How should one answer the question, "Do you want to destroy the world?"
Naturally, one would deny it. If one is in their right mind, they wouldn't want to destroy a perfectly fine world.
What if one is not in their right mind? What if they truly want to destroy the world? Even then, thinking rationally, one must deny it first. If carelessly revealed, one would be struck down by a hero trying to protect the world.
What if one is truly, completely crazy and honestly confesses to wanting to destroy the world? Someone with that level of intelligence is already dead. It's impossible.
Therefore, the answer I must give is set.
Precisely because of that, I shouldn't give that answer right away.
"Shey. Before that, let me ask you one thing too."
"I asked first. If you're trying to avoid answering again—"
"Listen to me. You're not the only one with doubts."
I replied irritably, looking up at the Returner and asked.
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"What's your relationship with the Holy Court?"
"What? What do you mean?"
"Searching for the King of Sin, warning of the world's destruction. Not only knowing the future but also holding all sorts of treasures including the Heavenly Sword? It's obvious, isn't it? Even a passing dog knows that you have a close relationship with the Holy Court, Shey."
"Woof!"
Aji nodded as if agreeing, not even understanding the meaning. Let me correct myself. It seems the passing dog doesn't know.
In other words, only the dog doesn't know; everyone else does. Jiseon, Tir, and even Hilde suspected the Returner's connection with the Holy Court as soon as they saw her. Honestly, except for saying it out loud, they practically did everything else.
"Then there's one question that follows. Exactly 'how' close of a relationship do you have with the Holy Court? Just what kind of weakness of the Holy Court did you grasp that they gave you treasures they wouldn't even give to the Saintess?"
At the sharp, awl-like question, the Returner muttered as if pricked.
"I knew it would be discovered someday... You finally noticed."
Right. The admission was a bit la— Wait. What? Someday? Finally?
I was trying to have a serious conversation as much as possible, but unable to hold back, I yelled at the Returner.
"What do you mean you knew it would be discovered someday! I knew it outright!"
"What? How?"
"I told you! Look at your getup! Cheonaeng, your pocket, eyes shining in seven colors! You're plastered with Demon Gods related to the sky, space, and light, and you hoped not to get caught?! Are you a pheasant? If it's not visible to your own eyes, does it not exist in the world?"
I just didn't bother digging into the excuses you made so far; no one believed they were real! Even Tir felt that way!
'Sure, if you look into each one individually, it might be suspicious. But you know it right off the bat? Is the King of Humans a genius or something?'
Genius my foot. Did the saying "even a passing dog knows" sound like an idiom to you? If you look into each one? Even looking into just one of them is weird!
The Returner, unaware of how suspicious she was, feigned composure and spoke.
"You surprisingly know about those things. Many people just think of them as rare treasures. As expected of the King of Humans?"
"'As expected of the King of Humans,' my ass. I knew it from the start. From the very first time we met, you were suspicious! You were a lump of suspicion from head to toe!"
Actually, I found out most of it through mind-reading. The Returner, who couldn't know that, was considerably flustered.
'You noticed from the beginning? During all that time in the Abyss? I didn't notice at all...!'
That's because you... sigh. Never mind. I guess I can let it slide since the Returner had holed herself up for personal training at the time, and I also threw up a smokescreen.
I asked sharply.
"If you answer honestly, I'll answer honestly too. You. What is your true identity?"
Actually, it wasn't a question so unfamiliar to the Returner.
Young age. In contrast, bizarrely overflowing power. Authorities whether they are talents or supernatural abilities. The Returner had always lived receiving such suspicions. It couldn't be helped since the background and narrative of the power she accumulated were reset in the next turn.
I know through mind-reading how that power came to be... Still, I have to ask.
So she'll bother me less.
The Returner bit her lip and rolled her head a little. However, the Returner isn't me; it was impossible to spin a perfect lie to break through this entire situation with that head. The Returner quickly gave up and answered honestly.
"No relationship at all."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"It's true. I don't have any ties of gratitude or resentment with them right now. This was 'given' to me. I don't feel I owe them anything, and I won't return it either."
'I'm thankful, but that's it. It's a mutually exploitative relationship.'
Unless she spoke of the premise of 'regression', it wouldn't be a proper answer. However, it was also the most honest answer in the given situation.
Believing such an answer makes one a fool. But since I had already read it through mind-reading, should I treat her a bit leniently? I answered with a slightly softened voice.
