Chapter 67
「Black Sun's Incarnation: So, you're really not going to do that... Uni...fication thing, are you?」
“Unification thing? What's that?”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: ....」
「Child of the Lost Star: Black Sun is referring to 'Unification.'」
“Just say Unification. Why are you being so hesitant?”
The Unification I know is simply Constellations merging their existences, like, *bam*, fusion!
Of course, I'm not doing that.
The idea of someone else mixing into my own self sounded pretty creepy.
“Of course not.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...R-Right?」
“I am me.”
There's no need to overthink it.
I just need to focus on the fact that I am me.
“I'll never do Unification or anything like that in the future. It's a definite loss.”
Anyway, what I wanted to ask advice about was the Visitor's sudden friendly attitude.
“So. Should I believe this or not?”
The Visitor is looking at me from afar with an innocent expression.
‘I'm not falling for it.’
It's not exactly about the schemes in its head, but rather the 'Pure Evil' nature it possesses.
The guy... no, the woman's sole reason for existence is destruction and slaughter.
She might not even be aware of it herself, but the developers created her that way, hence the infamous reputation.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: As expected, annihilation is...」
“That's impossible.”
[You cannot use 'Curse' on a target of equal rank!]
[You cannot interfere with the target!]
There are two reasons why I couldn't attack the Visitor.
The first is the sheer difference in physical power, and the second is due to the arrangements of those crazy developers.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: ...You can't even annihilate an Absolute Being...?」
“She's too overpowered.”
「Child of the Lost Star: Then, resealing it is...」
“That's the standard procedure.”
Renewing the Visitor's seal.
That's why I secured a spot in the Regalium Royal Palace.
“.....”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: ....」
「Child of the Lost Star: What is this? This silence.」
「Black Sun's Incarnation: No way.」
“What? What is it?”
I feign ignorance, and Black Sun sharply points it out.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: You just thought about using 'that'...?! No way! That's an Outer God!」
“Wow... Spot on.”
I thought I managed my expression well, but it seems like child's play in front of the all-knowing Constellation.
“Then I'll be honest. I'm very interested.”
「Child of the Lost Star: Intriguing.」
「Black Sun's Incarnation: No! No way!」
“Hear me out.”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: That's why it's even more of a no! If you listen to an Absolute Being... If you listen, it starts to sound plausible, and then...!」
Tsk, busted.
Black Sun realized that he was being manipulated by my eloquent speech.
Actually, it's too late.
Black Sun has already been gaslighted(?) by me several times.
“But we can't just let it loose, can we?”
「Child of the Lost Star: The seal will soon be broken anyway.」
“Right. The fact is that the seal in my Religious Order's basement has weakened, and if we leave it like this, that disaster will happen again.”
Even if the Visitor is giving me somewhat favorable glances, I shouldn't overlook its Pure Evil nature.
The moment the Visitor is released here, Magi will spread again, and the Demon Realm Zone will open.
“And even worse, the location is right under our Religious Order again?”
I need to take action quickly.
Otherwise, my beloved Followers might be in great danger.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: Th-That's true, but...」
Annihilation is impossible, and we can't just leave it alone either.
I have to somehow coax the Visitor without it noticing, renew the seal, and change the location.
‘What the. Why the sudden difficulty spike?’
It feels like the difficulty suddenly jumped without me knowing.
Or maybe I'm finally realizing the actual difficulty.
The gazes of the three Constellations, including myself, simultaneously focus on the Visitor.
The Incarnated body, still dazed and oblivious to the seriousness of our conversation.
‘This is confusing.’
Anyone would think I'm trying to do something bad to an innocent Constellation.
“Alright.”
The meeting is over, and it's time to work.
I put on a friendly expression and slowly approached the Visitor.
[Constellation, 'Visitor' looks at you favorably.]
‘This is crazy.’
I don't know why it's looking at me favorably, but trying to read a Constellation's mind is a joke in itself.
There's no group more impulsive and shady than them.
Therefore.
“Nice to meet you.”
I extended a hand of peace and decided to slowly draw out the Visitor's intentions.
“....”
It stares at my outstretched hand with dazed eyes again, then grasps my hand with its relatively smaller one.
-Squeeze, squeeze.
“....”
-Squeeze.
“Visitor. As you know, I once had good memories with you-”
「Black Sun's Incarnation: The Holy War that risked the world's existence... good memories...?」
「Child of the Lost Star: I consider it a good memory.」
‘You guys be quiet.’
Do they even understand such complex emotions?
The Visitor was still fiddling with my hand with a blank expression.
“Uh... how long are you going to do that?”
“It’s fascinating.”
“Oh, is it?”
I'm glad it's interested in my hand.
It seems to be very interested in other people's hands.
“Soft, fascinating... and.”
The Constellation's unique, star-filled eyes look at me.
“Warm.”
I met its gaze.
The last word seemed especially emphasized.
At those words, which seemed to come from deep loneliness and isolation, I let the Visitor play with my hand for a while.
A long time passed.
