Chapter 850 - Chapter 6: Beyond That Point ⑪
"Let us return to the subject. Indeed, I instructed Jeanne as she said. But when was that?"
"Over ten thousand years ago, I believe. Shortly after the land connection with the continent was lost."
"That's right. In those days, the humans who tried to live on this island would merely be preyed upon by magic beasts if they carelessly entered the forest. I thought it would be pitiful if they were wiped out, so I helped them."
"Indeed."
Over ten thousand years ago? I don't think even the secret books mentioned things from that long ago.
"In those days, humans, lower-level Demon Race, and lower-level spirits all lived together in cooperation."
"Yes. I thought the paradise I idealized could be realized in this land."
"And to realize that, Mother, you separated this land from the continent and made it an island."
"Yes, because the interference of those who governed other lands on the continent was bothersome. Those fellows would grumble, ignoring their own lack of skill. To top it off, humans who had received their guidance were starting to come to this land. I thought I must not let the construction of my precious paradise be interfered with."
T-the White Island becoming an island was the Goddess's power? Amazing... However, are those who govern other places also god-like beings on par with the Goddess?
The moment I wondered, Diana-sama gave me a smile. That must be it. In other words, the White Island was protected by the Goddess in that way.
"However, before I knew it, humans grew arrogant. Taking advantage of the power they gained, they increased their numbers recklessly and began to destroy the forests more and more. They also came into conflict with other races, to the point where the lower-level Demon Race moved deep into the forests out of fear of humans."
On the other hand, there are countries like Engrio and Northern Gram that cherish the forests. So do Finis and Legnentes.
"And finally, you ordered me, who had been helping humans, to thin out the human population. You handed me the black staff. I gave birth to the upper-level Demon Race and led them into a full-scale war with humans."
I thought my heart would stop.
S-such a thing... The Goddess, who was supposed to protect humans... had ordered the God of War to thin out the human population... If the Demon Race had legends like humans, the content would be the exact opposite.
"I must have failed. Looking back now, perhaps it would have been better if I hadn't helped humans from the start."
G-Goddess, is that truly your honest feeling?
"We have undertaken various efforts to create the ideal biota on this star."
Eh? Star? A star, like in the sky? Did I mishear? Or does the Goddess call this world a star? And by 'biota,' I suppose she means various living things?
"It doesn't go well easily. We get stuck. We've started over several times, and each time we killed the majority of the living things in the world. The cause this time is humans. They're just not good. I'm wondering if it might be better to start over after all."
S-starting over, what do you mean by that? If humans aren't good, does that mean humans will be wiped out?
"What do I mean? It means starting over. For example, try dropping a slightly large meteorite somewhere in this world. With just that, the environment will change drastically, and most living things will perish. Then, we let those who survived start over. Of course, it would be a harsh environment for humans, so they wouldn't survive easily. Well, they'd be wiped out."
Could it be that the extinction of the giant dragons in the Dragonewt legends was... The same thing will happen and humans will go extinct? S-such a thing...
If Diana-sama, who had approached me before I knew it, hadn't supported me, I would have collapsed on the spot.
"So, what is this girl's wish?"
I was dazed, but I regained consciousness at the Goddess's words.
"She seems to want me released from the seal."
"From the yoke of [Testament]? Is she saying to nullify it?"
"To be precise, it is not nullification. She asks if the connection between me and that world, which was severed by the external activation of [Testament], can be restored."
"You say such complicated things."
Is it complicated? But she didn't say it was impossible. Doesn't that mean it's not that she can't do it?
"Why?"
"She felt sympathy for me, saying it was pitiful that I couldn't return to my original world."
At the Demon Lord's words, Diana-sama put her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. If the Goddess hadn't been there, she might have laughed out loud.
"Sympathy? Jeanne. Are Brass's words just now true?"
"Y-yes. I don't know if the expression 'sympathy' is correct. However, I thought it would be natural for him to be able to return to the place where he should originally be. If my actions made that impossible, I wanted to correct it somehow."