"It seems you're not hostile toward the Holy Court."
"Yeah. I'd join hands with anyone if it meant saving the world. If it's the Holy Court that set things right in the world, they're the most trustworthy existence, at least."
"Yet that very Holy Court rejects the King of Humans. From the King of Humans' perspective, you do realize that neither the Holy Court nor you are very trustworthy, right?"
"That's why. I'm asking you too!"
The Returner grabbed Cheonaeng. Cheonaeng, embedded above my right shoulder, trembled slightly. She had no intention of slashing down yet, but who knows. The Returner was someone who would do it if she had to.
"The King of Sin who will destroy the world. That is the corrupted King of Humans! And you are also the King of Humans! So tell me the truth. What do you intend to do with the world?!"
Now she's a bit ready to listen. Having finished the buildup, I slowly chose my words.
How should one answer a question where the answer is already set? That's obvious.
She isn't asking me. She wants to believe. So she's demanding faith.
"I'm the same as you, Shey."
"Like me?"
Then I should make her believe.
"It's the same for me. Whoever's side you're on, whatever your original identity is, I don't really care. Just like when you fought Jiseon, I didn't take sides and just let it pass; I have no intention of killing or destroying you in advance just because there's a problem or you're suspicious. I don't have the ability to do that either."
The Returner is a whimsical person. Because she's willing to throw away this life on a whim. Since she doesn't care about making mistakes, there's rather more room to delve into than with the fastidious Holy Court.
In other words, no matter how well I do, my head could fly off on a single whim. Thinking that, cold sweat runs down my back.
That's why I retorted to the Returner. To draw out empathy that we were in the same position of being suspected.
'He says he doesn't care... That's true. What I will do is more important than who I am. And I don't think Hughes is scheming for the world's destruction. He's definitely as weak as a bug compared to the King of Sin.'
Uh-huh. Yes, yes. You understood well.
If you want to persuade, you shouldn't fight from the opposing stance. That's just a fight. Starting from the same place and walking with concessions is true persuasion. As expected, highlighting the commonalities between the counterpart and me makes her call me a bug...
What? Bug? Hey, the King of Sin is the weird one; I'm extremely normal! An extremely normal King of Humans!
'But, you're the King of Humans. The King of Humans is dangerous. Even if you haven't gained power yet, the power humans possess will soon be the power the King of Humans possesses. If the malice forged by aiming swords and spears at each other is poured out, the King of Humans will eventually reach the King of Sin.'
I was fuming inwardly, but suddenly I questioned the thought I had read.
What. She knows the hidden story of the King of Sin's birth? Even I don't know exactly how that happens?
I really can't trust the Returner's thoughts at face value. It's knowledge obtained based on events from past turns that I can't read, and there's a high possibility that even that knowledge was just heard from someone else. If the Holy Court carves knowledge into a brain as pure white as a blank sheet of paper, she'd believe it as if it were the truth. Certainty is strictly forbidden.
But that's not the important thing.
Knowing that, how did she not show any signs until now?
Did she purely just forget? Or did she unconsciously avoid recalling the King of Sin?
Either way, it's truly amazing. While I was inwardly admiring this, the Returner brought out the last question with difficulty.
"If... humans wish for their own destruction? If ordinary humans believe they'd rather die?"
Humans wish for their own destruction? What stupid nonsense are you spouting. I answered the incredibly stupid question immediately.
"I've lost all the representativeness of the King of Humans right now, so I'm not sure... But by that time, wouldn't it no longer be a King of Humans problem?"
"...Tch."
It was such a perfectly correct statement. The Returner, at a loss for words to reply, withdrew the Cheonaeng she had thrust out. Cheonaeng, which could have bitten off my right arm, quietly hid its fangs.
The Returner stepped back with a sullen face and asked me.
"Did the King of Humans come to the Abyss to find the Earth Mother Goddess?"
"I can't hide it after coming this far. Yeah, well. That's right."
'I was right. Hughes also infiltrated Tartarus hiding his ulterior motives! Well... I'm not one to talk since I came down to find Jizan. But my suspicions were justified!'
Right. But I don't regret lying. If I had willingly revealed my identity back then, it might have started with my right arm getting cut off.
"What's the reason for going around searching for Demon Gods?"
"I have no obligation to answer, but I'll tell you honestly too."
Acting a bit magnanimous, while adding a little credibility in the meantime. I revealed my true purpose.
"To catch up to humanity."