No Game No Life-Vol 7 Chapter 2

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Chapter 2


Chapter 2 —


Whodunit


Over-Explanation


Floating on the threshold of death, Miko——saw a


distant dream.


That was a distant...... comparable to eternity for a


dead person, a far old memory.


But for the undesiring girl, wandering alone for an


eternity, falling asleep at last——such a dream......


The girl recognized for the first time——was the


universe wriggling into creation.


It wasn’t even creation and destruction, the wriggling


heaven and earth merely painted over creation with


creation.


The girl asked——[What place is this], [Who am I].


The universe had nothing that could reply, but what did


——was the girl’s [Quintessence].


Her [Quintessence] replied——[This is a


star


planet],


[Thou is a G.o.d].


But the girl’s next query, her [Quintessence] simply


remained forever silent without responding.


——[What is a G.o.d] ——......


In that long silence, the girl simply took up a single


brush, continued questioning, continued writing.


Just a few words, she waited to the end for something


to reply, but what arrived were only the fires of war.


Turning towards the conflicting G.o.ds breaking the star,


the girl who asked merrily——received only an idle


reply.


Who are you——I am a G.o.d. What is a G.o.d——A G.o.d


is a G.o.d——............


——The girl didn’t know, but Miko drifting in her


memories knew.


She didn’t have an “ego” on that star——to still


question [why].


The lonely philosopher who held her knee questioning


eternity, disappointed——fell into an eternal slumber.


Just one at the end of eternity. Finally getting an


answer, she embraced it lovingly——


【————Yes. Until thou awakened me. 】


With the resounding voice, the drifting far away


Miko’s consciousness was lifted up............


[......I wonder......? Why, am I still alive?]


Looking around to her surroundings, Miko noticed her


eyes were——no.


She didn’t have any of her senses.


Within the unclear silence, she heard the familiar


voice echoing inside her consciousness.


【——Denial. If you release this hand, then your soul


will soon fall off the dew and disappear. 】


Those words belonged to that girl, the [Quintessence],


she harbored within her body for many years.


It was a voice that sounded to be emotionless, lifeless


——without any warmth.


[I see. But we can’t talk if I die, you know? See, it’s


exactly because we can’t, you even became the dew,


right.]


Somehow, it seemed her soul was being held——


literally, “in the palm of G.o.d’s hands”.


Although she didn’t seem to not only have a mouth and


throat, but not even a body——Miko laughed loudly.


Maybe it was because that didn’t please her, but......


【——Thou. For scheming against G.o.d, know your


place. 】


For one instant, Miko’s consciousness was certainly


cut off.


She surely should’ve “died” in the palm G.o.d put her


power into——but she remained completely aloof


regardless.


I admit it. Even proudly. That I deceived an Old


Deus, and used her——and that’s because——


[Isn’t “the one who got deceived the one at fault”, a


rule of


Disboard


this world?]


——Once again, her consciousness got cut.


Did she die for a single moment again?


[I wish you’d stop killing and resurrecting me as you


please. It’s making my blood run cold——ah but I also


don’t have blood, do I?]


【——Thou schemed. Twice. 】


The G.o.d’s words of condemnation were words that,


just by themselves, would bring annihilation if it weren’t


for the [Ten Oaths]. But——


[Why are you sulking? I guess that means the game


must be proceeding as expected, huh.]


That’s right, if it’s proceeding just like she schemed,


then——


As if replacing the reply, Miko’s field of vision


opened even though she didn’t have even one of her five


senses.


She saw each one of the partic.i.p.ants proceeding on the


spiral drawn by the lands and separated as squares.


Apparently, things are all proceeding as planned——


[——You will lose you know?]


She laughed pleased, even forgetting she was in a


situation where she was immersed in death to the top of


her head.


【Affirmative. That may happen to a G.o.d deceived


twice by the Provisional Fee——everything is possible,


with nothing to be gained. 】


The G.o.d’s face as she said that couldn’t be seen.


