Chapter 99

“What are you planning to do?”

Ria asked me as I returned to the room to pack my things.

“First of all, I don’t think the Dwarf Kingdom is going to collapse all at once.”

I replied while pulling out the entire suitcase.

“The key is the princess.”

“Is the princess really loaded with magic power?”

“It’s not just the magic power; her knowledge is incredibly important. After all, it’s the Dwarf Kingdom that wants to create a Gate, right?”

And they might actually succeed, if only they had a little more time.

“Let’s summarize again.”

I opened my bag and checked the weapons inside. I’d been taking care of my gun regularly, and I had made sure to pack all the bullets properly.

I switched to a slightly smaller shield. Carrying around a riot shield that nearly covered my entire body was too big and heavy to be practical.

“Just the magic power I have is enough to create a magic sphere that can harm people. If they’re thinking of just sweeping away the Dwarves, they’ll make a massive magic sphere and invade the area, and that’ll be the end of it.”

“So you’re saying they want something more?”

“Yes. They must be after the princess’s ‘knowledge’.”

They think they can do something with that.

…It may sound overly self-conscious, but among those ‘things they can do’, there might be something aimed at me.

A power that nullifies magic. It can only be connected to that existence above.

It’s a power that’s both dangerous and attractive to them.

“…You think they can extract knowledge? Those guys you’re talking about?”

“It’s just a guess.”

The princess was described as being fused with a magic sphere in the novel.

I still don’t have any doubts about the concept of a soul. I’m here in this world, remembering my past life, and, above all, that existence that sent me to this world is watching over me.

In that situation, denying the existence of a soul would be nonsense. Even if it’s not a soul, it means that there’s a means to transfer information equivalent to it.

However, separate from the soul, a person’s mind is tied to their body. People think with their heads, and the heart pumps blood toward that head, while all the other organs exist to obtain energy to be sent to the head.

If the most important entity, the brain, gets damaged, the rest of the body doesn’t function correctly either. If the nerves connecting the brain and body are severed, the body cannot move and is left broken.

This means that if there’s any technology that allows them to rummage through the brain, extracting the information stored in there isn’t absolutely impossible.

I have no idea how information is recorded in a soul, or what happens to a soul once it leaves the body, but at least I can make such assumptions.

…Or maybe what they’re dealing with is a magic so inexplicable scientifically that it can read the soul itself.

“So, you think you just need to protect the princess?”

“Exactly. No matter how many enemies they have, they can’t just wipe out hundreds of thousands of people all at once.”

If that were possible, the world would be in chaos by now. Even if the Gate incident threw society into turmoil, it was eventually contained.

If it were a society that had already researched and systematized countermeasures, it would be easier to handle. In that sense, the incident where the Dwarf princess was kidnapped and modified is significant. It was an event where countless resurrected Dwarf corpses flooded our world.

“……”

Click.

After double-checking my gun one last time, I stood up and looked at Ria.

Aside from when she sleeps, Ria was my guard. Naturally, she didn’t need to check her weapon separately like I did. She was just carrying it around as usual.

From a short distance away, Ria’s expression, quietly watching my movements, was somewhat complex.

“Yes, it’s dangerous. For sure.”

Before Ria could ask, I spoke frankly.

“It might be a lot more dangerous than what we faced last time.”

Moreover, what I was considering was more than just sitting next to the princess.

I had to convince the princess about one issue in a few minutes after preparing back at the inn.

No matter how much the princess doesn’t care about religion, it’s a practical issue she might oppose.

Even if the princess agrees, I don’t know what the other Dwarves will think.

“But you’re still planning to go.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded.

“Then I’m going too, right?”

Ria shrugged as she said that.

“……”

“Why?”

“Oh, just curious.”

My thoughts are complicated.

Ria is my friend. Since coming to this world and meeting all the characters from the original, I’ve become somewhat close with them, but no one is as close to me as Ria.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about the other characters. I still hope Lee Si-yoon and Han Yu-ri get together, and of course, I want their story to end happily after all.

But still.

If I have to fight, who would be the best person to fight alongside?

Rationally and reasonably thinking, ultimately, the person I need most is someone who fights well. And they should be someone who can listen to my personal requests and, above all, be just.

…Situations where you have to view human lives as numbers aren’t really pleasant. How can I know what those kids will go through from this point where everything is so different from the original?

I don’t even know how strong the ones who kidnapped the princess are.

Is it really right to say that to the people who believe in me and make them risk their lives to fight?

“Anna.”

Noticing something from my expression, Ria placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t say you’re going to go alone.”

She leaned forward, saying that.

“I was going to go anyway, even if you said no. Whatever I do there, your feelings don’t matter.”

“……”

That was contradictory in many ways. Compared to what Ria had said to me before.

But at the same time, it was very much like Ria.

“I understand.”

I nodded and said quietly while looking at Ria.

“Thank you.”

“……”

Ria’s face turned red as she withdrew her hand from my shoulder.

*

I was able to convince the princess somehow.

In fact, the phrase ‘somehow’ makes it sound trivial; the princess nodded eagerly.

“Maybe it would be better for me to convert officially.”

For a moment, I couldn’t think of anything to respond to what the princess said, then I replied,

“…It seems you truly believe in me.”

“If the opponent is willing to take a risk, we must take risks too.”

The princess said that and glanced up at the ceiling.

“The Dwarves have their own creed. Humans do as well, but Dwarves place great importance on the attitude they show to others. Of course, these days, many nobles and those in power don’t remember, but at least I want to do so. My blood is half Gnome, but I was raised in the Dwarf Kingdom.”

The princess’s gaze shifted back down to me.

“My father also valued that. If I don’t try to take on at least minimal risks for you all, I’m sure my father will call me a ‘good-for-nothing’.”

“Uh, um.”

I found myself at a loss for words once again after the princess spoke.

“By the way, we had a drink just like that earlier, right?”

“…It was, ‘May alcohol help forget rudeness’.”

“I hope you can forget what I just did.”

I shrugged.

*

There was one problem, though.

I didn’t know exactly when that incident would occur. I only knew it would probably happen around the end of July.

But that issue was minor. After all, Ria and I had plenty of time. It’s not like I was planning to enroll in university right away, nor was it dangerous if I didn’t act as a Hunter.

Most of the people following me either had faith in that existence above in their hearts or were my collaborators. Just being here with me wouldn’t make much of a difference to their careers as Hunters.

Moreover, I already knew how to resolve that ‘one problem.’

It’s a method I didn’t really want to use, but well, it was something I needed to do to fulfill my promise to the princess.

I prayed.

Kneeling down on the floor with my hands clasped.

In fact, I didn’t know how to pray. I was someone who refused to learn such things systematically.

However, every time I tried to heal or protect someone— that existence above always lent me strength.

So, this time as well.

A bright light illuminated the room. Surely, a giant mountain should be looming above, but the light seemed to pass through everything, shining on me as if nothing were there.

This was the light I saw whenever that existence above looked at me.

“……”

And I could hear it.

This time, not a lie, but the true voice of the divine.

…Well, I don’t really know if it was a prophecy or not.

But at least I could tell that it was going to happen in just three days.

After all, isn’t that the sort of existence that others call a god?

If they didn’t want me knowing about the bad guys’ plans, they wouldn’t say such things.

I don’t think I’d call them that, though.

…It seems they also think you don’t necessarily need to listen.

By the time I muttered that I was feeling half defeated, a small laugh echoed in my ears.

It felt like the atmosphere was utterly unconcerned, which made it even more bothersome.