"I finally got here."
Yol looked up at the [White Snake] and murmured.
But this time, it wasn't just the [White Snake].
Saint ──Elijah's hands and legs were stretched out and fixed in the space.
Both eyelids remained tightly closed. You'll wake up right away, but what does she think when she sees the [White Snake]?
Before ──I brought her here, I figured out a way to live, and I remembered her trying to resist Yol.
Elaine seemed to like humans. Otherwise, you would have abandoned Cecilie at the time.
"How can he not lose hope when he's living in such an ugly world?"
It muttered to itself suddenly.
And Joel has not yet grasped the answer. Perhaps such an answer does not exist from the beginning.
But it's useless to think of such a thing──.
"I'm still expecting humans...?"
Thinking so, Joel immediately shakes his head to the side.
That's a stupid idea. Let's not give up hope for humans.
"Nh..."
A voice leaked from Eliane's mouth. Looks like you're finally awake.
Joel switched his head and looked at Eliane's face.
◆◆
"Nh..."
Open your eyes.
──Then it was a strange place.
Is the wall semi-transparent?
The outside is full of water.
It's like being put in a huge tank.
I stretched out my hands and legs and fixed them in the air.
Now you look like a sinner who was crucified.
You're finally awake.
Even though I had not yet grasped the situation, I heard a── man's voice.
Looking forward, there was a puppeteer's jaws floating in the air, looking at me.
But there was no emotion in those eyes.
Black as an abyss without a bottom. I felt the creepiness in those eyes.
"... you mean this is where the [White Snake] is?"
When I asked, Joel nodded facelessly.
Then [The White Snake] is faster than I── think, so I have something to ask.
"Where's Cecily? Answer me."
"Don't panic, he's here."
and Joel sniped his fingers, and the light of the doll appeared beside him.
And it slowly tied the statue──,
Cecilie-chan!
Like me, Cecily floated in the space with her hands and feet fixed.
She seems to have fainted. There is no reply to the call.
However, you can see that your shoulders are slightly raised and lowered by breathing. It seems certain that he is alive.
“I did what you said. Quickly release Cecily-chan!"
"Well, wait. Even if you don't panic, this one isn't necessary." I'll give it back to you. Before I do that──,
Saying that, Yol shifts his gaze to the other side of the wall.
"Look at that first. It's the evil god── [White Snake]."
I looked beyond Joel's gaze and saw a white snake swimming around in the water.
But it's not just a snake.
It's so huge that I don't know where the edge is.
In that overwhelming form, I unexpectedly took a breath.
Moreover... when I looked closely, countless dots appeared around the [White Snake].
"These things disappeared from the city by the power of the [White Snake]." I'll tell you something── like 'something important'. "
"In a place like this..."
Some of them have a slight idea of what it is.
──Is that the clock tower?
I don't know for sure from here, but it looks like it was in Lynchgi Ham.
"... what are you thinking? What are you planning with the [White Snake]?"
"Hmm, it's wrong to go with the [White Snake]." Because [The White Snake] has no will. I'm just trying to use this [White── Snake] to destroy this world. "
"The world...!? Do you think you can do that?"
Of course, with the [White Snake]── and the power of the Holy Maiden.
The jaws gulped lightly.
That's why you brought me here alive.
"After all, you seem to have some idea of what it looks like." You're a saintly woman. "
I still can't feel the sway of emotions from the talking yawl.
It ──seemed like I didn't care about anything in this world.
"Your best answer. Let's explain the power of the [White Snake] again." Sometimes people go missing, as if they used magic once in a while, right? This is what you call a hidden phenomenon.
That's not all. A dictator may suddenly disappear during a war. Sometimes serial killings stop abruptly, and── they're all brought about by the power of the [White Snake]. ”
Silently listening, Joel continues to be even more expressionless.
"And this incident was also a release of the power of such a [White Snake]." But... even though I was using a little bit of my hand to exercise the [White Snake] power too much, I used the power of the [White Snake] to bring you and this little girl here.
However, the [White Snake] 's power was rapidly weakening. The [White Snake] was already at its limit. Life will soon expire, but── how do you humans feel about ten years ago? "
Ten years──
It was good news that the lifespan of the [White Snake] was about to expire.
But how many sacrifices will be made in those ten years? With that in mind, we can't just leave them alone.
"But then the world cannot be extinguished." The power of the [White Snake] will be weakened from now on, and even if it could, it would have wiped out half of Lynchgi Ham. "
and Joel mouths out and points at me.