But her voice didn’t contain any traces of emotion,


concern or interest at all.


Desiring nothing, expecting nothing, discarding


everything as if it was meaningless, the same as worthless


【I care not for what will happen. Winning or losing


——all that changes is the [outcome]. The [conclusion]


will not change. 】


——It seemed to be...... just like a child sulking.


【Thou schemed and betrayed——from the moment


thou sold me, the limit of the solution thou seeks would not


change anymore.】


Miko gave a wry smile since the girl wasn’t aware


herself.


Miko knew——no, she couldn’t understand.


She simply found out that it was like that.


For an Old Deus——for that girl, even the way to


measure the time itself seemed to differ from theirs.


Those eyes overlooking countless branches of futures,


and even the possible worlds, could already see the


outcome of this game——in that case, surely it must be


seeing what lied ahead of that outcome, as if it were


countless predetermined facts.


But.


[It’ll change...... the outcome and also the conclusion,


along with you.]


——It’s useless.


For starters, from the moment she was deceived by


Miko, it was clear there were things unknown even to the


G.o.ds.


That’s even more true when it’s about “this girl”


——Miko erased her laugh from her voice.


[I schemed, deceived, and betrayed you. The first time


unintentionally, the second time intentionally. Still——]


With a tinge of loneliness dyeing her voice, Miko even


so spoke——aggressively.


[I did not tell any lies. If you didn’t understand that,


then that’s the limit of what you can see.]


——When she told Miko, “thou sold me”.


In the end, the transcendental race’s recognition, its


range of comprehension...... was “just to that degree”,


she thought.


[I——and those people; they will also bring you


along, beyond that.]


That’s why she still declared, fearlessly.


[Skepticism is synonymous with trust. The move


which you don’t know of and I also once gave up on——


that will drag both the outcome and conclusion along with


the entire world, and change it all...... don’t you think the


move that will pull in such a future——will be a sight to


behold?]


【So they are what will pull it in——I see, so that must


be what thou calls a ‘spectacle’.】


The scenery captured in G.o.d’s eyes.


It was reflected in the vision it shared with Miko——


the figure of the ones approaching.


[P-Probably...... surely...... ah...... I wonder if it


was too precipitated......?]


——It’s alright...... it should be. Probably,


maybe...... surely——


——152


th square.


The place they are aiming for with their third move


was the 204


th square.


Based on s.h.i.+ro’s map, it was a plain grazing the


country of Haywest, the Elven Garde’s territory on the


Andalusia Continent.


From the rocks, it dissolved into an aqua color until


the barren wilderness halfway forming a desert.


The ones gathering attention from the pinnacle,


reaching for the ends of possibilities even G.o.d didn’t


know of were——right now,


“Hyaahahh screw that about walking with a person’s


legs, relying on tools is how we do it!”


——The potential of humans lies not on their bodies


but on their wisdom! or so he was shouting loudly.


A Harley ran through——splitting the wind, and


tearing through the wasteland.


The roar of the engine hit the atmosphere as it went to


the end of the period, literally roaring through it.


“S-Soraa!? Just what is thisssssss!?”


“......Ni, Nii...... r-reduce...... the, speed......”


The middle-aged man, pus.h.i.+ng the two screaming


children (provisionally two years old) into the sidecar,


roared.


“Don’t say something so rude, sister! Can’t you hear it


——the voice of the wind, telling me to become the


light!!”


Towards her older brother, whose eyes through the


rider goggles were harboring madness while saying some


ambiguous things.


s.h.i.+ro thought——it traced back to a few hours


ago......


————............


It’s been 14 days since the start of the game——they’ve


ran out of food supplies.


“I’ve had enough...... I wanna go home, or rather, it’s


already over so everyone will die ahahahaha.”


“......Nii...... can s.h.i.+ro...... reach, the......


goal......?”


