Soarina's eyes pierced through Fenne. The air in the room grew taut, and after a moment, Soarina spoke in a quiet voice.
"A Divine Pronouncement has been issued. It speaks of omens portending a calamity within the Great Cursed Realm. And, coinciding with that, rumors of the emergence of a nation called Mynoghra. Leaving this unattended is far too dangerous."
"I understand the importance of the Pronouncement. However, I am considering whether this judgment is not too rash. What drives you to such urgency?"
On the point that Mynoghra was a dangerous nation, Fenne agreed. On this specific matter, there would be no dissenting opinion, not among them nor within their subordinate knightly orders.
But their proposed course of action was another matter. Currently, the Southern Province maintained a facade resembling festival revelry, but behind it, the actual situation was extremely precarious.
She found it highly questionable where the justification lay for advocating such aggressive measures, especially when fearing intervention from the Central Authority and while their own military strength was not yet fully organized.
"What have you heard about the King of Mynoghra?"
"The Southern Province is close to the southern continent known as the Dark Continent, so information from traveling merchants does filter in to some extent. It’s at the level of street gossip gathered through the Holy Knight Order... The individual is named Takuto Ira, isn't he? And that person is—"
"Yes, they are called the King of Ruin."
Intelligence gathering wasn't solely the domain of elite specialists secretly dispatched. If there was economic exchange, then human interaction naturally followed. Human relationships couldn't be simplified into good versus evil, and tongues loosened over drinks after work. Therefore, it wasn't uncommon for common folk to know facts that their superiors were utterly unaware of.
All that remained was for the Holy Knight Order to conduct door-to-door inquiries among traveling merchants and shopkeepers using manpower. These diligent efforts had borne fruit; it was now known information in the Quolia Southern Province that the King of Ruin from the Great Cursed Realm, Takuto Ira, had established the nation of Mynoghra.
Yes, the King of Ruin.
It was precisely this phrase—King of Ruin—that fueled Soarina's sense of urgency.
"Ah, the 'Scriptures of the Ancient Saint'... I see. You believe such a moldy old relic holds truth?"
"At the very least, we are convinced of the existence of God."
"Indeed. I've read them myself, of course, but they're so overly poetic I can't quite bring myself to trust them completely..."
Fenne nodded to herself, understanding dawning.
The Scriptures of the Ancient Saint were one of the most important secrets of Holy Quolia.
They were a compilation of the prophecies given to past saints by the Saint God Aros, containing universal warnings and those deemed necessary for the future.
Stored in each province and the Holy Capital, the Scriptures were guarded so severely that only high-ranking clergy of cardinal rank or above were permitted to view them. It was said they contained prophecies so terrifying that the common folk would lose their sanity.
In truth, the contents were not quite that dangerous, but the prophecies within that absolutely could not be dismissed were indeed real.
One such prophecy concerned the 'Ruin King'.
Soarina believed, as written in the divine revelations given by God, that the Ruin King would bring something dreadful upon this world.
That was precisely why she was considering a swift subjugation.
She was trying to eliminate the risk factor, determined not to let this sudden, fortunate opportunity slip away.
"Hey, hey! What's that Scripture thing? Erakino's never heard of it!"
"It's a book recording the prophecies received by those who served as saints in the past. One section mentions an existence called the 'Ruin King'. It's so old the meaning isn't entirely clear, though."
"I knew about Mynoghra. Hmm... Takuto Ira, huh. Is he a player? By the way, is this Ruin King a big deal?"
"That's the thing, we don't know. Maybe Erakino will know something, so I'll show it to you later."
"Yay!"
"It is restricted material, but I suppose it doesn't matter to you all right now."
Erakino giggled, and Soarina smiled in response to her attitude.
Who exactly had given permission to show them the Scriptures was highly questionable, but right now, the help of Erakino and the Game Master she referred to as her master was more important.
They possessed knowledge of facts unknown to her.
