Chapter 58: Sloth (1)

The shrine maiden had thought her entire life that she was a piece on a chessboard.

Moving as the chess pieces were moved.

A slave unable to escape a predetermined frame.

But now that she moved the pieces herself, she understood.

She was not the piece.

Rather, she was the one making the pieces.

Through the absurd constraint called the constellations’ words.

The shrine maiden could think and ponder.

She had the freedom to go anywhere as she wished.

If anything, she was closer to the role of moving the pieces, not the piece itself.

Whether to move a piece forward or backward.

She decided that herself.

Others’ choices were unimportant.

Did Evan know this?

She wasn’t sure.

But one thing was certain: Evan did not fall into such miscellaneous worries.

……Yes. 

Why should I care?

She was forced into fate by the constellations in exchange for seeing them.

But was there a reason to be bound by it?

Well.

If I don’t follow, what can you do?

The shrine maiden looked up at the sky.

Whether night or day.

They always existed loftily above, watching.

That was all.

They could do nothing but watch.

Anyway, all you can do is watch me.

For some reason, a vibration was felt from the sky.

It seemed the constellations were looking down with displeasure.

But they could do nothing.

The shrine maiden had already obtained the right to be free from fate.

Evan.

And because of this chessboard he gave.

But it wasn’t without fear.

Her ability to be free from fate was, after all, thanks to the power contained within this chessboard.

Some kind of power Evan left.

That certain power only the shrine maiden could feel.

If the certain power Evan left in this chessboard were exhausted?

She couldn’t feel it precisely, but part of Evan’s energy was contained.

Not mana.

Not divine power.

Not life force.

What on earth was this power?

Probably only Evan knew.

If this were exhausted…….

“!”

“Hmm. You’re better than I thought. Was the first a mistake?”

Moving pieces to eat each other, and eating again.

Repeating that act, the shrine maiden’s eyes widened slightly.

The power that had been gradually consumed coming here.

She felt it filling up.

As if wary of Evan’s power disappearing over time.

……You already knew this.

Heh.

The shrine maiden let out a laugh.

The Assassin King glanced at her laughing despite losing the game.

An expression genuinely wondering if something was wrong.

Ah. Yes.

To an outsider, it would look strange.

How could she make an ignorant commoner understand?

In the past, she could never have thought this.

Because she was bound by the mindset of respecting and revering the other.

But now, such thoughts didn’t arise.

She was breaking the frame she made herself.

It was a process called enlightenment.

“Heh fufu…… Did I lose this game?”

“Yes. There’s no way to win. But for a first time, you did well. You have talent.”

“Then, may I try one thing?”

“……? Go ahead.”

Her action was simple.

Thud!

She flipped the chessboard outright.

All the pieces on top poured out clatter clatter.

The Assassin King brushed off the ones that spilled onto his lap with his hand tap tap, speaking in an uneasy voice.

“Got a bit violently extreme.”

But the shrine maiden did not answer.

She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of that moment.

The freedom to flip the entire board……

And the moment the game ended, she felt Evan’s energy flowing into her body.

……If the old me saw this, she would have felt it dangerous.

The current shrine maiden was neither destructive nor bound by rules.

She was free.

That’s why she was dangerous. 

Because no one knew what choice she would make.

Different from the witch.

The shrine maiden suggested a better direction, the witch suggested a path to ruin.

In the end, the witch was no different from a slave to fate.

I am different from them. 

I can change my fate.

Like moving the pieces on this chessboard.

Evan would know this.

With what intention did he give this?

Depending on how you look at it, this was close to defying heaven.

Rejecting the will given by the heavens, fate.

Going beyond that, he even freed the shrine maiden who was to present better fates to humans.

If I hadn’t obtained freedom.

Elora would probably have chosen death.

If like this, she would live infinite time.

But what meaning was there in infinite time without freedom?

She preferred the time running toward death.

The witch Elora ran toward death from the moment she was born.

But to lead humans to a better path, to uphold the will of the stars, the shrine maiden could not move forward in the flow of time and stood still.

The way to end this…… was only to end ‘guidance’ and regain peaceful rest.

Even ordinary death was impossible; a grand ‘sacrifice’ dying for humans was needed.

Evan could collapse that frame.

With nothing else but this one chessboard.

With one contact.

‘…Ah. I see.’

She finally understood.

Who Evan was.

Evan was no longer a noble or honorable person.

Such words could not express him.

Yes.

Savior (Masia).

The one who descended to save her, the only one in this world, her sole savior.

“Fu. Fufufu.”

‘……I’m asking seriously. Is something wrong? Did the stars curse you?’

“No. What do you mean something wrong.”

The shrine maiden covered her mouth and laughed.

“It’s…… because I’m so happy, I’m laughing. I met a good connection.”

“I see.”

The shrine maiden laughed he he and said.

“Just as you decided the direction to live…… I’ve decided a little too.”

“That’s good news.”

The Assassin King did not ask in detail.

A slightly different consideration from Evan.

The Assassin King didn’t care unless it related to his history.