“Ah, a pink elephant is flying~...... it won’t take much


if we ride on that♪”


The three of them were still in their second move——


walking like ghosts on the 58


th square, where they


performed the


ritual


random number a.n.a.lysis.


......In the first place, it was by a miraculous luck they


managed to get hold of a cart so quick.


Losing the cart, they procured subst.i.tute legs, and in


the end they even made a bicycle on their own and


proceeded——


But the road-less path extending for 580km was far too


harsh for such a quickly-made ride.


Every time they lost the ride they struggled to obtain,


their hearts came closer to breaking——and unaware of it.


——I would rather walk than that, and the three of


them unthinkingly stepped forward with their own legs.


Only their dice increased smoothly, depending on


whom stepped on Sora and s.h.i.+ro’s tasks——but.


Sora and the others simply kept walking mindlessly,


evading the sun, escaping from the rain and getting


frightened of wild animals.


After spending more than two weeks like that, they


exhausted their food supplies, and finally fell into despair


——it was at that time.


Their vision blackened——they reached their


destination——at the end of the 119


th


loading


Square Movement].


The place where the outcome of [58] pointed to......


was the 120


th square, the one with the【Task】.


Those three were standing up lonely on the open


wilderness——and like them, there was a single billboard


standing alone.


——【Answer the name of this motorcycle’s maker. If


you can answer it, then you can take it! 】


At the side of the billboard, where they read one


sentence written by Sora and s.h.i.+ro themselves, was that.


A high-consumption large-sized motorcycle vehicle


with a side-car attached, making its engine growl and with


the fuel tank full.


Like always, it was a task that only Sora and s.h.i.+ro


could answer——and, although unlikely, maybe Jibril


——in other words.


——[Harley]


[24]


.


Throwing the dice once again, Sora rode on the Harley


smiling at the miracle witnessed by G.o.d——


“Hahah!! Using over half of the Tasks for [legs] really


paid off! Roar, V-Type Air-Cooled DOHC Evolution


Engine!!


[25]


Run through the spiral’s horizons, now, until


the sky!!!”


——And that’s how it became like that.


“......Ni, Nii, did you, have, a license......?”


s.h.i.+ro asked the obvious while the wind hit her face,


trying distract herself from the fear.


There’s no way he had that.


Forget about the license for a large bike, he had no


experience on driving anything aside a granny’s bike.


The community of the hikikomori NEETs don’t even


have the slightest motivation needed to obtain something


like that.


“The license to ride a Harley? Hah, of course I have


But the reply of her older brother as he raised his


thumb with all his heart went over——diagonally above


her expectations.


“The burning soul of an old man! The American


spirit!! Right here in my heart!!”


“......Nii, we are, j.a.panese...... also, it’s unclear if


we, have even the Yamato-Damas.h.i.+


[26]...... since we


are hikikomoris.”


The shout came from provisionally 43.2-year-old


virgin, Sora, who collected s.h.i.+ro and Steph’s dice——


“......Furthermore, that’s a ‘misrepresentation of age’


......come back, to sanity......!”


Regardless of the age he appeared, she a.s.serted the


inside was definitely the 18-year-old virgin Sora, but.


“Calm down, sister...... your brother’s heart had


never before been this much enlightened. It’s alright?”


s.h.i.+ro nodded insecure, as her brother once again


started speaking weirdly while smiling like a Buddha.


That change without any context was the best proof


nothing was okay at all, but——


“People are distinguished based on the country they


were born——would you say something so sad?”


——We are the world; we are the children.


Seeming about to sing like that, Sora looked at the


distance through the goggles.


“Would you be unable to know about Yamato if you


haven’t been born on j.a.pan? Feel the Yamato and honor


the Yamato...... Is that something you cannot do, as long


as you weren’t born inside the frame border known as the


j.a.pan drawn on the map? Your brother doesn’t think so.”


“......That...... is...... b-but, Nii——”


“America——that’s a good example. The only ones


considered Americans are its citizens——right?”


