Chapter 92 – God

I didn’t understand what she was saying to me.

In the first place, why should I participate in such a tournament?

What’s more, this from a suspicious person who kidnapped me without permission.

Besides, if this was a secluded nation, it’s doubtful that I’d really be able to sit around and relax in here.

“Hmm … still wary as expected. But…… thou ought to reconsider attempting escape with the breakthrough, right? A barrier surrounds this island at the moment… even with the Magic Spiral, thy current level is insufficient to break it.”

“Eh… wh-what?”

I had a long sleep and was able to fully recover my physical strength and magical power as well.

Now, I can trigger a breakthrough again.

This High Priestess in front of me must be quite powerful, but if it’s just to run away… as if seeing through my thoughts, the High Priestess disavowed it.

There’s a barrier?

“Well, prior to that, why does thou know the Breakthrough and the Great Magic Spiral!?”

That’s right. How do you know about my skills? Who the hell are you……

“Hmm, I’ll inform thee another time. In the meantime, worry not. Train here for three months, win the tournament, and… help me with a little matter. That is all.”

“No, hey, wait! There’s more! You said until I won the championship, but what do you mean by helping a little after that?”

This was the first time we’ve met. But I knew. She’s probably telling the truth.

Not about barriers or anything like that, just that they won’t let me go until their goal has been achieved.

Absolutely never let go.

That mood was conveyed from every word.

“To begin with, what’s the point, that something-or-other tournament… why do I have to be in something like that?”

“Hmm, the Arcane True Zenith Fighting Competition… a tournament where ‘men’ proud of their skills gather from all over this country to compete for power. As a man, there are no entry requirements for participation in the tournament. Be it students of the magick school, former rank and file soldiers of the kingdom, or even paupers. And, as the organizer of the tournament, it is my recommendation for thee to participate.”

“…But, so…Why me…?”

“In fact, I tried to limit it to only practitioners of the Arcane True Zenith school, but then the ‘winner’ is almost certain to be ‘that Man’… in which case, I thought to allow entry to anyone, whatever their discipline, so the door was opened to all besides those involved with the Arcane True Zenith. It was the right choice.”

Normally, I would have resisted, saying, ‘Even if I’m told I can’t escape, I’ll try to see if it’s true’.

But I couldn’t take action, and all I could do was throw verbal jabs.

After all, I could tell.

She’s strong… if I’m unlucky… at the level of the Seven Heroes…

Then, at that time.

“Please do it!”

“Ah?”

“Hn!”

“Ha?”

Karui and Amae firmly clasped my hand.

“I want big brother to participate in this tournament and prevent a man from winning the championship! It’s about a woman’s love!”

“Hmm!”

With that said, they held on with their feverish hands and begged me seriously.

No, love? What’s that about…

“Oh, and by the way… do you have a girlfriend or something, big brother?”

“Ha? Wh what the heck, all of a sudden…n… no, I don’t.”

Shinobu professed her feelings, but we still haven’t gone out or anything like that… the matter with Sadiz was painful, so let’s not trudge up that memory.

But what does the tournament have to do with love?

Besides, whether I have a girlfriend or not…

“Really? In that case, there’s no problem! Yes, yes, that was ideal! Then, you might be pleased with the supplementary prize, too… Then I want you to do your best!”

“…… Good luck…”

And I was being wholeheartedly supported by them.

No, no, I don’t understand the situation well, but at great pains, I was growing accustomed to them.

I don’t want to get caught up in a mess that I don’t understand.

“Hmm… Although…… as things are, winning the tournament is ‘absolutely impossible’.”

“… Nu?”

The moment I thought I would somehow get out of this place and somehow managed to escape the barrier of the Great Priestess, she said words as if to try me….

And, although it was too simple a provocation, it was not easy to hear.

“…What was that?”

“Just as I have said. I had the privilege of watching thy match through the magic crystal. There certainly were some highlights. But currently… victory is impossible…. that’s why, do put in the effort.”

It was simply as good as saying that I wasn’t strong enough.

But at the same time I was wondering.

“…… I don’t know what it is. In the first place, why do you want me to win so much? Somehow, when I win the championship, ‘something unpleasant will follow’…… wouldn’t you think?”

Why are you invested in my victory?

Then, the High Priestess shut her mouth a little to my question, but…

“Fufu… no choice then…… how is thy body?”

“Hmm? No, not particularly…”

“Then I’ll have thee join me in the chapel for a moment.”