From the beginning, she had received warnings about Mynoghra from Erakino. The view that this kingdom was fundamentally irreconcilable with their existence was a shared understanding between her and the Game Master.
Perhaps their judgment held some meaning tied to their shared nature as witches, but in either case, Erakino’s hostility toward Mynoghra was unmistakable.
Originally, she had planned to use her power to brainwash Soarina, bring her along, and march straight into the Great Cursed Realm where Mynoghra was believed to exist.
It was Fenne herself who had persuaded her to remain in the Southern States, fearing that Soarina would be sacrificed in that incredibly reckless operation.
As a result, a peculiar relationship had been forged between the witch and the holy woman, but it was pointless to dwell on that now.
Fenne steered the conversation, forcibly redirecting it to the main point.
"Setting that aside, Erakino. I’d like to hear your opinion as well. What do you think about the attack on Mynoghra?"
Fenne was inwardly not very enthusiastic about this operation.
She believed the operation itself was important, and it was undeniable that Mynoghra and the King of Ruin were a threat that could never be ignored.
However, she thought they should observe a bit longer and gather more information.
In her position, she would never say it aloud, but depending on the circumstances, she even considered that negotiations with a nation like Mynoghra might be necessary.
That was precisely why she had posed the question to Erakino, who shared her negative views, hoping she might persuade Soarina.
"...I don't think we should move just yet."
"Your so-called Master is in favor of this operation, isn’t he? Can he not come here? I’d like to hear his opinion directly."
"The Master is very shy..."
She had already received an explanation from Erakino regarding the mysterious being called the Game Master. Of course, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t wary.
He had helped them with various knowledge, so she placed a certain amount of trust in him, but the fact that they could not even meet face-to-face left a lingering sense of unease.
Fenne would have liked to hear the thoughts of the other decision-maker who wasn’t present, but it seemed that wouldn’t be possible.
"I see. Soarina and the Game Master are for it. Erakino is against it. Then, to maintain balance, I suppose I’ll join the opposition. What a coincidence, Erakino—we’re in the same faction now. Do try to get along."
"Bwah..."
Erakino makes a genuinely disgusted face at Fenne's words.
Fenne sighed with a wry smile under her veil, thinking that while it was just a light joke, there was no need to be so obviously repulsed. But before she could tease Erakino about her attitude, Soarina's voice rose sharply.
"Why, why not, Erakino!? You were just as concerned about the King of Ruin and the Witch as I am. If we do nothing, the nation we've built could face disaster!"
"I know Soarina's concern is important, but..."
Erakino disliked that her own opinion differed, and Soarina raised her voice more than usual.
Her expression looked like that of an abandoned child, and Erakino dropped her usual flippant attitude to explain calmly to Soarina.
"I have a bad feeling. And I think premonitions without reason are the ones you should trust most."
In a meeting determining the fate of herself, her allies, and many people, to use intuition as a basis was the most foolish course of action.
Yet sometimes, that truly was the best move.
There were things in the world that logic and reason alone could never fully explain.
In a world where magic and divine miracles were commonplace, a witch's intuition perhaps shouldn't be dismissed so lightly.
But even so, Soarina was not convinced.
"Hey Erakino. Why won't you agree with me? With our power, it wouldn't be difficult at all. What's bothering you? You seemed very eager at first..."
"Nya-haha. Well, you see, Erakino's kinda... comfortable with this situation? Like, what if something happens..."
At those words, Soarina immediately furrowed her brow and fell silent.
"Wh-which is to say, rather, aren't you the one getting carried away, Soarina? C-calm down a bit... Hey, Fenne! Say something too!"
Panicking at having clearly offended her, Erakino pleaded exaggeratedly for Fenne's help.
"Well... Indeed, Mynoghra, the King of Ruin, and the Witch commanded by him are threats, plain and simple. Since their danger is recorded in divine prophecy, there's no mistake there."
Having watched the two with cool detachment, Fenne now stated her own views with equal coolness.