“......Y-yes...... it’s a country, of immigrants......but”


“However, both those of American birth and the


immigrants pride themselves of the America. Touch the


heart and know the mind. Not as a frame border——but on


the moment they touch that heart built up by the people,


that heart will also dwell in them.”


——Therefore, it’s not a problem of birth.


As her brother revised his Buddha smile and yelled


with a Kongōrikis.h.i.+


[27]


smile, s.h.i.+ro became convinced.


“I touched the


heart


Harley and an AMERICAN dwelt there


——I already am America!!”


——What should I do...... Nii is broken......


“W-Well, besides, that’s just in public isn’t it? Aren’t


those Earth’s legislative regulations? There aren’t any


policemen here either, are there?”


The self-proclaimed American complemented while


mumbling with such a chicken heart.


“s.h.i.+ro, it’s not just my impression right~ Sora is


already no good.”


Although reluctant, s.h.i.+ro held the exact opinion as that


disheartened comment, so she said out of despair.


“And also——well, isn’t it about time to consider a


serious problem......?”


“Problem!? There are no problems! Put the love from


the America, and——


what will be will be


let it be!!!”


“......Nii...... the Be○tles


[28]


, are...... from


England......!”


“As if I’ll let that whatever it may be happen!! S-s.h.i.+ro


understands too don’t you? Like picking up flowers——”


“......s.h.i.+ro, is a bishoujo...... and bishoujos, don’t


use...... toilets......”


“Eh, what did you say!? It’s hard to hear due to the


engine and the wind so please speak louder!!”


The flow went with her older brother developing


(physically) a protagonist’s deafness disease followed by


a combo of s.e.xual hara.s.sment, but she went with the flow


and ignored it.


s.h.i.+ro took out a tablet PC from the rucksack crus.h.i.+ng


Steph, and thought.


......Rather, it’s normal for her brother to be this


broken......


——It’s been over 18 days since the game started......


436 hours and 18 minutes to be accurate.


Their food supplies been exhausted, the fatigue was


piling up, let alone they haven’t had much sleep.


Even if it’s not monsters...... dangers enough to kill


people, like wild dogs, insects, and weather where


everywhere.


It was a long journey that’s scarce even in


environments where one could relax and rest——it would


be weirder if one didn’t break down.


......Though there was one exception, who was


carried on the back whenever she got tired of walking, and


would rest on the chest when laying down.


Except for s.h.i.+ro, who had “Nii” ——the best


portable bed that allowed her to have a sound sleep


regardless of the place.


Then from here on it’s my own job, s.h.i.+ro murmured


on her mind, and started her thoughts——sorting


situation, start.


——The names, number of dice possessed, including


their provisional ages——are as it follows:


Sora with [24] dice——43.2 years old.


s.h.i.+ro with [2] dice——2.2 years old.


Steph with [1] die——1.8 years old.


The reason why s.h.i.+ro and Steph are infants obviously


wasn’t for the sake of the


Old man Soul


Harley’s license.


If they become smaller, then the amount of food


supplies they need will reduce.


When walking, they would give priority to the stamina,


and would redistribute the dice.


The reason why s.h.i.+ro would keep two dice and Steph


one, was so her dice wouldn’t reach zero if her task was


coincidentally broken through.


It was exactly because they repeatedly adjusted the


dice based on the situation accurately that they came this


far——but.


The one who carried the burden born from that


repet.i.tion without letting even a single complaint slip out


was——her brother.


And as a result, Sora suffered a major damage——one


making people think the only reason he hasn’t sunk yet was


because he’s the flags.h.i.+p.


Steph——had excluded her requests along with her


thoughts.


She would live strongly with ‘there’s no shame since I


don’t even have panties’ spirit——conclusion.


(......There’s an urgent need to secure...... food


supplies, for Nii...... and an environment, which Nii can


get, a good sleep......)


——Current position, 152


th square.