"Hmm. That is true."
She agreed! Does that mean it will be realized? The banquet with Diana-sama and the Demon Lord... no, Brass-sama!
"And, if possible, if he could be resurrected not for the purpose of thinning out humans, but in a way where we can all have fun banquets together like now..."
As expected, is this too much?
"Hmm. You've certainly come this far for a reason."
"Th-then! Co-existence and co-prosperity are also the teachings of the Goddess!"
"That is true, but wasn't it you humans who broke that?"
"Th-that may be true, but not everyone is like that... If we put more effort into spreading the Goddess's teachings, I believe it can be realized someday..."
The form may still be immature, but there are definitely people trying to live separately.
"Diana. What do you think?"
After a moment of silence, the Goddess asked Diana-sama.
Diana-sama, please, lend me your strength...
"I believe starting over right now would be hasty. Human history has only just begun."
"Hmm. Are you saying we cannot tell after a mere few million years?"
"Yes. I believe observation for tens of millions to a hundred million years is necessary to make a judgment on mass extinction."
"That may be so. However, I cannot speak for others, but we gave humans too much wisdom. They are already getting carried away, but they haven't even reached their peak yet. Before long, they will get too carried away, and far from just destroying the biota, their scientific technology might run wild and shatter this star."
Um, exactly what are you talking about?
"Brass. What about you?"
She also turned to the Demon Lord... no, Brass-sama.
"Thinning out is unnecessary."
That's right! Brass-sama, keep it up!
"Then, what shall we do?"
"Do nothing."
"Do nothing?"
"Yes. Things will turn out as they will anyway. It should be fine to leave them alone for a bit longer. If they self-destruct, so be it. If they try to obtain scientific technology that shatters the star, we can just crush them at that point."
Um, isn't that too negative? Can't we think of a good outcome?
"That would only be a difference of sooner or later."
"There is a one-in-a-million chance, but there might be a stroke of luck."
For some reason, Brass-sama looked at me. Could it be that I am the stroke of luck?
"I do not think this girl is a stroke of luck."
Ah, as I thought.
"However, the future words and actions of those around this person might serve as enlightenment for others."
Hmm. If you say I have connections with various races, I do.
"I will convey it! To the Grand Archbishop, to the kings of each country, and to the heroes who can fight the Demon Lord."
That's not all.
"I will also convey it to the five great spirits, the dragons, the spirits and monsters I'm on friendly terms with, and even the Demon Race."
"Hmm. It is possible for you to convey it."
"Y-yes! Spreading the teachings of co-existence and co-prosperity among various races is not just my personal wish, but my duty as a priest. I will!"
"My eldest daughter and eldest son are telling me to wait. And it is for the sake of Brass's well-being."
"Th-then!"
At the very least, I want to avoid total extinction.
"Jeanne, I may grant your wish. I may also consider postponing the restart."
"Th-thank you very much!"
I did it! If I can have banquets with the Demon Lord, things will definitely change! As expected, the Goddess is great!
"However, it is presumptuous to expect a wish to be granted for nothing."
Um, the offerings from earlier... If more are needed, I will tell the Grand Archbishop and the royalty of each country to provide even larger-scale offerings... If total extinction can be avoided, I think they'll give as much as needed.
"Offerings... no matter how many there are, they are of no use."
Eh! If you say that, it's a total denial of the numerous offerings everyone has made from the past until now!
"No. This is limited to the matter of granting your difficult wish this time."
"Ah, I see."
I was surprised. I thought she was going to say she didn't need offerings anymore. I wouldn't be able to tell anyone when I got back.
"Then, what should I do?"
"It is simple. You must show your spirit."
Spirit, like someone I know...
"You need my power, do you not?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Then, try to win it from me."
"Heh?"
"Do not make such a stupid face. I said try to fight me and win it."
Eh! If I lose, there's a possibility of human extinction, right? That's absolutely impossible!
