"I'll tell you what happened. I want your opinion after hearing it."
"Oh my, savior mode? Sure thing—consider this a special treat!"
Gwen threw her arms up in delight.
Her reaction felt off to me.
"You're... weirdly eager."
"Obviously. It's for my beloved Harvelt."
Gwen winked with a sultry expression.
A chill ran through me, and I stepped back involuntarily.
Gwen tilted her head, puzzled.
"Oh my, that's a cold response. Don't you like girls who act this way?"
"Spare me the jokes. I'm telling you now."
I laid out the sequence of events surrounding the Savior.
I held nothing back, hiding not a single detail.
Gwen almost certainly wasn't the mastermind behind this.
Her cryptic remarks had been a distraction, but that was just her playful mischief.
She'd denied involvement herself.
There was no reason to keep secrets from her.
After listening, Gwen sat on the sofa and crossed her arms.
She groaned with a grave expression.
"The Savior this time, huh? Really, trouble just keeps piling up. The will of the world, aren't you trying a bit too hard?"
"Don't look at me. I'm the one being put on the spot here."
I would prefer if no problems arose at all.
Unforeseen circumstances create chaos in the world.
For someone wishing to maintain peace, this was an exceedingly troublesome state of affairs.
"So, Harvelt, you wish to prevent the appearance of the rumored savior, or to devise some countermeasure?"
"Yes. The Great Spirit said it would be difficult, but I thought you, having come from another world, might hold a different perspective."
Gwen was a beast from the outside world.
A unique being that had descended from the cosmos.
In the past, she had annihilated countless worlds, and in the process, had repeatedly opposed the will of those worlds.
In other words, she was experienced.
I thought she might have some unique insight.
Gwen considered for a moment.
Eventually, she began to state her opinion, adding gestures.
"To put it bluntly, preventing the birth of a savior is impossible. There are people with the qualities of a hero everywhere, and they can awaken under any circumstances."
"As I thought."
"You really can't underestimate the coercive power of the world's will... frankly, it's a total cheat."
Gwen let out a sigh.
But in the very next instant, her expression flipped completely.
She held up a single finger and waved it proudly.
"Well, I can't say I have a countermeasure, but perhaps I can offer some tips or advice on how to manipulate the world's will."
"Such a thing exists?"
"There's a trick. The beast that used to lead our group—the very one you called a false god—it used a method we've adapted. It's an application of that technique."
Gwen paused there, a lukewarm smile forming on her lips.
She was watching my reaction with that expression.
It was utterly infuriating.
"Spare me the theatrics. Get to the point."
"Oh my, such impatience."
Gwen chuckled wryly, clapping her hands together several times.
After allowing a sufficient pause, she finally addressed the heart of the matter.
"In short! It's the 'if pushing doesn't work, try pulling' theory. You turn the mechanism of the world's will against itself. The harder you forced things, the more the world's will resisted and caused major problems. You've noticed that, haven't you?"
"However, if we do nothing, problems will arise. We cannot simply ignore it."
"I understand your concern, but let's try bearing it. Instead of trying to stop it, we should create an environment where the world's will can act freely."
Gwen proposed this with a cool expression.
It was a countermeasure utterly different from what I'd imagined.
No, it couldn't even be called a countermeasure.
I couldn't comprehend it at all.
"What's the point of doing that?"
"If it works, the phenomenon we anticipate will occur. Since it's a predicted problem, dealing with it afterward becomes easier. Think of it as luring something into a trap."
"A trap, then..."
I found myself accepting Gwen's framing.
The false god had attained immense power through the same method.
By making himself an object of hope and worship, he succeeded in amplifying the power directed from the world's will.
Gwen's countermeasure was similar in principle: to designate a focal point where that power would converge.
"Directly suppressing the world's will before it acts is difficult, so we should devise a plan based on the assumption that it will activate. The Great Spirit's advice isn't bad, but it only buys time."
"Hmm..."
"Even if things don't proceed as hoped, rest assured. If the situation is properly manipulated, the trap will still be effective, even if deployed later."
Gwen's proposal was more precise than anticipated.
She had refined her countermeasure from experience.
This was how she had led countless worlds to ruin.
Her skill and track record were undeniably real.
Having finished speaking, Gwen rolled onto the sofa.
Leaning her cheek on her hand, she added:
"For now, that's all I can say. If anything else comes up, feel free to consult me. I'll offer advice, depending on the price."
"I'm sorry. You've been a help."
I offered my thanks.
As I moved to activate the teleportation magic, Gwen rose as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, Harvelt."
"What is it?"
I interrupted the teleportation to ask.
Giving a thumbs-up, Gwen declared with focused intensity.
"Wait for my time to shine! I'm always ready to go, yes I am."
"...Is that so."
For some reason, leaving her brimming with confidence, I departed from the spot via teleportation.