Magika no Kenshi to Shoukan Maou

Part 3

At that time――Regina was drowning deeper and deeper inside Dover Strait.

Just when she thought her consciousness was getting far away from the surging waves of attack magic, when she noticed, she was inside the sea.

She unconsciously flapped her limbs. Her consciousness was dim and she couldn’t operate her magic power well, her limbs got tangled. Precious air was leaking out in bubbles from her mouth.

‘……I’m drowning!

……What’s the meaning of this! I’m going to die! This me!?

If I actually don’t recover my consciousness just for several more hours……!!’

The inside of her mind was dyed in understanding, the hair on her whole body stood on its end. ‘How unsightly!’

Loki and his group, the forces of Chaos attacked the British Museum and stole the inheritance of Basileus Basilleon as they pleased. Regina then went out to pursue them unable to let them get away.

Naturally she thought that Hrotsvit was also beside her in pursuit of Loki.

But――even though Hrotsvit was accompanying her until the middle of the way, she suddenly said as if her mind was changed,

“If I think about it, I have fulfilled my promise and there is no meaning in doing this.”

She murmured that and made a U-turn, leaving Regina behind.

Regina who became alone was then rained down by concentrated attacks from Fu Xi, Ilyailiya, and Loki like a mothking that rushed into a flame. Such thing could be thought of as the most severe concentrated attack in the world.

Even the [Kithemonikos Aegis] of Regina was smashed down, and after a moment that was like hell――Regina sunk into the sea.

By no means all of her magic power was used up. Her consciousness getting far away was nothing more than a temporary shock due to the intense mental burden on her.

She still……had little remaining magic power.

If she floated up from now on, she would still make it.

She was unsure whether she could continue fighting but……

She couldn’t stay like this! How could she let those guys return back without her wiping out her disgrace!

While rage was seething through her whole body, Regina flapped her limbs.

Her limbs were tangled. Her magic power still wouldn’t operate well. Her whole body was cold as if she was freezing. How could inside the sea be this cold!

It wasn’t like all of her magic power was completely used up, so anyway first she needed to calm down……

The moment she thought that, Regina’s head suddenly cooled down.

No, her head was freezing over.

Was it thanks to the sea water actually cooling her head? For Regina who had lived until now as an absolute ruler following her emotions, this was the first time she was experiencing this.

‘……I was about to die……’

Until now Regina would react to anything humiliating that happened to her with rage.

But now, for the first time since she was born Regina was facing her humiliation while calm.

There were also things in this world that wouldn’t go just like she wanted it……

Right now, what would happen if she rose to the surface and pursued after those three driven by her rage?

Her magic power was already exceedingly consumed.

Far from restoring her honor, she would only get more humiliation heaped up on her by doing that.

Suddenly the expression of Hrotsvit when she left her rose inside her mind. That female fox……wasn’t she making an expression that seemed to say “it will be a profit if Regina gets defeated here”?

There would be only one force that could win through until the end. In the first place the alliance between Italia and Germany was only something temporary.

Even so, for Regina who considered Chaos as an enemy even more than others, she believed in Hrotsvit.

That as the same Kings of Order, they would fight Chaos side by side.

Hrotsvit――didn’t think of anything except of how to erase the forces other than hers effectively.

She left while directing a mocking laugh towards Regina who believed that surely they would fight together.

‘……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………I’ll kill her.’

That wasn’t something like a seething rage, but a sharp hate that was like absolute zero.

No matter how many people she had felt angry at, for Regina this was the first time she hated someone.

What she should do wasn’t rising to the surface driven by her anger like this.

Regina stopped moving her limbs and drifted inside the cold sea like a jellyfish.

She created oxygen using magic power and she racked her brain. At the bottom of the deep sea, she was pondering deeply――.

{Just pretend to die like this.}

Regina thought up an idea that was really fresh for someone like her.

‘If I pretended to die just like this, Loki, Fu Xi, and Ilyailiya would surely think that I had died by drowning unsightly like this.

What humiliation――no, don’t get angry, think without anger.’

The information of Regina’s drowning would immediately spread into the other countries.

To that……would Arthur Basileus hold doubt about it?

That guy wouldn’t doubt it.

“That highly proud Regina, she won’t even think of something like pretending to be dead.”

He should be thinking like that.

No, that was wrong, he would be thinking like this……

“For that impulsive simpleton with a single cell brain Regina to think of playing dead, that’s impossible.”