-Squeeze.
「Black Sun's Incarnation: H-How long is it going to keep touching...!」
「Child of the Lost Star: It seems to perceive this act as 'play.'」
I think I just saw something I shouldn't have.
Playing? Recognizing? A Constellation?
[Child of the Lost Star: The Visitor's current Incarnation is a somewhat young human woman. And humans have the characteristic of interacting through skin contact when they are young.]
Strangely convincing.
'But she's a bit older than young.'
Her age is quite ambiguous.
Somewhere on the borderline, it's hard to say whether she's a child or a fully grown adult.
'Still, I have to do what I have to do.'
"I have something to say."
"Yes...?"
"Isn't it too stuffy in here?"
At my question, the Visitor thinks for a moment, then meekly nods.
"Right, it's stuffy and cold."
"Cold?"
"Yes. It suddenly got cold a while ago."
It doesn't feel that cold right now, but I'll take her word for it.
This was actually better.
"Then, would you like to go somewhere nicer?"
"A nice place...?"
At my words, the stars in her eyes twinkle.
"Yeah."
"Where is that?"
"A place brighter, warmer, and... more human than here."
Of course, even if she enters that place, the Visitor won't be able to directly experience any of those things.
This is part of the seal, after all.
"Ooh...!"
But seeing her nod in agreement, even at that, I was speechless for a moment.
"Ah."
[Black Sun's Incarnation: Was it... always like this...?]
[Child of the Lost Star: Seems like the type who doesn't think much normally. Just existing itself caused harm to those around them.]
'That's probably true.'
The title of Outer God isn't easily earned.
Moreover, even though she possesses similar rank and Progress as me, she doesn't feel the need to control her Divine Power, unlike me.
I can't help but feel complicated.
"But, Absolute Being."
"Hmm?"
"What about the Unification?"
"What."
I was trying my best to steer the conversation away from that topic, but the Visitor surprisingly caught on to the variable.
She seems to be more perceptive than I thought.
"I can't do that right now."
However, I also anticipated this variable and had a countermeasure ready.
"Why...?"
I gently explained the reason to the Visitor, who was making a disappointed face.
"I'm not ready yet."
"When will you be ready...?"
"It'll take a while."
I presented a cheat key that I could control at will, and she brightened up, even happier than before.
"Then....!"
"Yes. I promise I'll do it someday."
But I don't know exactly when that "someday" will be.
Still, I managed to maintain peace at a cheap price, so isn't it a win-win?
"Now, listen to me for a bit."
"Okay!"
Seeing the Visitor innocently nodding, I feel satisfied.
"Let's move your house."
The great nuclear bomb relocation project had just begun.
#
[Constellation, do you wish to form a temporary alliance with the 'Visitor'?]
An alliance is an alliance, why add 'temporary'?
It's a concept that exists to make it easy for one side to unilaterally break off the relationship.
And the Visitor is just happy and giggling that her relationship with me has progressed.
"Yes, yes."
I feel good too, like we've taken another step towards peace.
Anyway, to change the mood, we moved to a less populated area within my domain.
"Wow...!"
Seeing the butterflies fluttering around, the Visitor happily chases after them.
I wonder if she'll split their wings into atoms if she catches them.
[Black Sun's Incarnation: ...Is this okay?]
"What is it now?"
[Black Sun's Incarnation: When will that thing go berserk...?]
"If it was going to go berserk, it would have done so already."
Wouldn't the nightmare have unfolded again from the moment we first faced each other?
I met her precisely because it didn't feel that way.
It's not just me and the Visitor here.
"What is that, exactly?"
That's right. The Lion of the Sun, manifested as a maid.
Is there anyone more suited to taking care of a child than her?
"Let's take care of that together from now on."
"That presence, could it be...?"
The Lion of the Sun looks back at me as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.
I had no choice but to quietly avert my gaze.
"....."
"How did you... do this...?"
"You know her?"
"If there is a Constellation in this world who doesn't know the aura of the 'Visitor,' then they don't deserve the name...!"
[Child of the Lost Star: That's a little hurtful.]
The Star Child, who was indifferent to worldly affairs, suddenly feels hurt.
"Well... anyway, that's how it is..."
"Yes...?"
Leaving the Lion of the Sun, who was falling deeper into the maze, I entrusted her with the Visitor's protection for the time being.
Of course, I'll be caring for her most of the time, but just in case anything unexpected happens.
"So."
I told the Visitor, who was staring blankly at me, one of my objectives.
I lowered myself to meet her gaze and looked into her star-filled eyes.
"Would you please release my Follower whom you messed with?"
"Who?"
"You know, the one with grey hair and ears on their head."
"Ah...!"
As if realizing it now, the Visitor stirs her Divine Power.
"Okay."
With this, I've also secured the safety of Fenrion, whom I was worried about.
'This is going too smoothly.'
I've always lived like surfing on waves, but I think it's okay to receive this level of peace.
'Or maybe...'
The mere presence of the Visitor might be the wave itself.