At somewhere grazing the western border of a country


on Elven Garde’s territory, Haywest.


Number of dice and number of remaining squares until


the [Objective], the estimated


time and amount of fuel


necessary——


“......Ah.”


Pinching the LCD of the Tablet PC, s.h.i.+ro widened the


map showing there.


Discovering “a certain thing” barely included on the


current coordinates’square, she raised her voice.


She immediately made a formula——no, she indexed


a calculative formula, and murmured.


“......Nii...... at 2.4km to the east from here......


there’s a small city...... and an...... ‘inn’......”


“Inn!? Lodgings! Aren’t inns good when you’ve been


camping outside without taking a bath for more than two


weeks!?”


Being crushed by luggage and s.h.i.+ro, Steph reacted


with full force to that murmur, even faster than Sora.


——There’s also a toilet there, though Steph didn’t


say it, she took a single glance at s.h.i.+ro, who nodded.


But Sora slightly frowned his eyebrows, dubiously.


It’s just natural, s.h.i.+ro thought inside her mind.


That’s because s.h.i.+ro did not mind it even though the


word “bath” popped up——but.


“It’s fine! Hurry up and go already! Hurry, hurry up!


The flower! The flower is!!”


“......You, saying flower in a situation like this, you


sure are strong huh...... what will you do with something


like a flower, eat it?”


“Right! Now! If you don’t head there then——I’ll


jump down, alright!?”


“I-I got it, I said I got it! Really, and we finally got that


tension out......”


Sora said in a good condition, but just good enough to


not let her notice it was the last s.h.i.+ne before the candle


burned out.


Pouting——he reluctantly lowered the bike’s body.


Drifting loudly, he made the sidecar float while


making a turn and raised up sand——


“Hyaaaaaaaaaah is this vehicle unable to turn around


without doing thissss!?”


“That is right !!”


——s.h.i.+ro even got moved at the lie her brother


instantly replied without a single moment of hesitation.


“Is that so! Then it can’t be helped rightttttttttttttttttttt!!”


With Steph’s screams as the klaxon, the bike went


heading towards the small forest.


■ ■ ■ ■ ■


——On the same 152th square...... coincidentally at


the same time.


There was a figure of a man kicking the ground while


running on all fours, trying to overtake that klaxon.


It was Hatsuse Ino with four dice——provisionally


39.2 years old, wearing a black and red aura.


The red vapor, was proof of the [Blood Devastation]


——it was the vaporization of the boiling blood, but,


“Yes, well, it was my mistake alright? It may be a


blunder I committed without a single speck of intention,


but you know what?”


——The pitch-black color was proof of the laughing


beast’s boiling killing intent while baring its fangs.


Ino was enraged. He was boiling with more rage than


he ever did before.


Two moves before, Ino stopped on a certain square


and was told so by the voice that echoed:


————[Pluck out the thingy in your crotch and die


for the sake of the world.] ——Death, through


the【Task】he wrote himself.


Naturally, Ino closed his eyes——You’ll kill people,


so you also will get killed.


He long since prepared himself for that natural


retribution, but he still shed a single tear for the sake of his


prided son who would get plucked out.


And then, after a few minutes, or maybe a few hours,


waiting for his own death after accepting everything ——


he finally noticed.


His tasks didn’t contain any specifications and, as such,


there was no coercive power......


——At the same time, he cried in relief since he kept


praying Izuna wouldn’t step on his tasks.


He prayed...... every hour he would bow down on the


ground and make a wish for Miko-sama.


He burned with regret and repentance.


He prayed...... he even wholeheartedly begged that


Sole G.o.d for the first time in his life while shedding tears


of blood.


Hey almighty s.h.i.+tty brat residing on the heavens, do


something good once in a while.


His prayers were answered——the cute Izuna


wouldn’t die due to his own foolishness anymore.


But it wasn’t goodwill making that come true——it


was a mocking voice.