……In the past, didn’t that Arthur sometimes showed a hint of sarcastic derision towards this Regina? Now in this situation when she looked back ‘……that guy was looking down on this me.’

Conversely, that time when that Hayashizaki Kazuki escaped this Regina with his quick wit, since then she felt like Arthur was keeping an eye to Hayashizaki Kazuki.

‘I think nothing of Hayashizaki Kazuki’s actions except as [the desperate petty tricks of the weak].

Arthur was looking down on me who was like that.

………………………………………………………………………After Hrotsvit, I’ll kill that guy next.

But……I mustn’t be angry.

Fine then, this Regina Olympia Fornar……from now on I’ll betray the expectations of you bastards, acting not with seething rage but with cold hatred!

Hrotsvit, Arthur, Hayashizaki Kazuki, after that of course those bunches belonging under Chaos……no matter what kind of method I use, all of you bastards, I’ll massacre you all!

That’s right, I won’t pick my methods. From now on I won’t think it’s humiliating no matter what kind of method I use.

Let’s recognize it, I am an emotional human.

But……I’m not a fool.

To all of you it’s not rage, know that I am a human that can also brandish cunning hatred!’

That could be said as the greatest incident in Regina’s life. If in the case that there would be a [Biography of Regina] coming out in the future, surely this event would be written as the greatest turning point of the tale.

She thought of such while drifting slowly inside the sea.

The great Basileus Regina, decided to [play dead].

“Regina-sama! Regina-sama……!!”

A deep voice filled with magic power was reverberating inside the sea.

To that voice was of a girl she was really familiar with, Regina’s bloodthirsty heart relaxed in relief.

‘The owner of this voice is the exact opposite of those bunches, she respected this me from her heart.

Vera Garibaldi――my right hand.’

She had never thought of this girl this preciously until now.

The girl’s shadow was floating from the other side of the blue water, Regina was waiting while her heart was beating fast.

And then finally, when the shadow of her beloved aide became visible, Regina yelled.

“Vera! Listen, the Regina Olympia Fornar that you know is dead!!”

“Eh……eeh? Wha, what’s with that?”

Vera replied with a bewildered voice that drew away in amazement. But there was not even a speck of negative emotion in her voice.

She is going to say something outrageous again……Vera was only drawing back from being cautious of that.

She would follow Regina even to the depths of hell even while making a fed-up face. That was the kind of aide she was.

Vera who was contracted with <Poseidon> was swimming until Regina’s side with her body transformed into the figure of an elegant mermaid. Towards such a girl, Regina spoke in admonishment.

“The me that you know well has died. From now on I will become Regina Olympia Fornar that laid up strategy. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I don’t understand at all…… Haven’t I told you Regina-sama to please stop acting with your emotions and impulses since a long time ago. Just what are you saying after all this time.”

Now that she mentioned it, Vera had been admonishing her since the past.

Regina was reflecting on her past self that until now had never tried to listen to that at all.

“Honestly, I’m sorry.”

“Regina-sama is apologizing!? That Regina-sama is!”

The eyes of Vera behind her glasses turned round like a coin and screamed as though the heaven and earth had been overturned.

“Vera. Those bunches above are surely thinking that I’m drowning and died unsightly. I’m making use of that foolish misunderstanding and acting decisively of playing dead.”

“Eh……playing dead? Eeh? Tha, that Regina-sama is!?”

“That’s right. And then when those guys forget me……they will receive a surprise attack from Regina Olympia Fornar who was thought to be dead. Receiving Zeus’s ultimate attack when they are defenseless, I will carve my true greatness into their hearts while sinking those guys not into the sea but into death. ……A playing dead this terrifying has never existed in any age and place.”

“That’s right isn’t it, I think so. ……Imagining it, this is just too shocking that my legs are going to give out. Even if my dead grandpa suddenly appeared in front of my eyes, it won’t be as shocking as this.”

“Don’t group me together with your grandfather.”

Regina turned her face away in a huff.

“Are you putting this me, the absolute King, on the same rank with your dead grandfather?”

“I, I’m sorry I’m sorry! ……But he was a really nice grandfather.”

“I see I see, an absolute grandfather huh.”

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry-!!”

“Well, it doesn’t matter I guess.” Regina was satisfied with the panicked Vera and faced her once more.

Their respective expressions naturally slackened down.

“It will absolutely go well. After all there is no master at the level of Regina-sama in transformation magic.”

Correct, she couldn’t transform into another human, but if it was limited to other natural objects.