So Fenne had deliberately played along with Erakino’s words to avoid the situation where they would once again create a world of just the two of them against her, but honestly, Fenne was worried that Soarina was getting out of control.
"Mynoghra is something we will have to deal with eventually. But the danger is too great. If the Prophecy is true, it’s a problem that would require the combined strength of all the saints across the entirety of Quolia to address. We are far too lacking in resources to handle it alone."
Soarina was definitely rushing things.
Though Fenne vaguely understood the source of this urgency, she patiently probed for her true intentions. There was a method Fenne could use to force the truth out of her, but she would prefer not to resort to such measures.
"Given the current situation, where excommunication or designation as a Holy Foe from the Central Authority is a real possibility, what is your reason for looking outward to such a degree? I don’t doubt your sense of justice or your devotion to the divine, but unfortunately, that alone is somewhat lacking in persuasive power. Soarina, please answer me. What are you after?"
From beneath the veil, Fenne’s gaze pierced Soarina. After several aborted attempts to speak, Soarina finally spat out her thoughts.
"...It’s the brainwashing of witches, using Erakino’s ability."
Fenne and Erakino both drew a sharp breath.
It was a method entirely unbefitting a saint—too far-fetched and utterly heretical.
"I see... If it’s effective against saints, that means it would also be effective against witches simultaneously, is that it?"
The scattered pieces in Fenne’s mind clicked into a single shape.
She now understood precisely what Soarina was aiming for.
The defeat of the King of Ruin, and the securing of his vanguard—the witches—through their brainwashing.
It was a grand, impossibly ambitious plan, but as a means to solve everything, nothing could be better.
No, there were likely no other viable options.
Even if they left Mynoghra alone and tried to maintain the status quo, the situation in the southern provinces would eventually reach the Central Authority.
In other words, their plot to secede from the Holy Kingdom of Quolia and establish a new nation would be exposed.
If that happened, Quolia’s Pope and the saint who served as their vessel would never permit it.
As they were now... no, no one could defeat the vessel-saint.
That was precisely why Soarina sought the prestige of having defeated the King of Ruin and brought peace to the world.
If one were to eradicate the witch who devastated the Northern State and the evil entity she served, then not only the Southern State but also the people of Holy Quolia and the El-Nar Spirit Pact Union would all voice words of praise.
Winning the hearts of the people like that would make the Central powers hesitate to resort to extreme measures.
Even if excommunication or a declaration of heresy were issued, their feat of destroying the evil existence would be rendered hollow while the Saint still stood, and assassins would be handled by the witches secretly secured.
It was a terribly precarious strategy, but the future visible after crossing over shone with a rosy hue.
It was a common pitfall that attractive rewards in such situations tend to dull judgment, but at present, they possessed a secret strategy capable of overturning that trap.
That was precisely why Soarina was pushing so forcefully for this operation.
"You're saying this because there are... chances of victory, right?"
"Erakino's... her Master's abilities have been significantly enhanced through our verification. As long as 'that' exists, defeat is absolutely impossible."
What Soarina referred to as 'that' was a certain authority held by the Game Master.
Initially, there had been many unknowns regarding the abilities possessed by both Erakino and the Game Master.
These had been disclosed as proof of trust through their interactions with them, but even the individuals themselves seemed to have many unexplained aspects, and verification was ongoing alongside the governance of the Southern State.
In the midst of that, they had stumbled upon 'that' by chance.
An ability of the Game Master that even surpassed the power of a god...
"What if our dear Game Master fails?"
"There's no mistake that the Master's abilities are perfect. Yes, absolutely no mistake. The system is absolute. It never allows for unnecessary leniency or exceptions."
"Absolutely no mistake... I see. I'll believe those words."
"You needn't worry, Lady Fenne. This operation will not fail. That conviction—no, that fact—is what we possess."
Fenne offered silent affirmation. She understood that further debate was pointless since Soarina would not yield.
Her mental state was somewhat precarious, but it was indeed true that considering the Game Master's abilities, failure was impossible.
