Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: The God of Light and Order☆ (3)
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"..."
"..."
Urðr and I just stared at each other, both wearing dazed expressions at our sudden reunion.
She, too, seemed surprised, as if she hadn't expected this at all.
Inside the stomach of The Nameless Hawk… no, what did she call it?
The Well of Fate…?
The center of the World Tree…?
'Such a profound name, but I have no idea what it actually means.'
In any case… the space, glittering with a cascade of stars, was still sparkling.
However, the girl living within it didn't look to be in good shape.
'She looks… a little tired, doesn't she?'
Her complexion seemed paler than before, and unlike last time when she was constantly moving and chattering, she was now lying down across a few chairs pushed together.
It was an ungraceful pose, much like a drunkard sleeping in front of a subway station, but in other words, it meant that the girl who was usually so conscious of her ladylike demeanor was just that exhausted.
I felt a nagging sense of unease and cautiously opened my mouth.
"Um… are you okay?"
"Mmm…☆ Well…"
"…?"
Urðr trailed off, which was unlike the frank and direct 'Clara from the original story.'
Seeing that, a sense of anxiety began to creep into my chest.
“…”
But just then.
I felt someone from the outside grab my hips and legs, trying to forcefully pull me out.
At the same time, the passage holding me captive—the throat of The Nameless Hawk—squirmed and trembled.
-This damn bird! Who do you think you're swallowing—!!
-Spit him out! I said, spit him out—!!
-Ugh…! Kegh…!
The hole around me began to heave, and it hesitantly started to push me back outside.
"Aack—?! What's happening all of a sudden—?!"
"...Fufu, those are… truly welcome voices—☆ It seems everyone outside was worried—☆"
"Is that so…?! A-anyway! Are you okay? You don't look so well!"
"Ahaha—☆ Of course~♪ I'm a capable star who can now help others—☆ Yep~ that's right! I've remembered a few things, so let's talk leisurely next time you visit! Oh! Do you think you could bring some snacks from outside—☆ A girls' tea time just isn't complete without snacks…☆”
“…”
Urðr spoke in the 'Clara' manner, trying her best to sound energetic.
She still wore a positive and bright expression.
“…”
But my unease didn't fade.
So I asked again, cautiously.
"You're okay… right…?"
“…”
Feeling my body slowly being pulled out, I looked at Urðr urgently, but…
She said nothing, simply nodding with her still-pale face, answering that she was 'fine.'
"..."
Honestly, she didn't look fine at all, but Urðr smiled and waved her hand as if to say, "See you later."
It was clear she had no intention of answering right now.
"..."
Looking at that face feigning composure, Frida's face somehow came to mind.
'...Still, now that I have a way to talk to Urðr again, I'll have to get the details later.'
It was a sudden reunion.
But I was glad to meet someone who knew about this world.
Most of all, I was worried about her, the one who had given up so much for me.
I told Urðr I would come back to see her.
“…Mm-hm♪”
She gave me a bright smile and waved, but maybe it was just my imagination… her gesture seemed strangely weak.
“…”
Soon, I could hear the voices of my juniors through the squirming passage.
They were shouting urgently, trying to get me out of here.
"Senior—! Hang on! We'll get you out in a second!"
"Comrade Senior! Can you hear me?"
"Everyone! Let's all grab on and pull on the count of three—!"
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three—!!"
The hands gripping my legs pulled all at once.
With immense pressure, the space that had swallowed me writhed.
-Keheook—?!
…And with a retching sound from The Nameless Hawk, I began to slide out.
*Swoosh—!*
The space of shining stars receded in an instant.
Passing once more through the giant chick's throat, a damp and warm sensation washed over me as I returned to the familiar training ground.
*Splat—*
"..."
I was sprawled on the field, looking like a damp shrimp right before it's battered and fried. The juniors, too, unable to handle the force of my sudden ejection, collapsed onto the ground.
"Cough! Kegh! Uuurgh—!! Peep…!"
The Nameless Hawk, from the strain of forcibly vomiting me up, had its head down, dry-heaving.
"Pfft—?!"
"He's out—!"
"Are you alright?!"
"Senior, are you okay?"
The juniors scrambled toward me.
The little chick, head bobbing as it gagged.
It was a scene of utter chaos.
'There's too much new information to process all at once.'
I stood there blankly in the middle of the chaotic scene.
The awakened Nameless Hawk.
The cosmic space inside its mouth.
The three chairs I'd seen once before.
Urðr, looking strangely tired.
"..."
The story seemed on the verge of connecting, yet it wouldn't quite come together.
But there was no point in dwelling on things I couldn't change right now.
The first thing I needed to do was reassure my worried juniors that I was okay and thank them. The rest could be figured out step by step.
I looked at my juniors, who were staring at me with concern.
"...Yep♪ Thanks. I'm fine—☆"
“…That’s a relief. I was so surprised when that thing suddenly swallowed you whole.”
“I knew you’d get out soon, Comrade Senior, but you can’t imagine how worried I was when you just stayed in there!”
“Sorry, sorry—☆ I’m really okay~♪ I was just a little startled~☆”
At that, the juniors smiled in relief. Then they turned to quietly glare at The Nameless Hawk, which was still bent over in the distance, hacking and coughing.
“Keuk… kegh…! Peep! I almost suffocated—! Do you have any idea how fragile this body is…! Pee, peeeep—?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“W-what is it? Peep? Why are you suddenly glaring and coming closer… Peep! D-don't come here!! Stop right there!! I said don't come any closer—!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Peeeeep—!”