Thus he realized that——in this world, there isn’t


anyone who will listen to prayers of goodwill.


This world is simply and merely filled with evil


intentions...... it must be corrected no matter what.


And for the moment, there was someone who certainly


noticed it yet still incited him——that monkey.


——Ino’s initial speculation was this.


Unlike himself, the clever Izuna would certainly


notice the true intention of this game, and be victorious.


Then it’d be fine if I just obliterate Sora without


fail, and transfer the dice to Izuna when the opportunity


arrives.


But——that’d be troubling now, Ino thought while


shaving his own life, sprinting towards the goal.


If he reached the goal, then all of his requests would


be granted——then.


——I must run aiming for the world’s victory known


as “make Sordono die” no matter what——!!!


His rationality spoke...... you reap what you sow.


Rather, there’s too much leniency since the retribution


for trying to kill someone ended up being just that.


Why do people fight——they fight for the sake of


peace, isn’t that putting the horse before the cart?


But after things came this far, it’s too late to act


intelligently now.


Why do they fight? ——It’s because they are stupid.


Then as the fool strangling his own neck while going


for yours and holding a misplaced anger now, I’ll bark


like the fool I am.


——In other words.


“It seems I can’t calm down unless I bury my fist in


that face at least once, isn’t that so, d.a.m.n monkey?!”


THIS! ——IS THIS!!


THAT! ——IS THAT!!


“Eh, excuse me for the rudeness, although I don’t think


I’m being rude in the least. Are you Hatsuse Ino-sama?”


......Ino hardened his resolve, and even shaved off his


life as he sprinted in order to surpa.s.s that sound.


But then that absurd——Jibril abruptly asked with an


air of composure, while going in parallel with him.


“Hahaha...... although it can be expected of a


birdbrain, but even birds have good sight, you know?”


Even if he became younger, there was but one single


male Warbeast in this game.


After Ino acted sarcastically, Jibril gazed at a book for


some reason——gave a single nod, and——


“Please excuse me for that...... I never really cared


much about the distinction between a


canine


Warbeast and a


dog


beast


aside from whether they walk on two feet or four legs, so


something like their gender is——ah, how about this: if


you remain on four legs for all eternity, wouldn’t you also


be cla.s.sified with the [beasts] and decrease the number of


items in the dictionary by one!?”


Jibril said so with a full smile, Ino unintentionally


stopped on his feet.


——He quietly stood up on two legs and showed a


wordless rejection.


“ah~...... what a pity——well, let’s put that aside


She made a regretful face for a single instant, but


maybe she didn’t really care about that——she suddenly


pointed to the forest,


“There are three presences of Imanity over there——


two of them are the Masters, right?”


“......? ......Why, would you ask that to me?”


“No, it was just a little greeting and...... ah, please


continue crawling on the ground from now on too ♪”


——The sub-audio said “I have no more use to you


so disappear”.


Sending off Jibril’s back as she jumped and went off


with a smile, Ino said out doubtful.


“......Why, is she still here?”


That absurdity can teleport as much as she wants——


no.


Even if it was sealed due to the rule of proceeding


through the squares with the dice, it was someone who


could calmly follow him, even though he was running with


enough force to reach the speed of the sound.


What reason could she have for still being here——


rather——


Why would she purposefully tell Ino she was going to


greet Sora and s.h.i.+ro——?


“......Are you telling me to cool down my head a bit


——and ‘question it’?”


That uncomfortable feeling——the true nature of this


game Ino had yet to understand.


That act was something far too unbecoming of


Jibril...... but——


■ ■ ■ ■ ■


——On the eastern border of the 152


th square, there


was a city...... just like s.h.i.+ro calculated.


Elven Garde, in a country town in a remote place at


the suburbs of the Haywest province——a fragment of it.


There was one part of a [human village] barely


reflected on this Sugoroku, since the square breaks down


just a little further ahead.


