CH 417

“W-wait! It’s true that Taula isn’t acting like herself. She grabbed your purifying light body with her bare hands and crushed it… I understand that some sort of god like being might be manipulating her… But Araysla, an evil goddess? What about Seilook? Is Seilook a friend of this evil goddess? And why can I take your power?”

I ask questions as I look at Zwei’s hand in front of me.

These things that are happening in quick succession and that I can’t readily accept are leaving me in a state of confusion, but I still can’t just take Zwei’s hand no questions asked.

“This shadow no longer has the strength to explain everything. Plus, Rust Struna Hartnicks, your choice is already made. It was made the moment you reached out to me as Araysla devoured me.”

“That was just in the spur…”

Yes, I did that without thinking, but why did I reach out to Zwei, an enemy, like that? Did I feel something was off somehow?

“Well then, if you don’t take my hand, I will disappear, and you will stay here in this bottle world. Maybe you will be happier that way, but that would not be good for me. I will answer one question, and then I will hear your decision. Good?”

What Zwei’s shadow says sounds unreasonable.

I guess Zwei has a point in that Araysla has incarnated in Taula’s body, and if she’s going around eating everything like that, this is no time to stand here talking. If I don’t hurry and receive that divine power or whatever, by the time I come back what’s going to be waiting for me is…

Ever since I quit the association, I’ve been meeting people that have become important to me. Some are over there, and some are not, but there’s no doubt that they’re all in danger.

“Ahh. I guess I can’t get out of here so soon unless I take your hand. There should be a hole connecting there, but I don’t have time to look for it. So here’s my question. Why me?”

Even I’m surprised by how easily I accepted this and made up my mind, but I might as well ask a question since I have the opportunity.

“The most annoying question you could have asked. Very well, Rust Struna Hartnicks. You are a descendant of Struna Hartnicks, the alchemist who once came closest to god, and I am a homunculus created by said Struna Hartnicks.

Over this long period of time, I too became a demigod, but the origin of my power is the same. Also, I know you are not aware of this, of your peculiarity. You, your kind, are vessels. That is the role the primordial god (server) that shaped this world assigned to you. You absorbed all sorts of knowledge about alchemy into your body that is a vessel, and created a homunculus just as Struna Hartnicks did long ago. You even absorbed the power of the shaman, who had the role of facilitator.

You formed a contract with a dragon siding with Araysla, but that should be void since it became a hero.

And so, you are the one, Rust Struna Hartnicks.”

Zwei’s shadow stops, and stretches its hand towards me again.

I can see that body is slowly disappearing.

“Take my hand, and stop Araysla.”

There’s a lot I don’t really accept, and a lot of questions on my mind, but it’s clear what must be done.

Staying here and doing nothing isn’t an option. I don’t know what will happen, but…

I quickly take Zwei’s hand, as it disappears.