episode_0066

Amidst all the murmurs, I saw the ‘First Grimoire’ left behind by the [Golden Witch].

“… ”

An old cover made of thick leather.

The exterior was so weathered that it had lost its original color for a long time, and had lost its luster after being touched by so many people. Inside the thin leather pages, there were letters engraved by the [Golden Witch] herself.

The contents were so bizarre that some students proposed the hypothesis that it was a diary written by the [Golden Witch] after taking a tonic that made her feel dizzy during her research.

In a word, a dirty, old book.

Moreover, the [Golden Witch] made it for the first time… It is a kind of exercise book-like object, and has no function as a general magic book. There was an explanation that even the content was close to a novel and not worth studying.

‘It’s just something people with a different [fate] can’t understand.’

[The Golden Witch]’s first book.

Although it is called a grimoire, it is not a grimoire.

There was no value in what was written… An item kept as a sacred relic by the quest faction that continues the legacy left behind by the first magic ether scholar.

It was a story item with roughly that kind of setting.

And in the game, it was also an item that was ‘accidentally’ dropped by students at along with the disaster throughout Academy City caused by the [Priest of Erosion].

‘that… Because it was [fate].’

The ‘story’ left behind by the [Golden Witch].

[Fate], which was originally supposed to be met in the cold winter, came in early summer. It was currently held in the hand of a girl with orange cat ears and a dark red cape.

Even I, who already knew of its existence,

Even though it was an item whose location I did not know.

‘Rota is not the kind of kid who would go on a treasure hunt in an emergency… I guess I found it ‘by chance.’

You’re already a ‘prophet’ and all… Although it was after having a great feast with the [Priest of Conflict]. When I felt this twist of the original and [fate] disguised as ‘coincidence’, I felt an indescribable emotion.

Even if it seems endlessly distorted at times,

It turns around and eventually returns to its original position.

What is the [fate] of this world?

“… ”

I was looking at the grimoire in Lothar’s hand for a while.

A shabby grimoire held carefully in both hands. Although his gaze was fixed on me, I was impressed by the fact that he unconsciously protected the grimoire tightly inside the cape.

Then Hilde and Lotta spoke with worried voices.

“… senior? Where does it hurt?”

“… Lala?”

“It’s nothing~☆”

I glanced at the children of the exploration group with a wry smile.

‘I think there will be an uproar if the investigators find out… ‘

It’s probably like their sacred relic… If Freya sees it, she will freak out and ask for it back.

Twirl…

Buzz, buzz…

However, the students of the inquiry group did not seem to be very interested in this.

“… ?”

Hundreds of pairs of animal ears constantly twitching.

It seemed like they still hadn’t noticed the grimoire hidden inside Lotta’s cape. Rather, he wasn’t paying attention to this side and was discussing something carefully while looking at me, Hilde, and Rota.

Buzz, buzz…

It looks like even Freya is joining in on the discussion.

Everyone was expressing their opinions with serious faces. It was amazing to see those kids talking so loudly. But I couldn’t understand anything they were discussing.

-Isn’t the pink one the cover? Ah, I guess I’m the most extroverted type… See, that type of person usually takes the lead…

-Well, I don’t know what… Well, those types of robbers are actually the worst… Hahahoho, I laughed and got caught, got eaten…

-Boo… Well, I see… By the way, the library director… That insight is truly sage-like…

Buzz, buzz…

-Look, I see… The silver one looks more like a cover…

-Home, as soon as you get home, start with the leash… How… I’m scared… But wow, it’s exhilarating…

– Surprisingly, wouldn’t the pink one be an internal molded cover?

-Chi, the healing world… It’s awkward to put a cover on… The healing world is an attribute that exists to be established…

Twirl…

-The combination of main and orange is… No one is digging it…

-Well, I… I think that’s good… It’s the smallest… Well, I’m the biggest meat eater… Maybe even a harem…

-How… Wow, that’s shameless… Well, that’s why I like it…

-Hawa… Cows, small animal-type carnivores… ! Wow, are you going to get eaten? ?!