"That's── where you needed the power of the Holy Maiden." You will supply the [White Snake] with magic power for over a thousand years in this space. That way, the [White Snake] can continue its activities until it wipes out the world. "
"Isn't that why you're bothering me if I die..."
At that time,── I said, "Bite my tongue and die."
Because Joel didn't seem to want to harm me.
I mean... I thought my life would be a bargaining ingredient.
The conjecture did not seem to be wrong.
But do you think I can share my magic power with the [White Snake] when I hear it?
“You wouldn't do that. I see... let's make it visible first. [The White Snake] has lived a lifetime."
Snap your fingers.
Then the body of the [White Snake] burned with white flames.
"This flame is the lifespan of the [White Snake]." But now I'm weak. It's going to be gone soon. Meanwhile... take a look at your own body. "
Joel tells me to drop my gaze on my chest.
A white flame similar to that of the [White Snake] appeared there at some point.
However, it wasn't like the [White Snake], and it was just a small light.
"I made a direct connection between your life and the [White Snake]." No matter what your will is, it will automatically supply the [White Snake] with magic power. It was possible because your magic power and the magic power of the [White Snake]── gods were very similar.
That said, there are risks involved. It means that without you, the [White Snake] won't be able to keep itself alive anymore. If you don't do anything, the life you had ten years ago will be zero in an instant. But── I'm only interested in erasing the world. Therefore, there is no such risk. "
"I mean... if I die and this light goes out, the [White Snake] 's flame will go out in the same way."
"That's right."
Joel shook his head slowly and vertically.
... let's summarize the story.
Yol wants to wipe out the world. But with the lifespan of the [White Snake] approaching, he dies before his ambitions are fulfilled.
So I and [The White Snake] tried── to extend their lives by connecting their magical powers and lives. In this case, if I die, the remaining lifespan of the [White Snake] will be exhausted in an instant.
Then──.
"Don't think about strange things."
Yol opens his mouth, as he previews my thoughts.
"As you can imagine, even if you die, it doesn't mean that you directly killed the [White Snake], so no divine punishment will occur." But you're powerless when you're── here. This space is the edge of the Divine Realm. In the divine world, suicide is a great sin. Whether you're trying to die for (...) or (...), it's a system that can't do that. "
Oh, so you want to give it a try?
"Even if I try, I won't have a problem." However, this exchange is troublesome all the── time. I'll let you take this little girl hostage. "
And now Yol turned his face to Cecilie-chan.
... is that what you're doing?
"... it seems that you can't use the power of the Saintess anymore."
"Yeah. All I want is your magic power." No need for futile force. "
Earlier, I thought about activating barrier magic and healing magic, but── it didn't work.
Even if I tried to communicate with the goddess, I didn't hear back.
I can still feel the magic power inside my body.
"You're already stuffed." You can't even leave this space without the power of the goddess. If you die, the [White Snake] will live, but you can't even die on your own. Give up. "
“We can't just give up. I promised you that I would 'solve the case'. I'll definitely do something about it.”
and gently groaning back at Joel,
"Kukukuku..."
He laughed out of his mouth without expression.
"Apparently, you haven't lost hope in── this desperate situation." I admit,── you're a tougher woman than I expected. "
"Thank you for that."
Because I don't want to keep being a princess just waiting for help.
Even while doing so, I thought countless ways to get out of this predicament.
But you── can't.
No matter what path you follow, you have to sacrifice something.
The best option is for── me to die and stop the [White Snake] rampage.
However, they have sealed off their suicide. I'm taking a break from everything, but── that's no reason to give up.
──You're here, right?
While exchanging conversations with Joel,── suddenly trying to grab his tail, he raised his voice as if he had noticed something.
What's the matter?
"A foreign object is about to enter this space." And it was for two. Of course, one of them is just as calculated. "
……
Maybe──, Nigel?
But how did you get into this space?
Besides, who is the other for two? Everyone has no idea.
"You humans will scratch your feet." I thought they were all boring people, but some of them seemed to have bones. But── this won't quench my thirst. "
When Joel says that, his body gradually fades.
“Where are you going?”
"We just need to get rid of the foreign object." I'll be right back. "
Are you planning to move to a place── where the appearance of Joel is disappearing?
But before he disappeared completely, I asked.
“Who the hell are you? Answer me.”
"What are you going to do about it?" But... that's right. Shall I teach only those who have served the [White Snake] for many years? And for a reason.── "
It's the only thing── I've ever served.
"If so, why are you...──"
Before I could spin the next question, Joel disappeared from sight.