Ch.89Protagonist (3)

Ireh Hazlen’s mind.

The outer gods were bewildered as they assessed the situation.

Originally, Ireh Hazlen couldn’t fall asleep until Saphaul permitted it.

But she had fainted.

With just one Callipers attack.

“How did this happen…?”

“Cartesia must have had a hand in this. This is her domain.”

Saphaul tilted his head and continued.

“He may be physically weak, but he’s skilled in mental attacks. Knocking out one inferior creature would be nothing to him.”

But what was even more frightening was what was inside Eidel’s mind, the one who had thrown that Callipers.

“That boy, I simply cannot read what he’s thinking.”

“Is Cartesia protecting that human?”

“Then they’re birds of a feather. Ptui.”

The Darwin-type outer god spat. A splattering sound echoed as acidic liquid sprayed out.

Just then, one outer god pointed in terror.

“That, that crazy bitch…”

Something extraordinary was happening inside Eidel’s mind.

Five or six outer gods, including Populus, who had been parasitizing Ireh Hazlen’s brain, were being held captive in a horrific state.

“Why are they all taking the form of human females?”

Saphaul asked.

An outer god shaped like a flask answered.

“I know her kind well since we’re of the same lineage. Our type of outer gods transform captured enemies into what we consider the most inferior species to play with them. We believe that to be the most dishonorable destruction.”

“So, Cartesia seems to view humans as the most inferior.”

“Probably because they’re the only intelligent life forms she knows.”

Ribbons, leashes, and even aprons. It was quite a spectacle.

They had even been mentally manipulated, stripped of their final dignity. This was the effect of <Binding>.

The outer gods on the other side cried out.

– Save us!

– This guy is completely insane!

– I don’t want to be here!

They wailed pitifully in female voices.

Truly a spectacle.

There was neither a way nor a reason to rescue them.

Saphaul turned his back.

“They swore to be your subordinates. Why do you turn your back on them?”

“Because they’re weak.”

Saphaul had no need for weak outer gods in his plans.

***

After laying the unconscious Ireh straight, I made a request to the director.

“I’ll take responsibility for this girl.”

“No.”

I expected this.

“Even if you’re from the Rheinland family, what’s not allowed is not allowed. Do you think our country operates on a caste system?”

“I don’t mean I want to take her outside.”

“Then?”

“I knocked her out, so I’ll take responsibility.”

I extended my hand to Sonia. She blinked, sighed, and opened her wallet.

What she took out was an electronic check for 10 million credits.

“I understand she can’t be released into society right away. So if you could transfer her to the Northern Sanctuary…”

And that’s how I brought Ireh to the Northern Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary was a place watched over by countless stars.

Even outer gods couldn’t be very active in the Aether energy emitted by the constellations.

It’s like a religious facility of this era, I suppose.

I don’t believe in gods, but I do like this cathedral-like atmosphere.

Well, in a world where people get possessed by demons left and right.

With treatment facilities and even a choir, it was truly a haven for humans.

After contacting Seti, Rustila, and Professor Feynman, Sonia and I looked after the protagonist.

“You don’t even know this girl. Since we’ve paid for her treatment, shouldn’t we be on our way?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I knocked her out. I should at least see her wake up.”

This was a matter of basic human decency.

Ireh couldn’t easily regain consciousness.

[Ireh Hazlen: (299,792-ε)/299,792]

To interpret the formula: ‘Infinitely close to death.’

In other words, she was in a near-death state.

The moment that ε symbol becomes 0, Ireh’s life would vanish. I needed to do something before that happened.

There was a solution.

<Tidying Up>

[A potion-type item. It reduces the user’s Pron value to 0 for one time only. Can be obtained by defeating Descartes-type outer gods or receiving their favor. Cannot be acquired through normal quests.]

A potion I had been saving for emergencies.

I hadn’t even used it on my sister Seti.

But should I give it to a girl I’ve just met?

“…Am I trash?”

I was talking to myself.

To think such thoughts. How can I put a price on a human life?

If I can save someone, I should.

[Ireh Hazlen: 0/299,792 (This value does not increase due to <Star’s Blessing> within the Sanctuary)]

Good.

Her Pron value has been reset.

“Sonia.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s go make some food.”

