While it had been subtly tilting their lips or squinting their eyes to show small emotions until now…
“What the heck? How are you moving?”
The expression of the Nameless, who had come all the way here, looked truly bewildered.
With wide-open eyes and a gaping mouth as if facing an unexpected situation, and a furrowed brow that made it hard to believe they were revered as a god by the people.
“Umm…”
I also furrowed my brow, straining to comprehend the situation.
It was indeed surprising that Nameless had come, and that the disciple was moving…
But I couldn’t help but think, ‘Is it really something to be that surprised about?’
Lost in thought for a moment…
“Master…”
Nameless opened their mouth again, rousing my consciousness, which had been sinking into slumber.
It seemed they had noticed that I was diverting my consciousness to avoid them.
Suppressing any hint of reluctance, I replied.
“Umm…”
Well, I tried my best.
It wasn’t comfortable facing my disciple.
I recognized in my mind that Nameless and the nameless one were distinct individuals, but…
At least I knew that the current Nameless hadn’t made such a choice.
“That’s…”
It was hard for my heart to accept.
And rightly so.
Didn’t the nameless one call for me to find their happiness?
To put it the other way around, it meant that Nameless might also go to such extremes for their happiness.
…Well, this was all ultimately my delusions.
I turned my back, letting out a small sigh to clear the fog in my head.
Anyway.
The point I want to make is, it’s uncomfortable.
It seemed like it could be related to the side effects of the mental state being forcibly stabilized during the process of transcending…
“…So it’s Nameless.”
So, as I quietly mumbled, avoiding Nameless’s gaze.
Nameless stopped their approach as if that was a shocking revelation, looking downcast.
“…”
I had nothing to say in response to the sudden drop in temperature, busy just gaping.
That awkward silence lasted for a moment.
“…Master, I have something I want to say.”
“Umm…”
It seemed Nameless thought that this couldn’t continue, and called out to me with a trembling voice.
When our eyes met, the disciple’s mouth opened wide.
“…?”
But for some reason, I couldn’t hear Nameless’s voice from within.
As if this area was submerged in something.
Feeling perplexed, I frowned and turned my head to another presence.
“What are you doing leaving me all alone?”
With a sulky expression, that figure stepped forward and spoke.
“Right now, you’re supposed to talk to me. Okay?”
Standing in front of me to block Nameless.
“You said you want to go back, right?”
They asked me, flashing an eerily unsettling smile.
“…Yeah.”
I couldn’t help but nod.
After meeting Nameless, my resolve had wavered a bit… But strangely, that hesitation had spurred my decision.
After all, I couldn’t help but think of the nameless one when I looked at Nameless.
I really wanted to see if Nameless, my disciple, would do something to drop me into the abyss for their own happiness.
…What if?
What if Nameless once again imprisoned me here for their own happiness, violating the heavenly principles?
So, I could confirm this.
Really, does nature never change?
Did Nameless really bring me here?
As I thought about this and tried to approach Nameless to convey this fact…
“Umm…”
They blocked my steps, spreading their arms.
“What are you doing?”
I frowned and glared at them.
Are you stopping me from leaving?
Or are you reluctant about me approaching Nameless?
Either way, I didn’t like it.
“Stop making that face. I want to ask you something.”
“…A request? You?”
I tilted my head in confusion, wondering what kind of relationship we had for them to ask me for something.
“It’s simple, it won’t be bad for you either.”
Soon, they continued.
“Could you stay here just until the nameless one goes out of control?”
“…Out of control?”
The nameless one must be referring to Nameless.
But what does out of control even mean?
“Don’t you have an inkling?”
What they said was straightforward.
Previously, the nameless one had broken the balance of the world to find their happiness.
This… so-called god had decided to intervene in the world for the first time to stop Nameless.
However, for some reason, they were unable to directly intervene in this world.
They could only helplessly watch as the world became stained red.
But this being, called a god,
Hadn’t completely run out of options.
“I don’t even know how many chances there have been.”
The god said they had tried various attempts by rewinding time repeatedly.
They had attempted to kill the young Nameless, engineered several incidents, and even tried to get the Emperor or the Academy to take action.
But they ultimately failed to stop the rampaging Nameless.
Half-heartedly giving up, the god created other threats, the Hero and the Demon King, hoping to shift the nameless one’s gaze even slightly.
But things unfolded differently than expected.
The debts piled upon the Demon King were taken from the nameless one, allowing them to transcend.
After that, the already dwindling power of the god found it even harder to intervene in the world.
After all, they had lost a significant amount of control to the nameless one, and if they fought and lost directly…
That would truly be the end.
While the nameless one sought out remaining methods for the sake of this world,
Another wind blew.
“Now that you’re here.”
Things had been going smoothly to a degree that it felt inappropriate since I arrived.
“I feel a bit sorry for using you, but I had no other way to stop the nameless one.”
“Umm…”
“So, could you stay in this world just a little longer to stop your disciple from rampaging?”
As they said this, their expression seemed a bit apologetic, and I made an awkward face.
Having heard the story, I understood that it wasn’t something they could help.
In fact, it didn’t seem like they had even summoned me themselves, and it felt like they had indeed tried to let me go.
Besides, the request they made didn’t seem too hard… Probably.
Just asking me to stop Nameless from rampaging doesn’t seem like much of a task.
But… whether I could show my true self to Nameless in the process is another matter.
Anyway.
So, this being had no reason to feel sorry for asking me for that favor.
But in fact, I was the one feeling a bit sorry… Well.
“I’m sorry.”
Because I had no intention of granting this being’s request.
“I don’t think I can grant your request.”
“…Really?”
The reason was simple.
I wanted to see Nameless rampaging.
I wanted to solidify my thoughts.
And even if this world were to perish, frankly speaking, it had nothing to do with me, right?
As long as those connected to me are safe, I don’t have much attachment to this world itself.
Plus, wasn’t it the case that if I returned to my original hometown, I couldn’t come back to this place?
That’s not true either.
As you know, the nameless one crossed the world to come and get me and then returned.
It seemed their power had nearly diminished completely because of that…
But that wasn’t particularly important.
“Well… If you’re going to be this way, then I have no choice.”
Conveying my thoughts to the being called a god made their expression start to darken.
No, was it darkening?
“Thanks for helping me relieve my worries.”
Their expression seemed only relieved.
“What do you mean?”
“My world is very precious to me, and I don’t want to lose this hard-won opportunity in such an absurd way.”
Saying that, the god raised their hand towards me.
In that hand, a bright white light blossomed, radiating warmth, or rather, burning fiercely like the sun.
What could that be?
Are they trying to attack me now?
“What are you doing—”
As I too tried to draw the wooden sword at my waist to block them.
“Ugh!”
With the feeling of my body falling over, Nameless’s face filled my vision.
Soon, I felt pressure at my waist.
It was as hard as a wooden sword, but warm and enveloping me gently.
Taken aback, I asked Nameless.
“Nameless?”
Well, despite the incident with biting my tongue, Nameless seemed unconcerned.
“I’m sorry for suddenly touching you…!”
The disciple was also blushing, looking embarrassed as they faced me.
