Ch.147Chapter 147

The girl called Gaia was smiling at Oko with a distorted expression on her cute face.

As if Oko’s words were amusing.

“My, what could you possibly mean?”

“The incomplete Outer Gods—you created them, didn’t you? To make it difficult for me to intervene directly.”

Yoko gestured, finally restoring all the knights who had been blown apart by Gaia.

Had both the divine race and knights returned to the moment right after they joined my side?

They bowed their heads with apologetic expressions, looked around cautiously as if trying to stop the surrounding fight, then dispersed.

What on earth happened?

The divine being had definitely been impaled by the Spear of Longinus, and the knights had all been blown apart by Gaia.

“I don’t quite understand. By the way, is it really acceptable to wield such immense power so casually?”

“At least when it comes to undoing what you’ve done.”

I didn’t know much about Oko’s abilities.

She had never really tried to explain them to me properly.

“In any case, I envy how you can see only what you want to see.”

In my current state, I couldn’t possibly understand Oko’s abilities.

If I had to describe it, was it like she turned back time because she wanted to see this situation right now?

No, was her ability even related to time in the first place?

I think I understand why Oko never wanted to explain her abilities to me.

Perhaps she was wary that if she explained such overwhelming powers to me, it might create distance between us.

As if confirming my suspicions, Oko glanced at me with a slightly sad expression.

“Raedan…”

With cat-like eyes, she wore an infinitely gentle expression.

What difference would knowing about such abilities make anyway?

She’s still the Oko I know.

“…Oko.”

“Yes…?”

“You have such an innovative and amazing power, and you never properly explained it to me until now?! Wow, that really hurts my feelings.”

When I deliberately exclaimed with a playful tone, Oko showed quite a surprised expression.

Exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

“So I’m being left out again? Sigh, Oko. And you told me not to hide anything from you!”

“N-no. That’s not it…”

“I don’t care. I’m totally going to be mad at you.”

“R-Raedan?!”

Oko’s flustered reaction to my behavior was quite amusing.

Despite possessing such overwhelming power, she reacted this way to just one comment from me.

If anything, I felt more comfortable with Oko now.

It meant she liked me that much.

“Then after we clean up this mess, show me a few of your abilities. Then I’ll forgive you.”

“…Y-yes. Alright.”

I smiled brightly at Oko’s reluctant response.

The truth is, I wasn’t angry from the beginning.

I acted this way because I thought it would prevent Oko from feeling distant.

After all, I only saw Oko as Oko.

“…I’m completely decorative here.”

Oh right.

I was in the middle of confronting that Gaia person.

When I came to my senses, I realized the knights holding the Spears of Longinus had surrounded us and were pointing their spears at us.

The knight commander was staring intently at me.

“Those who aid rebels are rebels themselves!”

Despite saying that, the knight commander wasn’t trying to harm Gaia at all.

Even though a true divine being stood right before him.

Through this, I immediately realized.

“…It was you.”

“Pardon?”

“It was your plan from the beginning. Seducing the Emperor, making the Empress jealous enough to incite this rebellion.”

Gaia smiled as if amused.

Her smile turned into a quiet laugh, then erupted into full-blown laughter.

Oko and I watched her laughter with disgusted expressions.

After laughing for quite some time, Gaia finally closed her mouth, though she maintained her sneer.

“So, what will you do now that you know?”

“…”

“Humans have already been provoked to anger. The divine race has also risen in opposition. You can’t stop this alone, can you?”

“…Gaia. Why did you do this?”

Oko asked with an utterly serious voice to Gaia, who had been mocking me.

I was curious too.

During the exchange between the divine race and humans, neither side had anything to lose.

But Gaia’s expression became infinitely serious at Oko’s question.

“You may not understand as a bystander, but I’ve observed humans quietly and reached a conclusion.”

“…What is it?”

“Among all the living beings I created, humans are the most failed existence.”

…Living beings she created?

Before I could fully process this thought, Gaia continued speaking.

“Beings steeped in desire who think they’re superior, and not stopping there, expanding their territory without any consideration for their surroundings… Beings who destroy ecosystems by claiming land they don’t even use as their own, despite having secured enough territory to live. I’ve never regretted creating the solar system or Earth as much as this.”

When Gaia indirectly explained her power, I realized.

She must also be one of the 4 supreme divine beings Oko had mentioned.

