What are you talking about. The world isn't a story, and I'm not a writer. Let alone a prophet.
I don't know in advance what the Golden Mirror is, how it will react, or what choice Peru will make. I don't even have the intention of creating a story. However.
“Hilde. You've played poker, right?”
“Yees. Though not as much as you, Father.”
“If you know, it'll be easier to explain. When you keep a card, you don't keep it knowing what it will make. Whether it'll be a pair, a straight, a flush, a full house. Or just a meaningless hand.”
It could help, or it could hinder. He could have become the Golden Mirror's subordinate and attacked us, or he could have protected us from the rampaging Golden Mirror.
I don't know how it will turn out. Still, one thing is certain.
Peru would have acted to fulfill her desire. That was enough for me.
Hilde stared at me quietly. Her gaze was closer to observation than staring. It was the eyes of an actress trying to interpret the character that is me.
‘I don't know. I can understand others to some extent, but I just can't seem to figure you out, Father. I want to know. If I could properly grasp the King of Humans, I might be able to act out all other humans.’
However, perhaps because her interpretation wasn't satisfactory yet, after pondering for a long time, Hilde suddenly spoke.
“Father. 'I', you see. Received a revelation from heaven. Become the Holy Sword Commander of Farsight. That is the only path given to you. While living without any purpose, without even 'myself'. The revelation revealed the path 'I' must take more clearly and certainly than anything. Even though I was treated as a well-sharpened sword, that was the only path given to 'me'. At that moment, 'I' became the sword of the Holy Imperial Court that protects the holy maiden.”
“Wow. That's amazing.”
“But, is it a twist of fate? Or is even such salvation a luxury for 'me'? Of all people, the holy maiden who called for 'me' was excommunicated from the Holy Imperial Court, the so-called Fallen Holy Maiden. 'I' became the sword that protects the Military Nation instead of the holy maiden. A ruthless sword that slashes down anyone, regardless of their circumstances, if it's to protect the country.”
Placing her hand on her chest, she soliloquized with a pitiful face. Her appealing voice was slightly moist, seeming to seep into even those with dry emotions.
What? She was trying to interpret my character, so why is she suddenly explaining her own?
“As one of the Six Generals, 'I' must stop Peru. Whether by assassinating him, or tying him up for a while. That way... the Golden Mirror destroys the Allied Nations, and as a result, the Military Nation benefits. So, Father. 'My' wish is...”
“I've heard the 'character' well.”
This is the kind of wish that shouldn't be granted.
Is it real, or is it fake? That's not important. For Hilde, falsehood is truth and truth is falsehood. The moment she truly believes in her act, distinguishing between the two becomes meaningless. Because she can even 'act out' faith itself.
Of course, Hilde always wanted someone to find her. She followed me when I saw through her true identity and dropped an anchor of existence to be her reference point.
However, that wasn't because she 'wanted to stop acting'. Nor was it because she wanted to take off her mask and find her true self.
“What a novel idea. Assassinating the only countermeasure that comes to mind at the decisive moment, causing even greater chaos. The Military Nation taking advantage of that gap. Oooooh. The conflict between the hero and the villain collapses in an instant, transforming into a grand epic. How interesting. I'll clap for you first.”
Because she needed an audience.
And only someone outside her stage can be her audience. Like me.
After clapping for a while, I changed my attitude and asked back with a disappointed look.
“But, are you really going to do that? Is that the best?”
Hilde, who had been tearfully appealing, changed her expression in an instant. Her teary eyes sparkled with mischief, and her slightly raised voice seemed to be from excitement rather than crying. As if claiming that everything she had shown so far was acting, Hilde spoke even more playfully.
“It lacks realism instead of being dramatic, right? Hehe. That's right! A rampaging Golden Mirror would be several times more terrifying than a suppressed one! If 'I' truly think of the Military Nation, I should rather make Peru, who has limited abilities, win! The odds of winning are several times higher than against the Golden Mirror!”
After that, Hilde asked back like a child waiting for praise.
“How is it, Father? It's similar to your thoughts, right?”