That place was nothing more than sc.r.a.ps just a little


further ahead from the border of Elven Garde——but.


Compared to Elkia——no, even with the previous


world, the cultural differences were dimensions apart.


A style with its own sophistication that one would


hesitate to call it an “architecture”.


The house and the road woven with trees elegantly


blended into the forest filled with gorgeous colors from


the watery light released by the jellyfish-like flower


swimming in the air.


Though in such fantasy-like [


city


Forest] taken out by G.o.d


——there weren’t any signs of elves, the residents.


——Everyone must have let out exclamation marks at


that scenery, and stood still.


That highlight was one that must’ve made the game


designer display all the sense he had in his spirit.


But what had echoed without any intention of reading


the mood was——


——Popo-papapararara~n ♪


“Sora obtained a mysterious gra.s.s——wait, this


again, I’ve already had enough of you, d.a.m.n it!!”


Making the sound effect himself, the middle-aged man


shouted while slamming the flowing [mysterious gra.s.s] to


the ground.


Before the urgent hunger, both admiration and


emotion won’t be of any use.


Fully ignoring the scenery, the 43.2 years old Sora


violently rode through the house, Harley and all, and


rummaged it.


“......Nii, the elves...... are, vegetarians......”


“That’s a lie, right!? Then where the h.e.l.l did the


nutrients from Fiel’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s came from!? Even for cows


with their fats, they don’t inflate like that, right?! There


should be at least rice, meat and meat somewhere right!?”


Guessing by the sound effect——it was the “Hero’s”


privilege of the eight Dra*** Que**


[29]


.


After arbitrarily entering people’s house and making a


household inspection, he then claims a mysterious


authoritarianism, but.


When a grimy middle-aged man does that, it’s


unmistakably the burglar act of a “bandit” ——


“......Can, I ask...... something......?”


“Hii!? W-What’s it is? D-Does s.h.i.+ro wants me to, w-


wash your clothes too?”


The young girl secretly drying her washed clothes


jumped at s.h.i.+ro’s voice and laughed nervously.


Having fully ignored the scenery just like them, she ran


around searching for something at the same time they


invaded the house——and then.


——After a [Biee~en] voice echoed, the 1.8 years old


Steph came back with a single towel.


While measuring the distance with a shuffle——


s.h.i.+ro asked.


“............L, size......?”


“It’s S! ——wait that’s wron——wha——I have no


idea what is this talk about——*Biee-en*!!”


Noticing there was no smoothing it, Steph dived onto


the bed as if to run away from s.h.i.+ro.


And then in just a few seconds, she sank into a dream


——this time, it was to run away from reality.


......For starters, they were completely exhausted.


Not a single one of them could afford to care about the


scenery.


Sora couldn’t nor did Steph and——obviously s.h.i.+ro


couldn’t either.


That’s right, that was because even now, s.h.i.+ro was


ferociously filling her small head with a certain


calculation.


The reason they came here, the reason why she


induced her brother to come to this place, and even the


sentences threw at Steph, everything.


It all was for the sake of the “formula” that would be


perfected if she removed Steph from this place——


——Theorem Proving Project, commencing the re-


verification of the


situation


variable.


Induction of [


Nii


Point N] into the


this house


Specified Coordinates


——Confirmed.


Existence of the


bath


necessary project values in


this house


Specified Coordinates——Confirmed.


Established Project, variation of the


dice


variable values


by three points——Confirmed.


Turning the Established Project’s


delivery


variable values


constant——


Nii


Point N twenty-four,


s.h.i.+ro


Point S two——


Confirmed to be possible.


Removal of


Steph


floating random number——Confirmed.


——Re-verification is over.


Induction’s Functional Equation——Proving is


possible.


(...... Now, Nii——let’s, start, the


game


certification


......?)


Saying so inside her mind, s.h.i.+ro showed a wicked


smile behind Sora’s back——Sora and the two gourds.


