episode_0068

Before putting the grimoire back in its original place, Lothar was re-reading the content that bothered him. However, I lost consciousness in the shock of the huge ground shaking that followed.

“Ugh… ”

And when I suddenly came to my senses,

I was in a darkness with no end in sight.

“This is… where… ?”

『… 』

Rustling─

“… ?!”

In endless darkness.

A golden cat was looking at Lothar.

“Cat?”

『… In the end, you too are destined to face the beast god of ‘chaos’.』

Upright

The golden cat moved its small ears like the wings of a butterfly. And then a girl’s voice began to sound faint.

『The [fate] of this world is decided.』

『No matter how hard you struggle, it can never be changed.』

『Like a spinning wheel, [fate] repeats itself forever.』

『We live like a skein of thread coming from the end of a spinning wheel, struggling and then disappearing. And when the given life is over, it disappears again into that deep chaos.』

“… !”

It was a gentle voice, as if reading a fairy tale, but the content was nothing short of creepy. But the story that resonated somewhere in the darkness continued.

『Like the title of the book made up of just two letters, we live on a [fate] that has already been decided. The only way to avoid it is to simply wash away the ink of the title in the river called ‘Chaos.’』

『Our story has a given title and is complete nothingness. There are only two conclusions left.』

“That… ! How on earth do you know such things… ?! What the hell is this place… ”

Even as Lothar spoke, he got goosebumps because he felt like he knew who the girl was.

‘no way… !’

Where were you before you came to this unknown space?

What kind of statue was he reading the grimoire under?

‘That voice… But why are you telling me this story… ?’

The more Rotta guessed about the girl’s identity, the more the pessimistic story began to sound like the truth, and the more scared he became.

“[Golden Witch]… !”

The sweet girl’s voice turned bitter.

『When I found out this, it was when I was completely bound to the fate of having to fight my old enemy. That’s why I had no choice but to avoid the eyes of the World Tree and tell the ‘story’ to someone with a [golden] soul that will return someday.』

The golden cat began to move before I knew it.

that… No, ‘she’ continued to beat herself up by wagging her tail.

It was a recollection of a girl he met later in life who had the same fate, and a review of a thesis he had written called “The Life of His Life.”

[Golden Witch].

The child, who resembled clay, said something he had never revealed to anyone in his life.

『I am a failure. In the end, I could not create a ‘story’ that would allow all races to understand each other. The only ‘story’ that could be made up was to pretend it was the truth and create a fake world where the beastmen could escape their fear.』

『The ‘story’ shared by the beast people was the ‘fear of the weak’, so they created a ‘weapon’ to overcome it… That was all I could do.』

Golden armor.

A glorious magic used only by beastman wizards. Because of that magic, the beastmen won many wars. The beast people are no longer the weaklings of this world. They were the masters of the new world.

‘[Golden Witch] is a failure… ‘It doesn’t make sense.’

Lotta felt dizzy after hearing that story.

There was too much information to take in.

The great wizard who wrote the new laws that apply to this universe was belittling himself as a failure. and… The name [Golden] was too heavy for him.

Lotta hurriedly poured out his words as if making excuses. I felt as if saying that would cancel out what I had heard, and I begged the [Golden Witch] with all my might.

“Jeez, I am the [Golden] soul?! That can’t be possible! I am incompetent, and… Always a burden… And what a failure… ! Don’t say that! Your great deeds cannot be criticized!”

『… 』

The golden cat didn’t move a thing after hearing the story.

Lotta continued to plead in a desperate voice.

“Well, if you are the [Golden Witch], I have a favor to ask you… ! My precious friends are in trouble right now! The truth that can help them… Please share some magic that can help people! please… ! I will risk my life to deliver this, so please… !”

And shaking my shoulders,

I tried to kneel down to the golden cat.

『… 』

Upright

Golden cat ears move,

The golden ether revived Lothar’s body.

Boom!

Lotta instantly floated in the air and screamed.

Looking into her eyes, the [Golden Witch] answered.

“Kyaaa—?!”

『… I don’t know either.”

“… Yes?”

『The world I know is a war in which only people hold weapons and fight each other. And to avoid fear, I ran into a dark cave. The rest… I don’t know either.』

“… ”

『At the end of my life, I discovered the truth: ‘I know nothing about this world.’ That was the answer to my [fate].』

“… ”

So who knows?

If even the greatest wizard doesn’t know, who will find out?

‘[Purple Spinning Wheel]… ‘Senior Freya?’

That was when such a thought passed through Lothar’s head.

[The Golden Witch] walked towards Lothar, who was standing awkwardly.

The little golden cat’s eyes were sparkling like jewels.

『[Gold] is not a big deal.』

“… Yes?”

『It’s just a soul name given to kids who think things that others don’t. My friends always teased me and called me a ‘kid with strange ideas.’ Don’t you?』

“… I’ve heard of it.”

『I’m rather curious, what will be the title of the book with the cover of [Golden] after mine… What she thinks about the [fate] of this world.』

“… ”

therefore… Let’s have a ‘story’.

It approaches the truth of the world,

Because it’s the only way to understand each other.

“… ”

Lotta couldn’t keep his mouth shut easily.

The first and strongest wizard.

A great hero who helped all the beastmen come out of the cave known as fear. What ‘story’ can she dare to tell?

“… ”

but…

My sister’s dance that I saw in the garden at sunset.

The voice of a sincere girl who came to save me.

The movement of a large flag that always cheers loudly.

and.

The glare of the pink spiral that turned away from the morning star…

It allowed Lotta to open his mouth.