-Uh, maybe all three… ! 3, triangle composition… ?! Then, three times, the World Tree burns down… !

“… ?”

No matter how much I listened to it, I couldn’t understand it.

But it will definitely be a serious and difficult story.

‘hmm… I guess we’re talking about attack compatibility with [Unique Ether]… ? And it seems like a story about the fate of the world tree.’

Indeed, the students who are closest to forbidden knowledge.

I was talking without hesitation about the fate of the World Tree with the powerful people of Academy City. However, perhaps because it was a momentary observation, there were some minor inaccuracies in the historical research.

‘Hilde’s [unique ether] is not silver, but a mixture of blue and white… Well, if you look at it momentarily, it might be confusing.’

Since they were children who lived in the library like that, they might not have known nicknames like [Blue and White Thunder Spear]. I couldn’t understand anything else, but I thought it was definitely a profound story worthy of magicians.

Thanks to the discussion that continues.

It seemed like Lotta wasn’t even paying attention to the first magic book he was holding.

‘But where on earth did he pick this up… ?’

I pointed to the grimoire and spoke to Lothar.

“Anyway, that’s cool… hmm… Vintage♪ Where did you get that magic book─☆ I don’t think it’s something you would bring to such a dangerous place☆”

“Ah… ! This? I brought it without realizing it.”

“Ahaha☆ My cat was also a stray cat─☆ This bad guy~!”

“Oh?! Well, that’s not it… !”

Upright

The cat’s ears moved once in embarrassment.

And Lotta explained the situation to me.

“Well, that’s… I think I was under the statue of [Golden Witch], but the floor was pounding and the statue kept shaking… I stopped bringing the book because I thought it would get damaged if I left it there… ”

“Aha─♪ That’s right─☆”

“Really! The library keeps crashing! thud! It rang… !”

“Ahaha… ☆”

thud! thud! Rota shakes his body every time he does it, expressing the urgency of the situation. Since it was true that he had brought something belonging to the quest group, his face turned completely red.

“Ahaha… ”

Apart from its cuteness.

I felt lost about the unexpected place where the grimoire was hidden.

ah… A statue with such a big chest.

I never thought it was hidden underneath there.

‘Oh my God, they say it’s dark under the lamp…’ Was it aimed at drawing attention away from the statue’s extraordinary appearance? Or was it just placed together symbolically because it was an item belonging to the [Golden Witch]? ?’

Honestly, what the children of the exploration group have shown so far… Seeing this unusual appearance in many ways, I thought that there may have been several overlapping intentions.

Even I looked at the statue for a while and couldn’t even recognize the existence of the grimoire.

‘… The book itself has a strangely faint appearance.’

anyway.

I wanted to know whether Lotta could still use the first grimoire at this point.

‘… Actually, as it is, at least [Wave Ether] is obtained at the time of use, so you may not understand it at this point.’

Putting aside any high expectations for now.

I pretended not to know and asked Lotta.

“I see~☆ Then, what is it about? ”

“Oh, that’s… Strangely enough… !”

That moment.

“… Lala. Isn’t it more important than that to visit the headquarters of the noble faction from now on? The operation described by [Purple Spinning Wheel] has ended, so we must go to the next scene.”

“Ugh─?!”

Next to me, Hilde spoke in a whispering voice. I was startled by the high-pitched breath that tickled my ears.

‘Oh, I’m surprised… Why is he suddenly doing ASMR? ‘

“Well, right… Senpai, you have work to do too… I am… ”

Because the conversation stopped, Lotta became depressed. However, knowing that this was not the time to leisurely talk about grimoires, he quietly put on a gloomy expression.

“… ”

Hilde paid no heed to that appearance and came closer to me.

Kuuk─

The warmth and softness felt in close arms.

‘The thing that seems to keep coming… ‘I guess it’s not my fault.’

No matter how you think about it, it’s blatant temptation.