Having obtained money and fame, the only thing he hadn’t obtained was myth.

“Do you believe in freedom?”

“I’ve never once thought I wasn’t free.”

The Assassin King’s eyes were chillingly clear.

The shrine maiden nodded.

“More than that, now read my fate. I liked the last fortune.”

“Alright. But this time, I’ll change the method.”

“The method?”

“This chessboard.”

Literally just looking.

“Lately, it’s not easy to just read.”

“Aged?”

“Well…… rather than that……”

It would be right to say she learned to discern people.

No long conversation was needed.

The shrine maiden smiled brightly and took out the chessboard.

“How about a game with me?”

“Let’s.”

The Assassin King began moving pieces again.

The shrine maiden also started moving pieces.

A flow different from before was visible.

Countless paths.

Result values changing with one choice, changing again.

Who knew the ability could be used this way.

Things she couldn’t see because she always divided good fate, bad fate.

……Ah. My savior. Great one.

The shrine maiden’s body trembled brrr.

It felt so regrettable that she couldn’t easily see Evan after this.

Please, next time

Those with abilities like the shrine maiden end with ‘I hope there is’.

For the sole reason not to limit fate.

But was there a reason for that?

Meeting the savior was the only salvation she could receive.

At this moment. For the first time, the shrine maiden hoped for ‘next’.

Until the day your fate and my fate touch again……..

The shrine maiden briefly looked up at the sky.

The movement of countless constellations…

Not visible, but that made it more anticipated.

The fate Evan would create ahead.

The fact that she was included in that countless number.

How big a picture was he drawing.

Could it touch the stars using the entire sky as canvas.

But one thing was certain.

That someday, Evan would need the shrine maiden again.

If not, she could make him need her.

I will wait for you forever.

Main ally.

The shrine maiden who sees constellations.

Her fate and constellations, which had flowed without a single change.

For the first time, began to deviate from their places.

***

Ugh. Body ache.

Evan groaned after meeting the shrine maiden.

Why was his body so weak and hurting.

Did he eat something wrong?

“Evan! Are you okay?! Did that shrine maiden woman do something strange?! I’ll go right now and!”

“Calm down. It’s nothing.”

Groan groan.

Skoll and Hati licked Evan’s cheeks and balls.

Ah. Still, having puppies beside healed him.

Quietly hugging the pets, Lapis sent a strange gaze.

Surely not that?

No way.

“Evan. Can’t you hug me too?”

“No.”

Do you want me arrested?

“Heeng.”

No means no.

Evan, who firmly built an iron wall, lay a bit more then slowly got up.

“Don’t need to lie more? Nom nom.”

Lapis asked.

Her mouth was full of specialty vegetables that only grew in this desert.

Evan nodded.

“Yes. I’ve rested enough…… time to go. Home.”

Home.

Quite a strange resonance.

It was a bit uncomfortable rather than home.

But coming out, he realized.

Home is still the best.

But this feels ominous.

Evan took out a crumpled piece of paper.

He hadn’t noticed, but it was in his pocket.

Since the shrine maiden said nothing, perhaps the witch handed it directly or something else?

– A necromancer is involved in fate. Be careful of the necromancer.

……Be careful of the necromancer?

Why make me anxious again.

I’ll die of anxiety like this?

Groan groan.

“No. It’s a joke. Good boy, yes good……”

Evan patted Hati and Skoll’s heads and fully stood up.

“Lapis. Please call Aegis and Felix?”

“Yes!”

Evan activated the floating shield.

Now the goal was one.

Return without any incidents!

Please let it be so.

He earnestly wished inwardly.

***

“Go well. If you want a grand send-off……”

“Please just let us go.”

“Regrettable.”

After firmly refusing a grand send-off, they immediately left the city.

He put the crystal ball received to contact when needed into his pocket.

The return trip wasn’t uncomfortable.

The carriage had even more functions stuck on since coming here.

Sandworm swallows it? On the contrary, strong enough to burst the sandworm.

At this level, it seemed stronger than Evan.

Creak……..

No. 5 drooped powerlessly.

Wondering why, it was sulking because the shrine maiden was gone.

Speechless, he whacked its head with the staff.

“Snap out of it. You’re a golem, she’s human.”

Creak…….

No. 5 nodded sulkily.

Aegis was lying on the floor.

In that state, fallen into deep sleep.

No matter how comfortable, not to the point of just sleeping, yet snoring away.

“Felix. Please drive.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll escort safely.”

They took a slightly different path back.

The original path still had sandworms rampaging, and people were gathering to hunt sandworms.

Best to detour unnoticed!

Now really nothing will happen.

“Let’s stop by a nearby village and buy a few things.”

“Understood.”

Thus, 2 hours later.

When they stopped at a nearby village.

Felix said with a serious expression.

“Young master.”

“Yes.”

“The village has evaporated.”

….Yes?”

They say only one survived…… lying there saying everything is annoying. By chance…… did you predict this too?”

“Yes??”

No.

I don’t even know this village’s name?