“I… ! Everyone who lives in the ether will surely someday… Same skill… I think we can understand [fate] and share each other’s [fate].”

『… 』

“If the [fate] that this world gives to one person is only two letters, then there are ten letters following different [fates]… You can continue with 100 letters.”

『… 』

“If the ‘story’ created in that way shines dazzlingly… ! Even the title of the book will definitely look different! If you can’t change the title of [Destiny], you can change the content of [Destiny] with the story.”

Even though the title is the same, the story is different.

It is not [gold] that causes power and greed,

A story of [golden] like a shining sunset.

The magic that connects hearts and minds.

A story that connects fate and destiny.

If our destiny is a skein of thread created through a spinning wheel.

The beautiful fabric created by weaving those threads will become the world.

Lothar spoke to the [Golden Witch] in a trembling voice.

“I… Rather than making it a ‘story about overcoming fear,’ we will make it a ‘happy story that everyone can understand’ about living in this world.”

『… 』

This world is not about living alone.

Weaving together different [destinies] and making them into planes, not lines.

In that case, even the confirmed future becomes entangled and flows in different directions.

The consciousness left behind by the [Golden Witch] smiled quietly.

What you need in despair is not a weapon to overcome your fear, but a fairy tale… It’s definitely a crazy idea that I hadn’t thought of.

then…

For your wonderful story,

I will try to erase the story I left behind.

Upright

[The Golden Witch] fluttered her ears,

The space that had been immersed in darkness gradually began to glow golden.

『It’s fun. Then let’s make it into a new magic. I’ll help you.』

“… Yes?!”

『My disciples happened to have created appropriate facilities within the library… 』

“Sleep, wait a minute, what is that… ?!”

Let’s make it together.

A new law of [fate] that you will create from now on.

A story that interweaves [fate] and flows in a new direction.

A dream-like story… ‘Fairytale magic’.

*

[Hahahaha!! Kkkk!! You foolish inferior species!! This is the fate of [conflict]!! While fighting foolishly, you become a slave and are taken advantage of!!]

Ofnir’s sneer. That huge voice resonates towards everyone near the World Tree.

[‘Snake’!! The old gods who are now slaves!! Become my vehicle and advance towards the World Tree!! Haha hahaha—!!]

“──!!!”

Rumbling──!!!

Once again.

With an indescribable ominous cry,

The barrier surrounding the World Tree is destroyed with a loud noise.

Numerous clouds of dust and debris are rolling around in the center of Golden Street.

“Kkeut… ?!”

I hugged the first grimoire and protected the unconscious Lothar from the strong aftereffects. I managed to get out what I found in the corner of the library, but I still couldn’t come to my senses.

‘… ‘Rota.’

The quest’s library was also a mess of rubble and shock, except for the spire leading to the Sage’s Chamber, which was covered with protective magic.

Rumbling──!!!

And the shock wave that comes.

The students around me, who are already fearful explorers, are going crazy.

“Ugh?!”

“Kyaaa?!”

‘… Is there such a thing as a manga game?’

The appearance of the final boss level raid boss that appears after the ending.

Now that the Taowongyeol has ended, isn’t it like they’re pushing him to take Gansonmi and fight against Yirung? It’s already a ruined war.

“… ”

I saw the barrier collapsing with trembling eyes. To be exact… I was watching the [Snake of Wisdom and Circulation], which seemed to be several kilometers long, advancing.

A side story boss that doesn’t even have a story.

In the game, he only appeared as a raid boss with a pitiful pig, with only his head slightly sticking out… Just watching it advance, spewing out black ether in a radius of several kilometers, made me lose my will to fight.

Even Hilde and Freya, who were standing next to me, just watched blankly with devastated expressions. What humans can do in the face of natural disasters… What could there be?

“… ”

“… ”

“… ”

Heavy silence.

Hilde was the first to open her mouth.

“The world tree… give up The Aesir warlord’s mission to protect the World Tree failed. From now on, while someone is watching, take as many students as possible and escape from Golden Street. Receive the final orders from the .”

Freya and I were shocked to hear that. What that means is… This was because Hilde was declaring that she would sacrifice herself.

“Hilde… !”

“Well, if that happens, you… ”

“I will not accept any objections. Oh, and finally… ”

Hilde came up to me and grabbed my cheek.

There was no hesitation in the gentle but clumsy gestures.

She quietly put her lips to my cheek and kissed me.

“… ”

I feel… warmth.

I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

Should I stay and die together?

or not… Should I tell the truth so I don’t have any more regrets?

‘Like this… It’s over… ?’

I struggle… I tried to open my mouth.

But Hilde quietly put her finger to my lips.

“… ”

“… ”

“… I will not make any regrets or excuses. So Lala, can you do the same?”

“… Yes.”

Hilde and I looked at each other… I felt it was the last moment.

“… ”

“… ”

At that time, Freya’s voice came from next to me.

“Um, over there… ”

“… Can you be quiet for a moment?”

“… Do not disturb.”

“No, you crazy lily bitches, look to the side, to the side… !”

“… ?”

“… ?”

Let us look to the side.

There, a golden cat was wagging its tail. A faint golden ether was emanating from the strange beast.

『We get along well.』

“… ?”

“… ?”

『I never thought that the ‘saints’ of this era would have such tastes… 』

“… ?”

“… ?”

and…

Paaa!!

The golden ether was being absorbed into me. And the branch-shaped scar on his neck… Golden flower patterns were forming.

“Golden… Flowers?”