“……Drifting away from the abyss blooming in this ocean area, Blue Divine BloomingKyuranoeides Metamorphosis!!”

Together with the chant of the spell, Regina’s whole body was shining inside the blue sea and swelled out. Vera took distance from that phenomenon in fluster. The swelling out Regina transformed into a giant whale.

Regina who transformed into a whale had the magic power enveloping her body thinning down before it vanished altogether. The composition of Regina’s flesh changed completely into a whale’s. Once she changed she could maintain the function of the body as a whale without using magic power.

Like this no matter what kind of magician it was, they wouldn’t be able to see through that the true identity of this whale was Regina.

“I will lay low in the sea for a while. While I’m not there, you play the act of succeeding as the King.”

“Yes, I understand! ……Hiding in the sea, won’t Regina-sama get hungry?”

“I’ll eat plankton.” Regina opened her big mouth.

“As expected of Regina-sama! How does it taste!?”

“Salty. Be careful Vera. The enemies are……unexpectedly strong and cunning.”

“That’s really something if Regina-sama spoke until that far, I will keep it in my heart.”

Feeling reassured by Vera’s sharp reply, the giant whale swam away.

However it suddenly stopped swimming and turned back again to Vera.

“……By the way, why are you swearing loyalty to me?”

“Eh? Because there is no one as worthy as the contractor of Zeus like the proud and beautiful Regina-sama.”

“Good reply. Excellent, we are going to triumph together!”

“What is Regina-sama saying after all this time……”

Regina was satisfied and swam away from that sea area.

After she was at a distance from Vera, her heart that had become at ease got on edge once more, burning in resolve.

‘Those looking down on this me who is together with Zeus will absolutely not be forgiven……

All of them will prostrate themselves at the bottom of hell even deeper than the depth of this sea……!’

Part 4

There was only little time left to spend in Las Vegas――.

{There will surely be an explanation so wait for a while.} Obeying Arthur’s words, Kazuki was preparing to return back to Japan while spending his remaining time in Las Vegas preciously.

And then a few days later, at a certain time, when he returned to his room from outside and put his hand on the doorknob, he noticed that a strange light was leaking out from the gap of the door.

Just when he thought it was a red light, it changed into pink before changing into green.

Strange rainbow light. He had never seen this kind of magic power light, but he couldn’t think that it was artificial light.

Kazuki readied <Ame no Murakumo> hanging on his waist. While mentally preparing himself to draw it out anytime, he opened the door.

Inside the room――a [mysterious person] emitting the light of a rainbow was waiting for him.

“Yo” That guy was smiling at him.

His smooth silver hair that was like a pearl was reflecting his rainbow light dazzlingly.

His handsome look didn’t look like a man or a woman.

Neutral……no, perhaps he should say it transcended that kind of thing, he looked completely like a religious painting just by smiling.

Kazuki was charmed for a moment before returning to his senses immediately, next he felt eeriness.

Just who was this guy.

In contrast with his unrealistic look, he was wearing really normal clothes.

Shirt and jacket, denim pants and leather shoes. It was a stylish outfit that was just really natural.

“I like the clothes of around this era. Correctly old things are eternally new.”

He said that naturally. The way he talked was very fluent.

“It’s unacceptable for synthetic fibers to be mixed into shirts and jacket. It makes the texture and gloss unnatural and you can immediately feel it you see. Wool, cotton, linen, silk……even just with natural material you can make a wide range of textures. Things like shape memory is unneeded.”

The guy continued to talk like a torrent.

“I bought these [jeans] in Japan’s Okayama. The traditional way of making it is inherited until now without change in the city called Kojima. What is called jeans is actually inconveniently and incompletely magnificent. The fabric called [Kibada] is stiff and hard to wear, the same as from long ago, its surface will immediately become fluffy, when it is washed it will be twisted and shrunk down. However, when it is worn it will fit you like your own skin. The indigo blue dye will easily fall off if the fiber is rubbed. However that color loss will become an interesting pattern that is like the symbol of one’s way of living. It’s actually imperfect but……that imperfection is beautiful.”

……Just what was this guy talking about?

The content of his talk was trivial, but his voice was smooth and gentle like silk.