Saying that, the High Priestess went out the door.

Karui and Amae followed after her.

For the time being, I raised my vigilance to the maximum for whatever comes and followed.

“This country of Cacretale has been isolated for over a century, except for a few…… it’s a closed and strict country, only the ‘privileged ones’ or ‘those permitted to traverse its borders’ possess information about the outside. Even those few, though, have been conditioned through various means so as not to leak inside information to the outside…”

The High Priestess walked down the hallway to the chapel and told me.

“However, the inhabitants of Cacretale are not simply ignorant, peaceful islanders, they have a long history of civil warfare, including skirmishes…. in short, the country’s inner affairs and shame have been hidden for years so other countries remain unaware.”

Civil war. I don’t know that much, it hasn’t been taught in academy classes.

Karui said such a thing a little while ago.

“But the civil war is over. The old regime brought low…. and the ‘Founder God’ sides with us.”

“Founder?”

Saying that, the High Priestess opened the door at the end of the corridor.

There was a spacious church chapel.

On the high ceiling, stained glass windows and ceiling paintings of angels reminiscent of holiness.

And in the chapel, there were a lot of seemingly ordinary people who came to pray.

“High Priestess!”

“O High Priestess.”

“So Beautiful today as well…”

When the people noticed the presence of the High Priestess, their eyes lit up and gave joyous expressions.

“Everyone is enthusiastic today, too…”

“Yes. It’s all thanks to God that we, who were suffering from oppression, can live in this way …”

“Fufu, your prayers of gratitude, certainly they have reached God.”

“Oh, thank you…”

Isn’t this attitude different from before? Until a while ago, you were trying to get me into a fighting tournament, no questions asked, but now you have a tremendous expression of compassion.

“By the way, Great Priestess… today … is the ‘Goddess’ present?”

“The Goddess is resting in her room now. Hopefully she will be able to attend the upcoming congregation. At that time, you may worship the Goddess’ precious visage.”

“Well! The upcoming congregation! I understand! I’ll come without fail. Oh…… what great fortune! To be able to worship the honorable face of the Goddess who saved us.”

So… Goddess? What? Again, I got a word I didn’t know at all, but….

“…… ah…. is that?”

『Nu-oh!?』

And I found an ‘outrageous item’ on the altar of the chapel.

So outrageous, even Tre’ainar was startled.

There stood a bronze statue made in the image of a certain person.

No, well, somehow…. that person, or rather….

“Fuh, do behold… young man.”

Then, the Great Priestess, who noticed my situation, smiled.

“That… The statue of the Founder God that is now spreading throughout Cacretale… whose true name is so sacred, we cannot even allow it to be uttered…. The Works, Teachings, and Creed of the Founder God inspired this country’s people and brought the civil war to an end.”

No, that reputation sounds extremely forced.

This person, knowing what I know of the one the statue resembled, what a daring thing to say.

No, the person in that statue is ….

…… Really?

『No, hold on. Tis wrong. I have nothing to do with this…. Or rather, apologies. I cannot even process anything right now. Please give little time…』

When I asked the person whose image the statue was of, Tre’ainar, the person in question, was holding his head and pondering something.

Yes, on the altar was a statue of a person resembling Tre’ainar.

Why?

“Well… on to the next.”

“Eh? ah, well, already? I mean, where?”

The High Priestess told us to go to the “next” without giving us time to think about the situation.

I mean, what’s next?

“What, it’s close by…. a facility right across from this church…. is a dojo where thou can learn about the work of the Founder God….”

“D, dojo?”

“Um. The Arcane True Zenith Dojo…… Conarmy City Headquarters. By the way, there are various branches, such as The Gord branch, Zabers branch, Mechros branch, and so on…. Well, come along.”

That said, I’m the one who’s been pushed around from the beginning.

Even Tre’ainar is still holding his head.

After all, what is this woman all about?

But all I can say for the time being is… as I stepped into the dojo and the atmosphere of the dojo…… no, I saw the ‘equipment’ installed in the dojo that Tre’ainar had never seen before… my tension was elevated and once again I’m about to train.

Author’s Note

Yesterday, the author’s concern was more about shaving hair rather than the impressions of the work… and I’m not going to shave, okay? I just said that I would shave if I made the “that kind of development” that I explained last time, but I’ll do my best not to make it “that kind of shit development”, so I’m not going to shave?