Fantastic World (2)
The blood soaking the soles of my feet was stickier and heavier than ordinary water.
“Really, that’s information I wish I didn’t know.”
Still, only someone who was still alive could make that kind of observation. The wet slap of footsteps echoed through the space, and the only ones I heard were my own.
“Did you enjoy your time with us?”
As I drew near the exit, the attendant greeted me with the same bouncy voice she’d used from the beginning. Somehow it sounded even more sinister now.
“…Yes. It was very informative.”
That was the most I could manage. At least it had been useful for gathering information safely. Everything else had been pure nightmare.
“Then I’ll stamp your ticket.”
I handed over the ticket at her words, and she pressed the stamp down without hesitation. The design read Well Done. A needlessly adorable little seal for something called the Chalice of Blood.
Chalice of Blood
Stamp acquired. Further rides will not grant additional stamps.
“Please be aware that riding the Chalice of Blood again will not earn you another stamp!”
“…Thank you.”
After the final warning, I stepped off the attraction and a grotesque lump of flesh came scurrying toward me.
“Are you okay? It was scary, right?”
“Ah, well. A little.”
“I thought this was supposed to be a fun place! Who knew something like that would happen!”
“Yeah. Totally shocking.”
Diablo clung to me in a friendly way, blatantly fishing for favor. The absurd part was that after facing that grotesque horror, even its obvious act somehow felt comforting. My wariness crumbled. Intimacy rose.
Seeing this, I’m starting to get the picture.
It had been dangerous, which made the evil god’s goal all the clearer.
Come to think of it, those flesh golems died in a needlessly realistic and cruel way. I’d also witnessed the execution scene in vivid detail. Given how fast the spinning teacups whirled, I should have missed most of it. Yet I hadn’t.
“Hmm…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
I still lacked certainty. After all, I’d only experienced it once.
This is exactly when I should be using StoneWiki.
But I had already used it.
I don’t remember it clearly, but the companion recommended it, right? Probably.
The reason was easy enough to guess.
It must be because of Rule Zero.
If I still had StoneWiki and remained uncertain about my companion when Diablo appeared, what would I have done? I would have immediately tried to uncover the other party’s identity. That would have broken Rule Zero and caused problems. And that wasn’t the only issue.
What I was experiencing right now amounted to memory manipulation, emotion manipulation, hallucinations, or even the creation of another world. All of it existed for deception, and none of it was weak in the realm of information. Unless the evil god was a fool, it would have taken precautions.
Still, it’s a shame. This is precisely the moment StoneWiki should shine.
Hardships should be balanced by moments where you get to coast, yet the world’s scales were clearly broken. One thing was certain, though: the nameless companion believed I could solve this situation through my own power. Otherwise there would have been no need to go through the trouble of removing StoneWiki.
Then I should live up to that trust.
“All right, let’s ride the next one. Next.”
“Y-yeah. You sure you’re okay?”
“I have to ride them anyway if I want to collect the stamps, don’t I?”
“That’s true! Let’s collect them quickly and get out of here!”
Bolstered by Diablo’s encouragement, I headed straight for the next attraction.
"Welcome, honored guest! Gallop across the sanctuary astride a sacred steed!"
⟨ Unicorn Blow ⟩
“If it’s safe, it’s basically a carousel.”
In any poll for the gentlest ride, the carousel would crush the competition. After the centrifugal force of the teacups, this was actually the most suitable first ride.
“You’re really going on this?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. Be careful!”
Diablo waved its hand(?) and saw me off.
“Is everyone seated? Then Unicorn Blow will now depart~”
The carousel was similar to the teacups. After showing the wristband and stepping inside, soulless people filed in and took their seats one by one.
“Mom, this one’s so pretty!”
“Dude! A carousel at your age?”
“How is it, honey?”
“Hold me tight, oppa.”
They chattered noisily, desperately advertising that they were alive.
Creak.
“Ah, dear guests, while enjoying Unicorn Blow it is dangerous, so please refrain from extending your head or arms outside the ride, standing from your seat, striking the horse you are riding, or stimulating its horn.”
As the carousel began to move, the attendant recited the safety rules. Naturally, what followed was the same as the teacups.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Run!”