I was already worried about Hilde from earlier, so I tried to think of other topics as much as possible. When this happens, strange thoughts start to bloom again.

“… ”

temptation… Apart from the actions that feel like,

What Hilde told me made sense.

Even if Ofnir disappeared in a strategic counterattack and Frau’s forces, including the noble faction, were shot down by a guided bombardment launched from the ‘Room of the Wise’…

‘The situation is not over yet.’

Offnir did not know when he would return to cause trouble, and Frau’s forces were still borrowing the power of the [Snake of Wisdom and Circulation]. And the existence of a mysterious magic circle whose purpose is still unknown.

‘After we all have a countermeasures meeting, let’s go find out what happened where Frau was.’

Following Hilde’s words, I called Freya, who was discussing from afar, and asked her to decide the next course of action.

The library of the quest group gathered again.

Before we knew it, the students from the research group had run away to their respective seats.

Lotta disappeared, saying he would return the grimoire under the statue.

Freya said with a cautious expression.

“Well, I see. If you think about it, the reason Frau suddenly went out on his own was to protect that magic circle… I might do it.”

“I don’t know what the magic circle is used for─☆”

“Written, I don’t know… A magic circle is not something that can be activated just by suddenly drawing it… Oh, it’s actually more inefficient than a grimoire in today’s era… No, to be exact, it’s an ancient way of wasting space… Something feels off… ”

“We borrow power from ancient beings and use ancient methods… It doesn’t feel like a coincidence at all.”

“That’s right, that’s true… Whoa… How far will the idiot Frau go? ”

“Fool, idiot… ”

Hilde muttered as she heard Freya again what she had heard from me earlier. However, Freya nodded as if she felt it was Hilde’s agreement.

“That’s right, that’s right… Borrowing a lot of power that you cannot afford and relying on external forces to expand your game… This bar, you idiot… !”

As soon as she finished speaking, Freya sighed.

In the end, Hilde contacted the via phone to sort out all of this. In an instant, I decided to rejoin them as they were weakened by the support fire fired from the ‘Sage’s Room’.

“… ”

And finally, Hilde glanced at me and asked about the situation on Albit.

Fortunately, they safely joined the main force of and are currently fighting dozens of armored puppets rushing from the gate.

‘Unintentionally, the support that was originally supposed to be done on Golden Street ended up being done in front of the gate.’

“… ”

Obviously.

They will be able to overcome it.

If you can’t decide, let’s finish this job quickly and go help.

‘I’ll tell Lotta to read some grimoires here and just leave with Hilde.’

Lothar’s involvement in the fight against the [Priest of Conflict]… It’s still early. Rather, those who read the grimoires found here and come into contact with [Fate] more quickly will achieve much greater growth.

‘Now that support fire is coming from the wise man’s room, we will be able to enter Fraune’s main base.’

Thinking so.

I was about to leave the wise man’s room to Freya and leave.

Quaaa!!

“… ?!”

“This is… ?!”

“What?!”

Outside the library, the ether shaking in the distance.

And with a huge tremor, the ground began to shake.

[Kkkk… ! Hahahahahaha──!!]

Ofnir’s voice resonates more clearly than ever.

[Now, it is complete──!!]

[Hahaha!! The body of a dead beast god!! Move as an insignificant vehicle for a servant serving another beast god——!!]

We hurriedly came out of the library.

The scenery we got to see was incredible.

“Snake, snake… ?!”

“… This can’t be happening.”

Gooo──!!

A distance of several kilometers.

A huge sound was coming from a corner of Golden Street far away.

A huge snake rising from the ground blocked the sky like a pillar. The pillar was like the pillar of an old god holding up the sky.

eternally.

eternally.

eternally…

Gooo──!!

A body so huge that it is unknown how long it will continue to protrude. Finally, it fully rose… It was so huge that it could even reach the height of the World Tree.

[The Serpent of Wisdom and Circulation] lifted up a body filled with black ether.

And when it opened its mouth…

Quaaa—!!

… Everything around was being destroyed.