“These leather shoes are also like that. Chromium tanning that processes animal hides using chemicals has an extremely stable nature. In contrast to that, traditional tannin tanning that processes the hide using plants is actually unstable. It will make a stain if it gets wet with water, it will easily get scratched, and it will change color because of the sunlight. All the more it’s excessive to color if using dye instead of colorants. But when it’s used for a long time with affection, deep gloss will rise to the surface on the transparent hue, letting out peerless flavor. This much incompleteness is lovely. Personally it’s unpleasant for it to get higher or lower than this. ……Do you understand what it is that I want to say?”

Just when he started only half listening to the talk, a question that was like a surprise attack came.

“……That you are a fashionable person in the obsessed camp?”

“What I’m saying is that a culture of this level is the most balanced for mankind. There is no need to look for more than this level right? It’s imperfect but, it’s fantastic. Correctly old things are eternally new. Many Mythologies carry out the doctrine of [retrogression of the arrogant science culture] but……how much retrogression is just right do you think? ……This table is also good isn’t it.”

The mysterious person caressed lovingly at the table put beside the bed.

“Pure wooden board that is shining from its grain pattern is made into a tabletop just like that. This is rosewood I think? This is an excellent wood that is extolled as the gem of woods since time immemorial. It also has carving performed delicately on it. You can feel the respect to nature and the earnest hard work of its craftsman. Its price is no less than a few million yen. This kind of furniture with pure wood like this is a high class item right now after all. ……Just look at the example of Easter Island, the reckless deforestation of lumber there completely destructed the foundation of the land. Just like the skin of an old woman that neglected her skincare since she was young, the land completely lost its water retention ability and its nutrition. Mankind has increased too much that pure furniture doesn’t spread to all households.”

The mysterious person moved his gaze to the high class speaker put inside the room this time.

“This is a pointless technology that I don’t understand the meaning of it. I think it’s better to frequently go to a concert instead of using the money to buy this though. I think there is no mysteriousness in it when they say the sound of the audio changes based on the quality of the electricity and the cord but……I wonder if the place of the obsession is not strange?”

“……Are you the editor of natural lifestyle magazine or something?”

Kazuki asked while getting stumped on the sense of values appeal that wasn’t to the point at all.

“If it’s a magazine then I have read a lot while standing in convenience stores though. Let’s see, my favorite magazine is……”

“First introduce your name to me.”

“Hahaha, I am Basileus Basileon.”

Kazuki had that hunch already……

“You had expected my visit right? You heard about me from that obediently cute Arthur.”

“You are even said to be an alchemist that was greatly active ten-odd years ago, so I imagined you as an old man.”

“Age huh. You, do I look like a human?”

Not at all……

But if he thought more about it, that was something mysterious.

Mankind was granted with the sense of magic power due to the alchemist Basileus Basileon and then they encountered Divas. If that Basileus Basileon wasn’t human, then what did that mean? ……From whom did humanity obtained their magic power?

“I came to explain the game.”

While saying that, Basileus Basileon struck his fist into the speaker and smashed it with breaking sound.

“You are destroying that meaninglessly!?”

He reflexively retorted. 𝑓re𝘦𝔀𝗲𝘣𝘯𝘰νℯ𝒍.c𝗼ｍ

“Don’t put a damper on my story, shut up and listen here.”

Basileus Basileon made a sullen face.

‘No, certainly you are going to talk about something important after this but, what’s this!?’

But, anyway……just like Arthur said [that time] had come. He understood that.

“After this the decisive battle will start. For the sake of deciding the supreme Mythology, the Mythology Grand Wargreat Ragnarok!”

The guy heightened his voice as though pulling himself together.

“Possibly the Chaos will be fighting hard in order to smash up all that. Let me once again declare that they too are an official participant. Now then, rules are needed in the Ragnarok. However, so that it won’t be too advantageous for Order, undoubtedly there are also loopholes. What is called a rule is that kind of thing.”

Game and rules, the ring of those words that sounded like playing around slightly rubbed Kazuki the wrong way.

However, so that Kazuki didn’t miss even a single word, he focused his ears.

“First the stage of the battle is of course on that Atlantis. You the King of a civilized country has confirmed that Atlantis is covered by a wall right? It was supposed to be impossible to land there by sea and also by sky. But actually, there are eight gates in that wall.

Kazuki’s eyes slightly opened wide.

“You didn’t notice that? Well of course you didn’t notice, I’m hiding it. These gates are so to speak the admission gates. Each gate can be passed by one force. However America is already considered a failure. One gate can be passed through until there are a hundred people. The gate will measure the magic power wave of the humans passing through it and record it, with that function this rule cannot be tricked. It’s also impossible to destroy the gate. After all those gates were created by the father of alchemy……this Basileus Basileon.”