Based on what she was saying, she seemed to possess powers no less than Demeter’s.

Gaia laughed bleakly.

“So I’m going to try to reverse things from now on. Within the bounds of not interfering directly, nominally.”

Reverse.

She meant to annihilate humanity right here.

I could sense Gaia’s increasingly threatening aura, knowing she would soon attack us.

I looked around.

There were about 10 knights.

Their weapons were the Spears of Longinus, but to me, a human, they would be no different from ordinary weapons.

Moreover, I was currently much stronger thanks to Oko’s blessing.

If I was careful about the knight commander, this was a matchup I could handle.

“Oko. I’ll try to handle this, so please defeat that one.”

“What?! No! You’ll be in danger…”

“If we don’t defeat her now, all of humanity will be in danger.”

This wasn’t a situation for emotional appeals.

We needed to confront this head-on, no matter what.

Still, thinking about Oko’s concern for me made me feel reassured.

Oko made a slightly troubled expression, then nodded as if understanding.

“Alright. Just don’t get hurt.”

“Of course not.”

With that, Oko and I each dove into our respective battles.

#

“Haa, haa.”

How much time had passed?

I checked the chaotic surroundings while catching my breath.

None of the knights had blood on them.

I had deliberately struck them with the back of my blade.

It wasn’t the knights’ fault they were being controlled by Gaia’s brainwashing.

Looking around, none of the knights were getting up.

Having confirmed that the situation was under control, I turned around.

Oko had also subdued Gaia, pressing her neck to the ground.

Fortunately, it seemed we had successfully put an end to the problematic elements.

I approached Oko with a smile.

As I got within a certain distance, I began to hear the conversation between Oko and Gaia.

“…Do you call that reasoning? Do you think the world works so optimistically?”

“There might be some who aren’t like that. But you’re being extreme. Not all humans are like that.”

“Do you really believe that? Surely you don’t want to believe that just because of Raedan Tanthyn?”

Suddenly, Gaia’s gaze turned to me.

Her eyes flashed for an instant.

I felt something unpleasant and tried to lower my head, but the light had already reached my eyes, making my head feel hot.

“…What did you do!”

“Living beings are inherently true to their instincts. That man, Raedan Tanthyn, might have been friendly to you only because he was drawn to your appearance, harboring vile desires to somehow take advantage of your friendship.”

“What did you do! Just answer that!”

The girl smiled at the woman with a hint of madness and answered.

“Oh, nothing much. I just erased his memories of you and the present. I wanted to test something.”

The girl suddenly grabbed the shoulders of the woman she didn’t know and prevented her from escaping.

The woman began to struggle.

“Why would you do that!”

“Oko Mira, let’s make a bet.”

It seemed like an urgent situation, but I needed to get back quickly.

For some reason, the woman looked at me with an urgent expression, but the shop owner and the old man might be in danger.

“If that man saves you, I’ll tell you how to protect your loved ones from the calamity that’s about to happen.”

“Calamity…?”

“Did you think I started all this without preparing for this outcome? It should be starting right about now.”

Suddenly, snow began to fall from the sky.

It was an abnormal weather phenomenon.

It was the middle of summer.

Clouds suddenly began to form in the sky, and cold winds were blowing from all directions.

“The Empress, thinking the Emperor had abandoned her, mistreated her second-born child. A child who grows up cold without parental love can develop powers capable of destroying the world.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

“Hehe, no leading questions. I’ll only tell you if you win the bet.”

Calamity?

What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?

The cold wind was freezing against my cheeks.

If it was this cold even in knight’s armor, the shop owner and the old man who were unprotected would be in danger.

“But if you lose the bet, you die here. I’ll inherit all your powers. What do you think? Isn’t it an interesting bet?”

“At a time like this…”

“If you don’t want to, you can just die. Are you rejecting the opportunity I’m giving you? If you really don’t like it, I’ll restore his memories too. Though I doubt a selfish human would risk his life to save someone he doesn’t know.”

When had it started?

The knight commander was approaching the women with the Spear of Longinus.

“Damn traitor. I’ll make you pay dearly for your insubordination.”

The knight commander said that to me and started running to stab the woman being held by the girl.

It was clear he intended to kill that woman.

For some reason, the woman squeezed her eyes shut.

What should I do?

If I left now, I could protect my loved ones.

“Die! Oko Mira!”

I…

In the end, I made an irreversible choice.

Thud.