I got up and opened the prayer room door.

When she wakes up, we’ll have a lot to talk about.

***

It’s been a while.

Truly, it’s been a while since I felt this comfortable.

The cackling voices of the outer gods were gone, and my usually fatigued body felt refreshingly well.

It felt like receiving the stars’ blessing directly.

I carefully opened my eyes and adjusted to the ceiling light. Ireh slowly raised her upper body and looked around.

The Sanctuary.

A familiar place.

In some cycles, I had used this place as a base instead of Alcatraz.

My head feels unusually clear and fresh.

It seems I’ve moved on to the next cycle.

“Haah…”

I sighed deeply.

When will this regression ever end?

I don’t want to break, but I end up breaking so many times.

If I leave here, I’ll start getting attacked by outer gods again. I’ll have to endure all that while adjusting the positions of sacred objects, secretly helping my companions grow stronger, and killing a few human traitors.

I steeled myself.

This hell won’t end until I defeat the outer god Saphaul.

With that fact in my heart, I reviewed the previous cycle.

‘What did I miss?’

Eidel von Rheinland. Why is that villain still alive?

That was the biggest question.

I quickly traced the errors in my movements that I couldn’t recall due to the outer gods’ mental attacks.

‘…Come to think of it, I didn’t kill Zernya.’

Zernya von Adelbein.

She doesn’t commit major crimes during her Academia years, but she becomes a contractor to the outer gods who pose the greatest threat to humanity in the future.

Perhaps not eliminating her early on created this variable.

That’s when it happened.

“You’re awake.”

Two people entered the recovery room.

Ireh’s eyes widened.

“You…!”

She reflexively moved to the corner.

Though his face had changed… black hair with amber eyes. Plus that pervert who keeps an android maid with navy blue hair by his side.

Eidel von Rheinland.

I need to kill him as soon as possible. That’s the only way to avoid trouble.

Ireh felt around her waist. Gun, I need to shoot.

But where did my weapon go? The cycle should have reset.

Could it be…?

“Why are you so startled?”

“D-don’t come near me!”

Ireh threw whatever she could grab in her panic.

She had a slight aversion to men.

Not without reason—every time she fought male villains possessed by outer gods, she experienced perverted gazes and language.

– “500 Pron for raping the girl in front of me? Thank you, outer god!”

Such blasphemies were everywhere. Of course, she put bullet holes in the heads of such weeds whenever she met them.

They did have minimal extenuating circumstances, having been mentally corrupted by outer gods.

But even men who weren’t possessed had all been flawed in Ireh’s experience.

Coming from a frontier planet known as the slums of the universe, Ireh hadn’t encountered many decent men.

And Eidel was no exception.

A piece of trash who sexually harassed her without hesitation in every cycle.

And then met a miserable end, either killed by outer gods or by her.

Such a detestable person was approaching her now.

“Get away, die! I said don’t come near me!”

She had nothing left to throw.

In desperation, Ireh grabbed a bedpan and threw it.

Sonia caught it easily and sighed.

“What an ungrateful person. Although our young master did stick a tool in your head, he also brought you to this sanctuary, paid for your treatment, and took care of you. Yet you attack without thinking…”

Snap.

Sonia took a karate stance.

“For the crime of attempting to harm my young master, you deserve a beating.”

Thwack!

At that moment, Eidel flicked Sonia on the forehead.

Sonia didn’t flinch. She was an android, after all. But she looked quite bewildered.

“…What are you doing?”

“What are YOU doing to a patient?”

Eidel took away Sonia’s headband.

“Confiscated until we leave.”

“Ah!”

Sonia made a disappointed sound.

“Give it back!”

“Why do you keep wearing this thing?”

“Because it’s cute. Give me back my headband. Now!”

“It’s embarrassing, please take it off when talking to others…”

“I’ll count to three. One, two.”

“I won’t give it back even if you threaten me. Argh!”

In the end, Sonia thoroughly beat Eidel and reclaimed her headband. The battle between human and machine ended in the machine’s victory.

‘What’s going on?’

Ireh felt something was off.

Surely Sonia and Eidel should have a terrible relationship.

Yet they were as comfortable as cotton candy and as casual as siblings.

Realizing something had changed, Ireh’s brow furrowed involuntarily.