“But you said just now that there are loopholes in the rules though.”

“I don’t mind if you think that there is no such thing in these gates. Of course you are free to pointlessly attempt it. Let’s move on to the next, next.”

Basileus immediately warded off Kazuki’s provocative question.

“Which one is Japan’s gate among the eight gates? I cannot teach you that beforehand. When the times come, you will be naturally guided there. It won’t be that far off. And then the inside of Atlantis is enshrouded by a thick magic power cloud, it will become impossible to communicate using mechanical devices. For example even if you make Arthur carry a communication device, you won’t be able to contact her in the actual place. It’s not like it’s impossible if you use magical methods of contact, but I guess it will be quite hard. In other words, what I’m saying is that there are almost no methods to know which force goes through which gate and where they are currently. You guys seem to have formed an alliance with each force, but at the start time I’ll reset it all.”

“Why is that necessary?”

“Because it’s exactly in the situation where there is no script that the true nature of you guys will come to the surface. Well these are all the rules. Enter through the decided place at the decided time. Then I want you to freely fight after that. But perhaps even with just this, the development won’t be going exactly as how you are thinking it would be.”

Kazuki fell into his thought on the spot. ……He had to think of every kind of development possible.

“If you continue to only think without continuing our conversation I will leave without telling you anything else and that would be lonely.”

“If someone wins this battle, what will they obtain?”

Kazuki immediately returned a question.

Somehow he was swallowed into a battle where it looked like he was absolutely required to participate but, if the [prize] was something that didn’t matter even if the other Kings or Loki got their hands on it, then saying it shouldn’t really matter to him.

Before talking about the rules, he needed to know about the objective of the battle he got dragged into.

“Currently, almost the entirety of the [illusion] of all lives is being concentrated into seven Mythologies. The defeated Mythology will have that illusion which is their power of existence plundered from them where it will be handed to the hands of the victor. The weak Mythologies that don’t participate in Ragnarok will be naturally dismantled by the existence of the absolute winner and get absorbed.”

“The power of existence of all the Mythologies……is that something like a vast amount of magic power?”

“Wrong, it’s the <ultimate illusion>. All the illusion of all life-forms will be unified into one. All the illusions of lives, ideals, dreams that are connected in Astrum will be united under that Mythology and made to hold faith in it. So to speak, they will obtain in their hands the <soul of the world>. The dimension is different than something like obtaining a vast power. To say it in an easy way to understand, the right to decide the general framework of all life and rule it will be entrusted to the Mythology that wins. For example, it can even overturn the theory of evolution.”

“Theory of evolution?”

“For example if Italy wins this battle, mankind will be created by Prometheus from clay by Zeus’s command. If Germany wins, mankind will be created from driftwood by Odin. Mankind won’t be something evolved from monkeys.”

“……Then reality, will become the Mythology itself?”

“That’s not accurate I think. There won’t be any change occurring at the currently present material world itself. However all the origin will transform and the premise will change. Your sense of values will be naturally rewritten. You capture the root of the world, you rule over the mental world.”

It was a story that was really abstract that it was hard to understand.

But if a human that wasn’t of Order Side obtained that, what would happen?

“What will happen if I win?”

“Both Solomon 72 Pillars and Japan Mythology doesn’t have the will to change the appearance of humans. Then you can do as you please with the illusion of the world. You can make it into your own ideal. Like if you do guide the hearts of all humans like this then the world will be a better place……you can rule over the mental world as a King.”

“……I’ll vomit. I don’t wish for something like that.”

The unpleasant feeling that he always felt until now when he was called as <King>――felt like it was becoming the largest lump that attacked him.

However he had anticipated this.

Just as he anticipated……’I am going to be made to participate in a worthless battle.’

And then this guy’s, this attitude of his that was enjoying this really touched his nerve.

“Then your objective is to maintain the current situation. Personally that’s a future that I don’t wish for the most, that kind of victory of yours. After all the situation became like this because that kind of mistake in the past, see.”

“Something like absolute rule is unneeded in the world! All lives, should have the strength to freely go against one’s own destiny!”

“Don’t you think that those words of yours are also too severe? Freedom and strength……those are not something light that all humans can easily shoulder you know.”

There were also humans that thought that being ruled over was comfortable……

There were also times where one wanted to cling on order and faith……

The fear of walking through a world where there was nothing certain……

Even so Kazuki talked back.

