead.

The gears inside me snapped in place, and I could tell my heart shook.

“Return… I see… We can return…huh.” (Souma)

The possibility that I didn’t take into account until now. 

But it is true that the conditions are there. 

“But…” (Souma)

But doesn’t that mean that I would be abandoning Mitsuki, Leila, Sazan, Ina and Thiel who are in Lamurick, and all the other humans living in this world?

“I really…can’t…” (Souma)

I at the very least…have to do something about the fragment of the Evil God in the capital…

“…Wait.” (Souma)

My thoughts that were on the verge of entering a labyrinth converged into one direction.

It would be difficult to defeat the Evil God Fragment in the capital with normal means. 

It is an enemy that wiped out the people of the capital after all. 

It is not an enemy that I can defeat without any countermeasures.

But turning that around…

There would be no issues in using that in this despairing situation.

No, if we were to purposely utilize it…

“The forbidden ritual of the Mage Guild.” (Souma)

I unconsciously stood up while saying this. 

“Souma?” (Maki)

Maki looked over here surprised.

She must have thought I have finally broken after speaking out words that have no correlation.

But I am unfortunately sane. 

I am about to do the most stupid thing while sane. 

“Mitsuki, the ritual of the Mage Guild was stopped midway.

Let’s complete that event with our own hands.” (Souma)

“The event of the Mage Guild? Could it be…” (Mitsuki)

Mitsuki really is perceptive.

I tell the surprised Mitsuki with a smile.

“Yeah, the forbidden ritual that destroys the city. 

With that, we could destroy the Evil God Fragment in the city.” (Souma)

A careless plan. 

The roofs of the city that serve as the magic circle might have been destroyed with the Evil God rampaging, and there’s even the possibility that the event isn’t working anymore because it was stopped.

Also, there’s no assurance that the success of the ritual that wipes out all the people will be able to defeat the Evil God.

“Even so, it is still worth the gamble…right?” (Souma)

My words shook Mitsuki for the first time.

“But your original world…” (Mitsuki)

“We can return after defeating the fragment. 

…Also, I have noticed.” (Souma)

I threw away my shyness and say something I normally wouldn’t say in a super serious tone. 

“The place I will be returning to at the end isn’t my original world.

My place really is where Mitsuki…where my friends are.” (Souma)

The answer I understood for the first time after losing something important. 

But I don’t think it is too late.

Even if it is just the ones here, I…

I…

“Souma-saaaaaaaaaaaaan!” 

But my quiet resolve was destroyed by the sudden intrusion.

A single girl lunged at me with incredible speed.

It is a girl in a maid outfit that doesn’t fit this place at all.

Or more like, she is the one who took care of us in the Akken Manor incident…the culprit of stealing the ring…

“Your name was, uhm…clumsy maid?” (Souma)

“Rirumu! Please remember it properly. 

Geez, even though I went through the trouble of delivering something to you.” (Rirumu)

“No, this isn’t the time for a delivery…” (Souma)

I was about to finish what I said, but my words stopped after seeing what Rirumu gave me.

My heart also stopped for a bit there.

“Bear?!” (Souma)

What Rirumu gave me was that Bear. 

Why is the Bear here when it was supposed to be together with Ringo at the castle? 

My doubts and confusion made me look at her with eyes of undeniable excitement, and Rirumu smiled. 

“Ehehe, you see, I used the spell Magical Pocket around 1 hour ago, and when I did, this little one jumped out suddenly from it. 

It wrote to me to bring it to you…” (Rirumu)

Bear, you could write? -is something that doesn’t matter right now. 

“Bear, what about Ringo? What happened to Ringo…” (Souma)

I asked while panting and the Bear gave me a single paper. 

{King is safe.

Sorcery Tower.}

A line of words that felt as if a machine wrote it. 

Concise words that you could consider lacking in words.

But…

“What’s this? Aha…ahahaha…” (Souma)

I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Even when I tried to, the grinning and laughing just welled up and took over. 

“S-Souma? W-What’s the matter?” (Maki)

Maki, who was watching me from afar for a while now for some reason, asked me this nervously.

But I am okay.

…I really am okay now.

“Don’t you get it? This is a notebook. 

And the only ones who can type in this notebook…there’s only 3 people in this world who can do that.” (Souma)

Not writing in the notebook, but typing them. This requires the technique of our world, Order.

The ones who have learned this Order are…

“…Me and Maki who came from that world, and…Ringo.” (Souma)

My head that was all hazy until now was clearing up now all self-interested.

And then, I thought of a single possibility. 

There’s one location in the city of Rihitel…where you can escape from the eyes of the Explorer Ring of Mitsuki and is an isolated area.

“…The Mage Guild’s headquarters, also known as the Sorcery Tower.” (Souma)

In order to enter that tower that is isolated in terms of the data, you have to do so from the hidden door. Also, in the incident before, Ringo learned the way of opening the hidden door after threatening an executive of the Mage Guild.

If it is inside that Sorcery Tower where everything is isolated, it might not be impossible to hide from the Evil God.

And in that place where all calls are impossible, there’s one method…communicating through items by using Magical Pocket. 

And…and…! 

The Magical Pocket Gem should still be in her pocket from when I gave it to her in the trap room!

All dots are connected.

There’s absolutely no reason to hesitate now.

“…Let’s go…to the Sorcery Tower. 

We will defeat the Evil God Fragment, and then…meet our friend.” (Souma)

Just you wait, Evil God Fragment. It is our turn to fight back.

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