*
In the end, The Nameless Hawk received a group beating from the juniors as retaliation.
Thanks to their developed and delicate control, he was beaten just enough not to get hurt. And as we ate dinner, the creature let out sorrowful cries beside us.
"Peeee… peeee… You don't believe me… so mean…"
“Who would believe the words of a crazy chick that suddenly swallows people whole?”
“Peeeeee… but… to prove that this body is a beast god… I had to show you the sacred space connected to the World Tree… peep…!”
“…”
*Twitch—*
Orange cat ears moved.
Lotha put down her soup bowl and looked over. Her orange, gem-like eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Senior, was there really something inside that thing's stomach?"
“…”
"Actually, that 'Well of Fate' thing it's talking about is a concept that Freyja mentioned too… so maybe that thing really is an ancient beast god."
“Like that giant ‘serpent’ we saw before?”
“Right?”
“…In that case, shouldn’t we deal with it now? I refuse to be part of such a commotion.”
“Peeep—?!”
The Nameless Hawk, which had been pecking at breadcrumbs on the floor, looked up with a start.
“…”
What to do…
Should I just show them?
“Hmmmm—☆”
Honestly, to hell with the original story…
The time had come for us to unify our opinions and do something together.
Perhaps now was the right time to introduce our hidden ally—Urðr.
'If Urðr is the 'Clara' from the original story, she'd be happy to see the juniors again.'
Once the juniors see Urðr residing in the Well of Fate, and the time comes for them to be shocked, thinking, 'What?! Two Senior Claras?!'...
-Fufufu—☆ In truth, we are the Claras of the Academy City—☆ members of a clandestine organization working to save the World Tree (dramatic). The time has finally come to reveal that we, The Saintesses of Sacrifice, know the truth of the Academy City!
…I could probably push through with something along those lines.
From now on, the basis for everything wouldn't be in my head, but borne by the World Tree itself.
…
…
…
It wasn't a bad idea.
After dazing the juniors with a Double Clara Attack, I could add something like this.
'My act as The Faded Spiral was because my actions, meant to follow the World Tree's prophecy, went awry… Anyway, my knowledge of future events and of is all thanks to the World Tree.'
A chance to clear up all the cognitive dissonance so far, and take the shortest path toward our goal.
“…”
was fully prepared.
From now on, I would act as a saintess following the prophecies of the great World Tree.
Before initiating , I fully unleashed my Pretty Filter, raising every cell in my body responsible for empathetic emotional intelligence.
'Roar, my Pretty Filter.'
-Anyway, the World Tree is amazing, it's incredible—☆
-It knows everything, and you can even forest-bathe in it—☆
-Hilde is pretty and cute, I want to kiss her every single day—☆
'Hmm… very good.'
My reason was sufficiently lowered.
I felt like I could say any nonsense now.
Before answering Kara and Lotha, I glanced at Alvitt, who was next in line to receive a legendary weapon.
“…”
Alvitt was tossing small pieces of bread to The Nameless Hawk, which had been beaten to a pulp. She had already tuned in to our conversation.
"Oh, I was curious about that too. Did you really see something?"
"Mmm-hmm—☆ I felt… a certain sacred something—♪"
"You did? Really?"
"Did that… that mere chick really show you something?!"
"W-what did you see?!"
I am the girl who witnessed the truth.
I am the girl who discovered the reality.
"The truth and reality of this world—☆"
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
Upon hearing my words, the juniors turned to look at The Nameless Hawk, who had been pathetically pecking at breadcrumbs.
Feeling their gaze, The Nameless Hawk grew anxious and tried to scurry away, but was quickly caught.
"Open your mouth—!"
"Kraaaahk—!"
*
Alvitt had started it half as a joke.
Even if her senior said it, the idea that the truth of the world was contained within a chick's stomach felt a little too far-fetched.
But…
[Watch me. Watch as the spiral advances—!]
[Because I'm your senior—☆]
[Ahaha…☆ I was a little something in the past…☆]
[Oh my—♪ A dungeon, 'coincidentally' in a place like this…!]
“…”
Clara always seemed to be preparing 'something,' while pretending it was a mistake or a joke.
That was why Alvitt had always been curious about 'what' the person known as 'Clara' was preparing.
“…”
And…
Now.
Here, for the first time, Alvitt saw one of 'Clara's' truths.
"Sen… ior…?"
"Ahaha—☆ What's this, what's this? Is everyone lining up to say hello?"
"W-why are you here, Senior…? Senior is outside right now…?"
"Yep♪ Surprised, aren't you?"
'Clara' stroked Alvitt's hair, who was bewildered. The touch was gentle, yet somehow languid.
"Don't worry. 'Your senior' is waiting outside right now—☆"
"T-then who are you?"
"Mmm…☆ I actually wanted to tell 'Clara' first, but she seemed to be in a hurry earlier…♪"
The 'me' of now has given up on being 'Clara.'
The one who sacrificed her own time to turn back a time destined for ruin.
The pink-haired girl spoke while gently stroking her head.
"You can call me... hmm...☆ the 'Goddess of Fate,' Urðr of the past—☆"
"A g-goddess…?"
"Yep! 'Clara' is, let's see… my representative? An upgraded version? Ahaha—☆ Anyway, we're like friends—☆"
A friend of a goddess.
A representative of a goddess.
People of the world called such beings priests, or apostles.