In fact, failing would be far more difficult. Therefore, she nodded.
"Thank you, Lady Fenne. And now, only you remain, Erakino. I need your power. If you truly consider me a friend, please, I beg you."
"Nnngh, w-well... Erakino doesn't lose to yuri aura!"
"Yuri? There you go again, deflecting as always."
Soarina took the flustered Erakino's hand in her own, enveloping it completely. They locked eyes, and she held a deep, pleading gaze.
"Should we secure that witch—the vanguard of the King of Ruin—then nothing can stand in the way of the Kingdom of God we envision."
"According to our intelligence, Mynoghra has somehow seized the town of Fonkavun. If we allow them to continue annexing nations on the Southern Continent and grow their power by feeding on the fear and suffering of the people, it will be too late."
"The witch's power is utterly unmatched. I do not know what other terrors this world may hold. But with us, Erakino, and that other witch on our side, it cannot be easily broken. If we succeed, no one will need to grieve. There will be no more tragedies where we are tossed about by fate, forced to cut down the people we cherish with our own hands."
"The nation Erakino and I build together, this happiness we share—it cannot be allowed to be corrupted by evil."
If all went well, if everything unfolded perfectly, the nation Soarina desired would be born into this world.
And the realization of Soarina's world would, in turn, increase the chances that the wish Fenne harbored within herself could be granted.
Of course, it would also help fulfill the ambitions of Erakino and her Game Master. Happiness would come to the people, and all those who might become unhappy would be swept from their view.
Everyone, unknowingly, was dreaming of the glory and happiness that awaited at the pinnacle of success.
"We need power. Please, Erakino."
Begged Soarina, her eyes faintly glistening with tears. At her earnest appeal, Erakino finally relented.
"Mnnngh! Fine! Fine! I get it, Soarina! Geez! Okay, I'm going all-in on this!"
Soarina's face instantly lit up with joy at those words, and she bowed her head in thanks again and again.
Perhaps unused to having affection directed at her so plainly, Erakino turned her face away in embarrassment, then raised her voice in a comical display to hide her true feelings.
"A-a-and! Besides! The Master is totally up for this plan anyway! If clashing with Mynoghra is inevitable, it's best to seize the initiative and secure the witch first! Lady Fenne, you're cool with that too, right?"
"...Yes, of course. I have nothing further to add from my side."
"Thank you, Lady Fenne."
However, will reality truly unfold that way?
No—it will, precisely because they possess those very means. That is why, in the end, this supremely perilous operation was adopted by unanimous agreement.
"You're welcome. Still, the more I hear about it, the more it sounds like power beyond the norm."
They only learned of it by chance.
No one knew who had uttered those words. Yet everyone present was struck dumb, feeling even a flicker of fear at that extraordinary power.
"Oh my, oh my! That's right! So! To sweeten the deal, a fortune-telling dice roll! Erakino and the others' 'Will the operation succeed?' Today, as ever, I shall roll the dice!"
A clatter echoed from somewhere, the sound of dice rolling.
—Let us state the established fact.
=Message===
Erakino's <Divination> Judgment
1d100 = [13] Judgment: Failure
Erakino and her group's operation ends in failure.
———
=GM: Message===
Exercising Game Master authority.
The preceding dice result is voided, and a re-roll is ordered.
———
=Message===
Erakino's <Divination> Judgment
1d100 = [87] Judgment: Success
Erakino's operation will succeed.
―――
The Game Master holds the authority to select and omit all phenomena.
As long as he exists, defeat is an absolute impossibility.
"God does not roll the dice♪ They simply create whatever numbers they desire! With Erakino's power, world conquest is on easy mode! Because you can just keep rerolling until you succeed!"
Suppose there were a being who could freely choose between victory and defeat.
Could anything truly stand against it?
Here, the spark of the next conflict is born.
What is small now will eventually become a great flame, engulfing all things and burning them to ash.
The day of destiny had drawn close.