Peering In

At Roel’s words that the leader of the Chaos Church had been resurrected, I wore a dumbfounded expression. It felt like someone had suddenly appeared and kicked me in the chest out of nowhere. I mumbled blankly.

,That can’t be…?

Bella sacrificing herself and taking the leader down with her was what concluded the heroine Bella’s story. There was absolutely no reason for me to revive the leader and make Bella’s sacrifice meaningless.

Moreover, there was absolutely no reason for the leader, a mid-boss, to suddenly revive at the timing when the final boss, the Demon King, had died. But what bothered me most was that the reason the world was about to end was the leader’s resurrection. What on earth does the revival of the head of a pseudo-religion have to do with the world’s end? I can’t even think of anything to guess.

My head is a mess. It’s close to a chaotic mess that I can’t organize. It’s because so much information has rushed in all at once without being filtered. The fact that the world line has crossed over to another place is a special event that didn’t appear anywhere in the novel, and it was a variable that could endanger my life.

There was so much to sort out. I didn’t even know if I could go back to the world I was originally in. I also need to check if I can prevent the world from ending, or if there’s a way to escape the end.

Frowning as I tried to sort out the messy thoughts, I belatedly felt Roel’s gaze staring at me. I had forgotten that I was in the middle of a conversation and was lost in thought.

,Sorry, I was just thinking for a moment.

,…Are you okay?

At Roel’s voice filled with worry, I pondered. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to reveal to Roel that I came from another world five years ago and get his help? It didn’t seem like a bad idea.

If I explain the situation well, Roel will definitely do everything he can to help me, his younger brother. The point of the mismatched conversation could also be resolved with the explanation of ‘a different world line’.

Then I would be able to get a sufficient explanation of why the leader revived and how history flowed. Above all, I had to find a way to return to my original world.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to reveal that I came from another world, Raelran cut me off.

,My lord, it seems Ross-gun hasn’t fully recovered from the shock of being hit on the head. It’s almost mealtime, so how about we give him some time to clear his head?

I was about to say that I was okay at Raelran’s sudden kindness, but Raelran gestured to me out of Roel and Konrad’s sight. It was a signal containing a warning, as if telling me to end the conversation now.

Revealing the fact that I came from another world line might be a rash act, regardless of my trust in Roel. It was also true that I needed some time alone to sort out my thoughts, as Raelran said. It wasn’t like the world was ending right away, so there was no need to be impatient.

When I nodded in agreement with Raelran’s words, Roel let out a faint sigh. He looked genuinely disappointed that he couldn’t talk to me more.

,Okay, you must need time to sort out your thoughts after waking up so suddenly. I’m sorry. Rest comfortably, we can talk about the things we couldn’t later.

With those words, Roel took Konrad and Raelran and left the room. As silence fell, the unorganized thoughts began to run wild.

I sighed deeply and sat on the bed, thinking. When several things happen at once, the best way is to solve the important ones one by one first. First of all, I need to check if there’s a way to return to my original world. Wouldn’t it be enough if it’s the same method as when I came to this world?

I immediately opened the space warehouse and took out Patouga’s grimoire. I looked at the newly added pages again, carefully examining if there were any parts I had missed. But nowhere on the pages was there an explanation that I could create a dimensional passage to cross over to another world line.

In the first place, the explanation was more unfriendly than other pages, and there were many mysteries that I couldn’t understand with my head. The fact that I understood this magic’s formula was an incomprehensible thing, so the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I was falling into repeated contradictions.

For now, I put other thoughts aside and focused only on what I was looking for. Thanks to checking the grimoire carefully again, I was able to find a way to create a passage again. All I needed was time. If the runes on my left wrist regained their green light, I could open the passage.

,So, it was a charging type.

While I was muttering that while looking at the runes that wrapped around my left wrist that had turned red, suddenly the closed door opened and Raelran came into the room.

He glanced at me sitting on the bed once, then silently took out his staff from his bosom and waved it around the room. Something silver came out of the end of the staff and spread throughout the room like smoke.

As I watched silently until that action was over, Raelran twisted one corner of his mouth after putting the staff back into his bosom.

,Good, now we’re ready to have a private conversation between just the two of us.