“Certainly it might be a heavy burden. But those are something that should be shouldered by the help of the comrades around you. If all humans can take each other’s hands then……”

“I don’t think that humans can do that.”

Basileus Basileon shook his head.

“You can look back at the old era of the world. 19th Century……20th century……the beginning of 21st Century……the age where mankind was liberated from Mythology. The age just before the Divas once more showed their appearance. That period……this star fell ill and wasted away. Economies had met their limits. The people were hunted down by unmanageable dangerous technology and the exploitation of the weak. Desires were blooming, inequality was running rampant, the weak envied the wealthy, they despaired, escaped into a distorted faith and turned to terrorism. ……It’s unexpected for me that right now this country doesn’t become a religious country. Even though Japan should be wishing for the object to depend on at that time……”

For Kazuki who didn’t live in that era, he was unable to affirm or deny it.

“It was a hopeless century where one couldn’t see the future. That was why mankind had to return to the ideal state……the era where they were guided by Mythology.”

“The way you say that, isn’t it like saying that originally mankind was ruled by Mythology?”

“Originally it was like that you know. Monkeys evolved into humans and obtained the intelligence to imagine illusions. Guided by the gods born inside their heart from the illusions, humans built up prosperity. However……while here and there mankind was prospering on this small earth, mankind conflicted with their fellow humans. Conflict between fellow people who held different faith occurred. Yes, this is not the first Ragnarok. It was once carried out already. ……Generally it’s the past that was exactly the same as the Christian Era.”

Before ChristBC……? No, if he talked about the past that was exactly the same as the Christian Era……the first year?

“If in the past there was also Ragnarok carried out, why wasn’t the ultimate illusion created there?”

If Ragnarok had been carried out once and the Mythologies were unified into one there, then Ragnarok shouldn’t be carried out again for the second time.

But in reality, there were many Mythologies scattered everywhere.

“That’s because the previous Ragnarok ended in a bad way. Due to that there is the current imperfect world. Of all things there was no victor that came out in the previous Ragnarok. It was a grand simultaneous defeat.”

Simultaneous defeat……because it was a fight, so naturally that kind of result could possibly happen.

“The detail is like this. Ten Mythologies battled each other, among them seven Mythologies dropped out first. And then none of the remaining three Mythologies would surrender and in the end of a severe conflict, it became a simultaneous defeat. As a last resort those three Mythologies became <The Three Great Mythologies> and they tried to divide the world and rule it. But that was a foolish [compromise]. An order that couldn’t unify all mankind into one wasn’t an order. The result where they simultaneously defeated each other was already a disorder. Furthermore originally the supreme Mythology would completely take in the [ultimate illusion] and recovered the wound they bore in Ragnarok with that. But each of the Three Great Mythologies could only obtain [a third of the illusion], they couldn’t even recover themselves enough. It was the beginning of an imperfect history by the three wounded orders. At first they were leading mankind well. However, they gradually became unable to guide the people. One by one following the history people abandoned their faith, choosing a selfish way of life without direction……like that they reached the old era.”

“……And you are saying that’s the present era?”

“The history where mankind developed their ideology and scientific civilization freely was the history of the Three Great Gods’ weakening. Originally it should be a development that shouldn’t be allowed.”

Kazuki pictured in his head the human history that had been handed down until now as best as he could.

“There is no contradiction right?”

Contradiction……

“Right now the three great gods are completely falling asleep.”

“Those three great gods are……”

“Let’s stop raising their name. After all calling the name……that’s also a form of faith. On the other hand the seven Mythologies that were defeated early were vanishing from people’s heart little by little. The weak Mythologies that were dismantled and absorbed were also the same. But that doesn’t mean that they were completely forgotten. That’s why when the three great gods fell asleep after a long vain struggle and two thousand years passed, the other Mythologies awoke first.”

“Are you saying, that the Mythologies that the current seven magic advanced countries revered were those seven Mythologies that were defeated previously?”

“Generally it’s like that. ……However the coexistence of the puny Japan Mythology in the backwater that was distanced from the imperfect rule of the three grand Mythologies with Solomon Mythology that achieved a puzzling transformation with [something that is strangely different from faith], then something with an unclear meaning like American Justice that was born for the first time, there were also various irregulars like these though. And then with a certain incident as the impetus, those Mythologies achieved complete revival inside humanity’s heart.”

“Incident?”

“In front of the mankind who was looking for something to rely on after being confronted with the limit of the development of science and free economy and came to an impasse, this me made an appearance.”

