Understanding. (4)
- I can help you.
'This feels a little strange.'
Olivia's eyebrows wriggled like earthworms. It was something I'd felt during the last [skip] as well, but the sensation of observing 'Olivia' was truly peculiar.
It was definitely not a pleasant feeling.
'So, what will you do?'
Once I figured out how 'Olivia' had handled Esti, there was no reason to keep watching this.
There were two ways to deal with Esti.
The first was to protect Ikail in her stead, and the second was to eliminate the 'voice' that had made her that way.
And in the Genocide Run, the method Olivia chose was the second one.
Under normal circumstances, I would have believed that 'Olivia' would naturally choose the second method as well, but I wondered whether she would still use it now that Rebekah was here.
Because the second method was more than a little cruel.
Enough that the moment Rebekah found out, her Favorability would be utterly destroyed.
There was no way 'Olivia' didn't know that.
- Do you even know what you just said?
- I do. I even know the reason that 'voice' appeared.
- ...You do?
But no matter how I looked at it, it seemed 'Olivia' was attempting the second method. If she had intended to use the first method, she wouldn't have brought up the 'voice' from the very beginning.
Of course, in terms of pure efficiency, the second method was far superior. Eliminating the voice that disturbed the mind saved far more time than fighting off 'enemies' that could swarm without end.
But then, destroying Rebekah's Favorability was unavoidable. Because the process of eliminating the 'voice' couldn't exactly be hidden.
'...What on earth was she thinking?'
A possibility flickered through my mind. What if 'Olivia' was simply following the play record regardless of context?
Then the current situation made sense.
Anyway, since I had a rough idea of how 'Olivia' planned to deal with Esti, there was no reason to keep watching.
Olivia closed her eyes tightly. A moment later, she was in front of Esti.
[Exiting Spectator Mode.]
My vision returned to first-person.
"...What's the reason?"
"You must have a vague idea yourself, Lady Esti."
"Don't beat around the bush. Tell me the reason the voice appeared."
If it were 'Olivia', she would have stated the cause right there. Because time was short.
But I had no intention of doing that.
'I had plenty of time. It was more important not to create variables.'
That was why I had exited Spectator Mode.
Because I needed to set a framework now to keep 'Olivia' from creating unpredictable variables.
Of course, if I later obtained Clue #4 and the timelines overlapped, all this would be for nothing, but that was a problem for when they overlapped. It wouldn't be too late to think about it then.
"The Water Demon Realm, Aquar. You know of it?"
"Did you think there was anyone in Ikail who doesn't know about Aquar?"
That was true. The conch shell relic Esti gave Rebekah had actually come from Aquar.
I grinned.
"You know that's not what I meant."
"...I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do know."
"No, I don't."
"150 years ago. Shall I say more?"
Esti's eyes wavered.
"And, since earlier, you've been talking as if Ikail were your hometown, but that's not true, is it?"
"..."
"Your hometown, Lady Esti, is..."
['Wave Catcher Esti' uses 'Tidal Wave'!]
My vision went dark in an instant. When I lifted my head, a wave towering as if to touch the sky filled my view.
'She's completely unreasonable.'
Tsssssssss...
It was so vast that it felt less like a wave and more like a wall.
Normally I would have blocked it with a Shield, but I chose to dodge instead.
I had no choice even if the mana consumption was high. Touching that wave was dangerous.
[Magical power destabilized!]
[Magical power destabilized!]
[Magical power destabilized!]
'As expected of a mage counter.'
I'd only touched a few droplets, yet countless notification windows obscured my vision.
But this was within expectations.
I calmly recited a spell.
[Skill 'Teleport' activated.]
Esti turned her head and glared at me.
She seemed to be gauging just how much I knew.
"...Who did you hear that story from?"
"Which story?"
"The one about my hometown. Did your master tell you?"
I answered with a smile instead. Esti growled, apparently displeased by the evasion.
"I knew rumors couldn't be trusted."
I figured I knew what rumors she meant without needing to ask.
Kind, gentle... Well, something like that.
But it couldn't be helped.
To talk to a madwoman, I had to act a little crazy myself.
"Didn't you ask me to tell you? I just did as you asked."
"Haah..."
At the sarcastic tone, Esti let out an incredulous laugh.
Rumble!
The sea churned with an ominous sound. It seemed as if all the sea within Esti's sight was under her control. It likely was.
After all, the reason the
Kingdom of Canis, with a military power barely half that of nearby kingdoms, could stand proudly as the pillar of the Eastern Coalition was entirely thanks to Esti.
Anti-Mage Weapon. That was what they called Esti in the Eastern Coalition.
That was what it meant to protect the sea single-handedly.
"Do you think I can't kill you?"
The crushing pressure made my mouth go dry.
It probably meant Esti was that strong.
"You can, but you won't."
I pressed on without a pause.
"If you'd intended to kill me, I would have been swept away by the wave long ago."
The wave Esti had just summoned was immensely high, but it wasn't fast. Its purpose was probably to intimidate rather than kill.
Even though Esti was a mess, she was a mess who could still think to a minimal degree.
The fact that she destroyed merchant ships but let the merchants live was proof of that.
"I apologize for being rude. But if I hadn't done this, you wouldn't have listened carefully to what I had to say, Lady Esti."
When I bowed my head, Esti's intensity momentarily softened.
"So you spouted that nonsense about helping me?"
"Ah, that was sincere."
If it was a lie that would be quickly exposed, I wouldn't have tried it in the first place.
"If you give me one hundred days, I will resolve that voice for you."
Even Esti seemed unable to let that remark slide easily.
"...What do you mean, give you a hundred days? Are you telling me to stay by your side for a hundred days?"
"I can't tell you yet. But I promise, you will not be harmed in the slightest, Lady Esti."
Not stopping there, I took something out of my Inventory.
[Emperor's Token]
- A token of esteem bestowed upon one I acknowledge.
- Can be used once to request a desired reward from the Emperor.
I had obtained this token as the reward for becoming the youngest Archmage in the Empire's history.
For a moment, shock spread across Esti's face. She seemed to know the value of this token.
"If I fail to resolve it within a hundred days, I will give you this."
"Wealth means nothing to me..."
"Not wealth. Military support. I won't be able to fully replace you, Lady Esti, but I can at least guard against foreign invasions. No one in their right mind attacks the Imperial Army, after all."
*****
[Remaining Time: 3:22]
Esti still hadn't made a decision.
'...No matter how I looked at it, it was an offer with no downside.'
That was why she hesitated even more.
Because no matter how she thought about it, there was nothing Olivia could gain from this.
After sitting on the wave and pondering for a long time, Esti spoke.
"...I have a condition."
"Yes, go ahead."
"Swear on your mana that you will not harm me or Ikail in any form for a hundred days. Form here refers to all direct and indirect actions. If you do not agree, I will not accept your proposal."
"Is that all?"
"...Yes."
She hadn't expected such a willing acceptance.
"Then, I'll swear it right now."
As I placed my hand over my heart, blue-tinted mana rippled across my entire body. Watching this, Esti's brow furrowed instantly.
It wasn't because she had tampered with the oath.
'...So many.'
Because there were too many oaths carved into my heart.
Countless chains of mana were binding my heart.
"Is that done?"
"...Yes. Does the hundred days start now, or tomorrow?"
"Let's start tomorrow."
The next memory was three months later.
Whether 'Olivia' would succeed in removing Esti's voice, or whether I'd get screwed over, I would find out 'tomorrow'.