It seems he made up an excuse to send Roel and Konrad out because he wanted to talk to me alone. Raelran, who was looking at Patouga’s grimoire that I was holding, opened his mouth.

,Seeing that your expression is better than before, it seems you’ve found a way to return to your original world.

At Raelran’s words, I flinched greatly without realizing it. How did he know…? Could it be that he knows something about the magic written in Patouga’s grimoire? If it’s the mad strategist Raelran, there was a high probability that he knew information I didn’t know. But the opponent is Raelran. If I jump to conclusions rashly, there was a high possibility that I would be dragged around against my will.

I asked with wary eyes.

,How did you know that I came from another world…?

At my question, Raelran wore a dumbfounded expression as if asking something obvious.

,…How could I not know that?

,…?

When I tilted my head in bewilderment, Raelran made a face as if asking if I was serious. As I scratched my head, Raelran shook his head and sighed.

,This idiot… Do you not know how many clues you gave me? How many contradictory remarks did you make that seemed like time flowed differently here! Is the thing above your neck just a decoration to balance your body?

At Raelran’s appearance, who seemed angry for some reason, I scratched my cheek with a dazed expression.

,Is that… so…?

Raelran, who was looking at me sitting on the bed with a look full of contempt, sighed and muttered softly.

,…Damn it, such an idiot. Roel was smart though… It’s me who’s in need, so I can’t help it….

At that muttering, I grumbled for no reason.

,Why don’t you just say what you want to say…?

Raelran, who was rubbing his forehead as if he was frustrated, started explaining in a faster voice than usual.

,You act like you’ve met me before, even though it’s our first time, and you don’t even know what a magical camouflage device is that deceives the Insects of Chaos while you’re alive! Even though you say you’re twenty years old, you think it’s December now. On top of that, you say things like you’re friends with Navier, whom you’ve never even talked to, and you describe a female student from the Department of Magic Engineering, whom you’ve never had any contact with, as your girlfriend. And then you suddenly ask about the results of the triathlon and make an unbelievable expression that Transcendence won… You’re full of contradictions!

Raelran, who was spewing out words without even taking a breath, pointed at me with the tip of his finger trembling with anger.

,What reason is there not to think that you came from a world with a different flow of time than this place…?

At Raelran’s low voice, as if suppressing his rising passion, I rolled my eyes. There was nothing to point out in Raelran’s words. I myself was amazed at how many clues I had left in the conversation.

I felt a stinging sensation on my skin from Raelran’s sharp gaze, so I slightly avoided his gaze and answered.

,T, that’s right…

For some reason, I felt like Raelran was seeing through my heart. Feeling uneasy for no reason, I put Patouga’s grimoire, which I had been holding, back into the space warehouse. Raelran, who was looking at it, asked with shining eyes.

,Seeing that you use the space warehouse, it seems you have Rosaline’s magic there.

As expected, he’s sharp. I thought Navier was the most insightful person I knew, but Raelran seemed several times better than him.

,That’s right. I obtained Rosaline’s magic.

At my answer, Raelran twisted one corner of his mouth. I kept wanting to avoid his gaze, but I forced myself to put strength into my neck.

,So you knew the information of the future and preempted it.

Unlike Raelran’s nonchalant attitude as if he was saying a simple correct answer, I couldn’t help but be very embarrassed. I had never thought that Raelran would notice that I knew the information of the future.

When I couldn’t hide my emotions and flinched greatly, Raelran let out a deep sigh as if my reaction was frustrating.

,…Are you going to react so stupidly to everything?

I felt a sense of rebellion at Raelran’s sarcasm.

,Then next time, please kindly explain to me all at once how you knew, so that I don’t react stupidly?

When I couldn’t stand it and spoke sarcastically, Raelran let out a hollow laugh and lowered his head. After a while, Raelran, who raised his head, glared at me with eyes full of madness.

,Good, I’ll use this opportunity to instill a strong conviction in your stupid brain so that it doesn’t forget how useful and important I am.

Raelran, who wore a bitter smile, put his hands on the end of the bed and leaned his upper body towards me. Thanks to that, I had no choice but to cower like a mouse in front of a snake.