“No? I just simply wondered who would win. Two people who are perfectly opposed to each other clash their wills. It's natural to want to watch, isn't it?”
Hilde made a face like she had been betrayed. That was because my answer was too far from her expectations. Hilde recalled the actions I had taken so far and muttered inwardly.
'I still don't know Father's personality well. However, I feel like I somewhat understand what kind of existence you are. Why the Holy Imperial Court defines you as a barbarian.'
Sharp insight can be read. Hmm, did I give her too much room to dig into? Maybe I underestimated Hilde.
'The King of Humans affirms everything about humans. Whether it's good or evil. Whether it's an ugly desire or a sublime mission. Even if two completely different beings like the Golden Mirror and Peru fight until one of them dies.'
It's fine. Just as Hilde grasped me, I've also grasped Hilde to some extent.
It was then. From over there, the Regressor and Tir approached while keeping watch on their surroundings. The Regressor, who was looking around, discovered Hilde and me sprawled by the roadside and immediately came over.
“During the battle, the Golden Mirror's homunculi all retreated at once. It was a success, right?”
Ah, well. I have to explain it one more time. It's a bit annoying, but Peru isn't here to grab me by the collar right now. Let's speak honestly.
“Mr. Shei. There's good news and bad news.”
“...Somehow it feels ominous when you say bad news. Did you cause some kind of accident?”
How did he know?
Soothing my startled heart, I delivered the good news and the bad news more smoothly than before.
I explained the whole story to the Regressor and Tir. That I tried to persuade the Golden Mirror, but his anger was directed elsewhere. That Peru stepped forward to stop him from trying to kill all the Jackals.
I waited, prepared to have my collar grabbed once more, but surprisingly, the Regressor nodded and empathized.
“Well, that can happen.”
“Huh? It can?”
“Not everything goes as expected. Especially with an unknown existence like the Golden Mirror.”
'I've also messed around with this and that and completely ruined things, you know. I tried to stop the Military Nation and borrowed the power of the Holy Imperial Court to define them as an axis of evil, only to create the spark of a world war.'
Strange. When Peru or Hilde said something to me, I didn't care, but when the Regressor empathizes, I feel like something is wrong. Am I on the Regressor's level? No way. I'm more normally sane than him! I have to be!
Feeling relieved, the Regressor magnanimously defended me.
“Anyway, good job. You stopped the war for now.”
“Because of me, the Allied Nations are going to fall, you know?”
“It's not like you're destroying them. The Golden Mirror is doing it, right? There's no reason to blame you.”
'It would be stranger if he could control the Golden Mirror as he pleased. That's only possible for the King of Sins. Anyway, it's certain that guy Hughes has the ability to communicate with mysteries.... He said he's from the Military Nation, is his father a discarded imperial prince or something? Well, origin doesn't really matter.'
Why is he like this. It's hard to adapt. If he does this, I seem like trash.
Having roughly grasped the situation, the Regressor immediately stood up.
“Now. Then let's go.”
“Huh? Where?”
“We have to go stop the Golden Mirror, right? We can't just let the Allied Nations fall, can we?”
The Regressor spoke as if it were obvious. Of course, it was not an obvious matter. Hilde questioned it, doubting her ears.
“Setting aside why the Allied Nations shouldn't fall, how are you going to stop the Golden Mirror?”
“We'll have to see when we get there. We can't stop it on our own, but if the Jannok Cult Master is there, we might be able to.”
“Peru didn't even help 'us', you know? It's audacious, is there any need to risk our lives to stop the Golden Mirror for him?”
“Still, we can't just leave it alone, can we?”
“Just leave it! Why poke at that!”
Ignoring the hopping mad Hilde, the Regressor stretched, genuinely intending to go.
Taking a moment to compose himself, and roughly deciding on the direction of what to do. The Regressor gathered Cheon-ang and Ji-jan again and turned his eyes.
“Let's go. The guide...”
The Regressor, looking around, saw the main road starting from the middle of the cornfield and muttered.
“We won't be needing one separately.”