“The horses are moving on their own!”
“Mommy! Mooooommy!”
This time the horror was similar yet different. Instead of invisible blades, circular saws encrusted with gore sliced apart anyone trying to escape outward. Those who dodged the saws were impaled on the horns of unicorns that had come to life and were delivered neatly onto the blades.
“It’s enough to make me sick.”
Blood, flesh, and organs flew in a slaughter scene that would make most gore films look tame.
As expected, this is all intentional.
Priest Emilio had told me before I entered. The evil god grew stronger by feeding on dark emotions—fear, anger, despair. Grinding up lifelike dolls that nevertheless lacked true life was clearly meant to provoke those very feelings. An evil god capable of absorbing emotion from an entire distant city beyond the seal and the lake had no reason to ignore the emotions of people who had walked straight into its stomach. And how much more efficient was it to digest them directly rather than sipping them through a straw from afar?
The more attractions I rode to collect stamps, the more the evil god recovered its strength. Still, verification wasn’t over yet.
“Ah, guest. It’s dangerous, so you really shouldn’t extend your arm~”
The attendant tried to stop me, but I ignored her and reached out anyway. Whirr! A different sound rang out as a circular saw surged up from the floor.
“Whoops.”
I yanked my arm back just before it made contact.
So that was the weakness.
With this, I had learned everything I needed to know.
“Please be aware that riding Unicorn Blow again will not earn you another stamp!”
“Are you okay?”
The moment I received the stamp, Diablo scurried over again to check on me. From the voice alone, it sounded like sincere concern.
“Ah, well. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”
This was the most infuriating thing about Diablo. Even though I knew it was the enemy, the sense of camaraderie and the need to maintain the assigned role forced friendly replies out of me. Humans are excellent at rationalization; we attach justifiable reasons even to words and actions we can’t avoid. Right now my awareness that Diablo was an enemy remained strong, but if I kept playing the friend for a long time, eventually I would rationalize that maybe it really had been a friend all along.
And in a situation where my mind is constantly being eroded, it wouldn’t be strange to develop dependence on the one comforting me.
Once my thoughts reached that point, I realized this too was part of the evil god’s scheme.
Plan A: Absorb negative emotions to regain full power.
Plan B: Approach in a friendly manner, then exploit the opening to dominate the mind.
Either outcome was a win for the evil god.
The one beneath the academy couldn’t speak, so it could only torment through expressions… Just as that person said, words really are the evil god’s most dangerous weapon.
It seemed I couldn’t simply rejoice that it wasn’t fighting me.
“But it clearly tried to attack you just now!”
“No, I dodged well, so it’s fine. Look, I’m not even injured.”
“Really? I’m so glad you’re unhurt!”
Even now, Diablo’s bright, smiling voice eased the tension in my chest.
Seriously, this guy’s acting is incredible.
It played the role of long-time friend and partner with frightening dedication. Anyone without suspicion would become friends within five minutes of conversation.
If only the performance were a little worse, I might be able to steel myself more… Wait.
In that instant I noticed something blindingly obvious. The behavioral restrictions weren’t placed only on me. Diablo’s policy was to lure me in, but it also had to act according to the role of partner. It had to react with emotion and sorrow that I had returned alive from danger.
Then—
“By the way.”
“Eh? Why? Is something wrong after all?”
“It’s not that. You said this was a fun place on the way here, didn’t you? It feels completely different from what you described.”
This wasn’t an interrogation for information. It was a partner’s mild irritation at a slip of the tongue. Diablo responded in a flustered tone that perfectly fit the role.
“I-I didn’t know it was like this! I just called it exciting because it’s a place we’re familiar with!”
“…I see.”
“Right? This is where we always had fun, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s a familiar place.”
“Exactly! So how could such horrible things happen? I’m so scared!”
“There, there. Don’t be too frightened. I’ll definitely help you escape.”
While soothing the sobbing Diablo, I grasped the most crucial piece of information.
No wonder its tone felt slightly off.
This place was not reality. It was not the creation of another world, nor was it illusion magic.
It’s close to a dream… but not even that.
This was a memory. Not mine—inside Oh Ji-o’s memory.