A large ball of light descended from the ceiling.
I don't know where it came from. It looked like it came through the ceiling from the floor above.
The ball of light floated in front of me.
I almost stepped back instinctively, but Diana-sama, who was standing diagonally behind me, placed her hand on my shoulder, so I didn't.
The ball of light became elongated and took the form of a person. I could predict it since it was almost the same as the five great spirits. And the Goddess revealed her form.
It was quite different from my image.
The image I had held until now was of a person with a gentle expression wearing a white tunic like Diana-sama, based on the sketches of her form. The figure before my eyes was a bellicose female light infantryman from Finis. I thought the Goddess who brings victory to her allies, Diana-sama's younger sister, had appeared.
Her face and arms were painted blue. Flaming red hair with light waves. She wore a silver hair ornament at the back of her head to tie that hair and let it hang down to her waist. Her clothes were white, but like Matilda's, they were sleeveless to the shoulders. She had a silver band tightened at her waist. She must use a bow too. She wore a leather breastplate on her left side, pressing down the swell. She wore a red cloak, fastened at the chest with a large silver clasp. In her right hand, she held a spear. Her deeply chiseled features were certainly beautiful, but her gaze was sharp. She was looking at me with eyes like those of a predator targeting its prey.
"I am Ana."
Ana-sama... Indeed, she is the Goddess of Fertility we believe in.
"I-it is my first time beholding your countenance, so I say this again, but please, l-let me offer a prayer."
Saying that, kneeling and putting down my silver staff, bowing my head was the best I could do.
"Hmm. I shall allow it."
Having received permission, I chanted the same prayer praising the Goddess as before.
My teeth were chattering. My hands were shaking. Even though I was kneeling, my knees felt like they were about to give way. Far from fighting, I might not even be able to stand anymore. My heart was pounding.
The gaze that must be looking down at me was painful. She must be sizing me up as her prey. I understood well the feeling of a frog being stared down by a snake.
Once the prayer was over, the fight would begin. The time spent praying felt like a mere blink of an eye. Is there no way to buy more time? If only there were a longer prayer, one that took about a day to chant in full.
My voice was high-pitched, and the thumping of my heart echoed in my head.
This is... bad. The prayer is over...
"It is finished. Then, Jeanne. Let us begin."
M-my mental preparation...
"It is a match. I shall give you a handicap. I shall not use magic. Only this steel spear. You, whether with magic or a staff, come at me with the intent to die!"
Even if she says that, the Goddess should be able to dispel all my magic. Furthermore, her magic control might be so different that even if I hit her, it might have no effect at all. How on earth am I supposed to attack...
"There!"
She suddenly swung down the spear she held in her right hand. It was aimed at my right shoulder from diagonally above.
Since I was paying attention to the spear, I used the effect of the Cat's Stone to move forward to the left and dodge it, and at the same time, I just ran away.
"What! What are you doing! Where do you think you're going! Come back here this instant!"
She was shouting at the top of her lungs, but I didn't care. I started chanting while running.
"Mother. That is a human specialty. She intends to retreat temporarily and reorganize her stance."
"Tch, humans and their petty tricks!"
Amidst Brass-sama's follow-up, I let out a breath, "fuu," and cast [Almighty Guard]. At any rate, I wanted to solidify my defense.
"Ah, you've activated [Almighty Guard]."
Even for the Goddess, she couldn't dispel an 'Overflow' ultra-high-level spell once it was activated.
"Then, try to endure my attacks!"
No sooner had she said it than she vanished.
"Gakin!"
Was the sound heard first, or did my vision go dark and several stars fly first...
A sudden impact hit the back of my head.
"Jeanne! Pull yourself together!"
I heard Diana-sama's voice.
This is that, isn't it? The Goddess used [Teleport] to get behind me and poked my head with her spear.
As long as I have [Almighty Guard] active, I shouldn't easily take major damage from a steel spear.
I just have to pull myself together.