The alchemist Basileus Basileon.

Certainly the world was thrown into wild enthusiasm towards this character.

“The people who had long lost the guidance of the three grand Mythologies were greatly excited from looking at the supernatural power I possessed. For them it was an [unscientific miracle] that they witnessed after a long time. And then when they heard the fraud that they could obtain the same power by being given the Philosopher’s Stone, mankind was delighted that they could progress once more.”

“Fraud you say?”

“The Philosopher’s Stone is only something that gives a little shock to the mind. It doesn’t give people magic power, magic power is a power that humans have. It is simply dormant. However, because the three great gods exhausted their power, people stopped believing in mystery and they blinded themselves to the existence of magic power inside themselves. That was why I made people remember that [mystery exists in the world], granting shock ‘bam!’ to the mind using Philosopher’s Stone and then said [okay, with this you are awakened to magic power~], like that people could be released from the seal of the power of mystery once more. ……That hailed in concert with the seven Mythologies that was in the process of revival, and the people were reunited with Divas.”

This guy by no means created something.

However this guy was rotating the gears of destiny clatteringly.

The true trickster that surpassed even Loki……

“……Who are you?”

“I introduced myself just now right? Basileus Basileon. If it’s too long for you, then call me Bass.”

“Basileon……”

“Well, you can call me that too……”

“You……what kind of existence are you?”

He understood that this guy wasn’t human.

“Are you a surviving Diva that wasn’t taken into the ultimate illusion at the previous Ragnarok……?”

“Hee, your guess is good.”

But if he was a Diva, why could he make an appearance in a materialized figure like it was nothing in an era where there was no magic?

“I am a Diva that belonged under one of the three great Mythologies however……I hadn’t in the least the intention of wanting to guide humans. That was why when the battle of the three great Mythologies got complicated where they looked equal, I judged that [like this it won’t get settled huh] and played dead to abandon the battle. And then when the stage reached where the three great Mythologies defeated each other and they were going to share the final illusion, I returned back with innocent look and pilfered a part of the illusion.”

Basileon chuckled while saying “It’s okay to say that thanks to me pilfering the illusion the three great Mythologies became incomplete.”

“The other three great Mythologies used their share of illusion to guide the people but……I used the illusion to materialize myself. And then I waited until the time was ripe for the Ragnarok to be carried out once more. I bought jeans, I read while standing in convenience stores, I was waiting while enjoying the present age in my own way. ……And then when the three great gods fell asleep, I succeeded the earnest feeling and the last power of the three great gods to [do Ragnarok one more time]. Though surely they didn’t want to be succeeded by me of all people though.”

The last power……this Diva was in possession of rainbow magic power.

It was something special that was different than other Divas.

“Choosing to materialize, isn’t that completely like the Diva of Chaos Side like Loki and the others……”

“I guess. So to speak perhaps I am the existence that founded the way of living that is called as Chaos. Until then there was no Diva that was thinking of wanting to materialize. Hmm, perhaps I was the one that caused the materialization boom among those Chaos bunch.”

Basileon tilted his head with acting gesture. Even though he was supposed to talk about the truth of the world without any falsehood……whether it was his figure or behavior or the way he talked, all of him smelled of lies.

“……Actually in the Ragnarok of the previous era there was no way of living called [Chaos]. For example even that Loki was a member of Norse Mythology, Prometheus was also a member of Greek Mythology. Of course they were made to have a falling out with their comrades and then got crushed right away though. During the continuous two thousand years of the three great Mythologies’ rule, [negative concept in mythology] that is Chaos was clearly taking shape. And then the Divas were leaning to the sides, whether they were Order or Chaos. But I was already materialized then, so I kept sticking to the primitive way of life. I got an aspect that is like Chaos but I also got an aspect that is like Order. I’m like an angel but I’m also like a demon……I’m complicated like a maiden’s heart. Eh, don’t I seem like a human then?”

“What is your own objective then?”

“Objective huh…… Having Ragnarok happen itself is also fun but……I don’t really have any wish to proactively make the world become like this or that. But what I clearly want is……I want for humans to be ruled by Divas forever. I don’t care whether it’s by Order or Chaos, I want there to be a clear victor of Ragnarok. In other words it’s something like that……I want humans to continuously be the toys of Divasus for eternity.”

Kazuki put his hand on the katana on his waist and unsheathed it. With the force of an explosion of the things that kept piling up inside himself while they were talking, a silver flash ran out from his sheath――,

“UWaah!?”