It wasn't hard to find the Golden Mirror's traces. Because in the middle of the cornfield, a road heading towards him—no, a road he had created while going—stretched straight.
Hilde borrowed a nearby Jackal's carriage (she claimed). It was a cart with only a body and wheels, without horses, but that was enough. By attaching a sail and generating wind with Cheon-ang, the force was directly converted into speed, pushing the cart.
The road created by the Golden Mirror had no curves, and the air resistance was overcome by Cheon-ang's power. Quickly escaping the cornfield, we spotted the Golden Mirror entering the city in the distance.
And everyone was speechless.
“R-Run away!”
“Oh God...!”
How could we put that into words.
The Golden Mirror... yes, was like a rag. Not in the sense of being dirty, but in the sense of wiping away dirt to reveal a sight that was previously unseen.
Inside the city next to the cornfield, Jackals were staying. The Jackals, who would leave someday, did not treat the city with care. They tore off all the latches on the windows and the hinges on the doors to sell, threw trash everywhere, and if needed, tore down walls or pillars to secure their own space. Therefore, the city was vibrant but dirty.
That dirtiness is wiped away by the rag called the Golden Mirror.
Every time the Golden Mirror marches, the grime of the Allied Nations is peeled away. The splendid Golden Nation, hidden beneath a layer, regains its color. The scattered ruins rise up once more, transforming back into a bustling street.
A radius of 500m is simultaneously covered by the Golden Nation. The Golden Mirror, that was a massive nation-exclusive cleaning tool with a size of 500m.
“Ugh, ahah...”
...Even eliminating humans.
The sight of humans crumbling can be seen. Some of the Jackals' body parts are filled with crops created by the Golden Mirror. That is a high-quality alchemical substance, and the moment it falls within the Golden Mirror's sphere of influence, it decomposes and can be used as material.
Until now, the Golden Mirror had not actively taken them in. It was partly because the Suppression Master blocked them from approaching, but also because the Golden Mirror didn't bother to show interest in them.
But now it's different. The Golden Mirror is indiscriminately attacking the Jackals.
The city moves. The fleeing Jackals are blocked in their paths and come to a halt. While time is dragged out, the Golden Mirror's homunculi indiscriminately raid the Jackals.
There is no way to escape from the Cult Master's homunculi. With overwhelming power, the Jackals are crushed along with the city. Even in the midst of that, the city returns to a much cleaner appearance than originally. Because the Golden Mirror restored it more beautifully, excluding humans.
“Everyone! Move this way! Get on the vehicles as fast as possible!”
Suppression Master Hekto announced to everyone while amplifying his voice with a flat iron plate. The Jackals exerted their mobility, their source of strength, to the maximum and fled. There were sacrifices, but there were still many alive.
Did that displease him? The Golden Mirror used its next move.
The city heaved as if it were alive.
A Jackal running away on two legs felt a strange sensation. He was confident in his running, but his legs kept getting heavier and his heart beat like it would explode. At first, he thought it was a phenomenon caused by fear and hurried his steps.
The moment he fell, he realized that his body's fatigue wasn't simply a matter of mood.
Like slipping on a steep uphill, his body scraped the floor and slid down. He scratched the stone floor with his broken fingernails and muttered.
“T-The city... is tilting...”
With those words, he 'fell' towards the Golden Mirror.
This city is the Golden Mirror's masterpiece. The Golden Mirror used a very simple method to get rid of the bugs hiding and living in the city.
It 'folded' the city.
It's like a giant clam closing its mouth. Using the sloped streets as a slide, the Jackals who failed to escape in time roll and fall. Quite a few stepped on the walls with their feet and held on, but a few who weren't as lucky crashed into something and died before that. Or they rolled all the way down to the Golden Mirror and were 'resonated' on the spot.
A considerable number were still alive, but that was only a matter of time. Once the city closed its mouth, they would have to choose one of two deaths.
Fall to their deaths, or be resonated.
The Jackals, engulfed in fear, screamed out.
“Help me! I'll give you all the money I have!”
“Please save me! Anyone, just get me out of here!”