His Iai draw was blocked by Basileon’s palm. The rainbow magic power that Basileon emitted solidified on his palm which pushed back the blade as a repellent force.

“You are fast just like the rumors. I thought that I might not be able to block that one and got done in just now. ……Are you not even thinking that Ragnarok will come into nothing if you kill me here? I thought that you aren’t a reckless human that will attack an unknown opponent without any plan though. Do you have something that you cannot stomach from me?”

“You aren’t even Order or Chaos but……you are the worst kind of evil.”

Without even fighting, he was only playing around.

He had to fight this guy, such thinking was driving on Kazuki.

Kazuki’s Ame no Murakumo and Basileon’s palm, both were not moving as if freezing in place.

Basileon answered calmly.

“I see, so that’s how I look looking from a human’s viewpoint. I wonder if I should take this as a war declaration. But there is no way me who is the manager can fight the King. This rainbow magic power is the power of [the manager’s authority] you see. This power that is handed over from the sleeping three great Mythologies cannot be used for the sake of fighting you.”

Rainbow light was emitted from Basileon’s back. The light converged into several, turning into twelve wings. Those were pure white feathers like that of an angel.

“To the height of heaven that should be myself……transfer. Morning Star is Morning Star is Shining HereShining All the More.”

Without even any time to make sure of the true identity of the angel feathers, the rainbow magic power light was increasing in brightness even more, in contrast the figure of Basileon was turning hazy inside the light and his body was fading out.

“……If I have to fight anyone, it will be after Ragnarok is over and I accomplished my role as the manager. Even so that’s only if I have anything like a reason left to fight though.”

The katana of Kazuki that was blocked passed straight through Basileon’s palm that was losing its substance. When Kazuki returned the blade back to his sheath, Basileon spoke while vanishing.

“I forgot to say the important rule. While you all were enjoying vacation in an extravagant ship and America, the height of summer had completely passed through. And then about the time of the Ragnarok that we are looking forward to……it doesn’t really matter when to carry it out but, I think of doing it at the first of September, right after the end of summer holiday. Actually I wanted to do it at the World Population Day of eleventh July but, it took quite some time for you to become King, then the King of Italia looks like she is in quite a mess that’s why it become quite delayed. Well then, please come right at noon on the first of September of the local time at the coastal waters of Atlantis.”

“……”

“Your face looks like it’s telling me to just get lost quickly isn’t it. Well then, I think it’s better for you to raise the positivity level with your girls as best you can until the decided date. Good bye!”

The figure of Basileon that was left half-bakedly finally disappeared after leaving those words behind.

“Leme……”

Inside the room where only he was left alone, Kazuki called out to the existence residing inside himself.

“What do you think about it?”

Leme answered inside Kazuki’s head without materializing.

{Because the understanding of you my contractor has deepened, Leme also feels the territory that Leme can speak in this world over here spreading……Though it’s not anything significant because it’s Leme’s really personal matter.}

Leme’s voice resounded with a calm tone that was unusual for her.

{We were once employed by a guy called King Solomon and developed the ancient Israel, obtaining a lot of believers from that achievement, we participated in the previous Ragnarok, however we were defeated.}

“……Even though it was said that the other Mythologies were guiding people, but you were employed by humans?”

{That is not something pathetic. The essence of Leme and the other pillars is “helping out humanity”. That’s why we are affected by the humans even deeper compared to the Divas of other Mythologies and cooperated with the country building of Solomon. Because that was fun, we thought that things like victory or defeat didn’t matter.}

“King Solomon, he was a good guy huh.”

{He felt like a father though. That guy was a man so his magic power wasn’t strong, he also wasn’t good with sword skills like you. So in the first place he wasn’t suited as a fighting partner in Ragnarok. But what that guy was doing seemed interesting so Leme became that guy’s ring.} [TN ring as in wife or power? Or both?]

So in the first place she was already mistaken in the personnel selection.

{Speaking about it in the first place, Leme and the other pillars whose true essence is helping humanity are existences that are not suited for something like Ragnarok. Leme doesn’t want anything like faith from humans. Leme doesn’t have the least bit of desire of wanting to become an existence that is more splendid than the other Mythologies.}

“Then why did you choose me?”

{Leme……}

Leme murmured words that were colored with the weight of several thousand years.

{Leme likes humans, for sure. Leme’s wish……is only wanting to become human.}