Sora sensitively perceived that disturbing presence


and what lied beyond his gaze was——.


“——Wait, whaaaat!? s.h.i.+ro, tha——that’s


dangerous!!”


s.h.i.+ro’s figure could be seen extending her hand above


a high shelf after piling up many platforms.


Sora hurriedly embraced s.h.i.+ro, her foothold was


wavering unstably as if almost collapsing, and roared.


“——d.a.m.n! Just why are you pretending to be playing


Dra○est


[30]


while letting a two-year-old infant work, are


you stupid or what, Sora provisionally 43 years old! It’s


exactly because you’re like that you’re still are a virgin


even after your forties!!”


Until now, Sora has been accurately and finely


controlling the situation and adjusting the number of dice.


But now that exhaustion reached the extreme, he


noticed, although late, he forgot about the distribution of


the dice and said.


“......My bad, s.h.i.+ro. I should’ve noticed it earlier


——erm......?”


While being held up by her brother, s.h.i.+ro lowered her


face——and thinly laughed.


Sora was looking at the shelf s.h.i.+ro extended her hand


to——and this...... is what he is thinking.


——How about I return a few dice to her.


That’s what he’s thinking...... that’s what you would


definitely end up thinking.


For starters, it was a height s.h.i.+ro couldn’t reach, even


if he returned eight dice to her and she went back to ten


dice——her original age.


The brother’s excellence on situation judgment would


fetch s.h.i.+ro’s intention——desire to help with searching


for supplies.


And he’ll will determine that——it wouldn’t be bad


to have more manpower.


“Hm. Then, I’ll keep ten——I’m alright with the 18-


year-old body, so I’ll hand you the remaining fourteen,


okay s.h.i.+ro?”


——That’s right, he’ll definitely do that.


s.h.i.+ro gulped, and nodded with her head.


Until here it’s exactly as I calculated——s.h.i.+ro


seemed apologetic, though it was to hide the faint smile


she let overflow.


Those dice he shared were age.


The original value was equivalent to [ten] dice, so if


you increase or decrease it by one——the age would


increase or decrease by a tenth.


And so, if s.h.i.+ro who’s holding two dice were to


receive the fourteen dice handed out by Sora,


——She would possess [sixteen dice].


Receiving the long-awaited dice——s.h.i.+ro laughed.


(...... Bye bye, loli body...... Bye bye, flatness——)


Immediately following, s.h.i.+ro’s body got enveloped in


light——her limbs suddenly grew and stretched.


The little Steph was sleeping peacefully——s.h.i.+ro


envisioned her original appearance.


She had b.r.e.a.s.t.s filled with dreams——even though


she’s just a Steph.


She had a gorgeous and selfish body——even though


she’s just a Steph.


That was...... but now, laughing with her nose, she


murmured in her heart.


——I feel bad for tricking you, but this is also part


of the


game


job, see...... I’ll be going ahead of you, Steph.


Farewell, the s.h.i.+ro with an underdeveloped body......


Welcome, the s.h.i.+ro with a gorgeous body......!


With that body, the first formula would be completed


——basically, if she’s just seducing Nii then——!


...... If she did that, then......


“........................huh?”


The one who murmured that was Sora——who


returned to being 18 years old with ten dice.


“............What? ......? ...... Nii, this......?”


But——Is it just my impression? the one troubled


was s.h.i.+ro who looked up to her brother.


The fact her height of vision remained the same as


she’s used to was only her impression...... wasn’t it?


s.h.i.+ro tilted her neck, gave a smile, and suddenly let


her hands slip on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s,


...... Flat. Flat, flat flat flat......


“......Nii, it’s as flat as a board, you know? ......


It’s quite flat, isn’t it!?”


The lights disappeared from s.h.i.+ro’s eyes at the


sensation of stroking nothing but air.


s.h.i.+ro couldn’t help but laugh at the sensation of the


ground beneath her feet collapsing——along with her


calculations.


“Ccaaaalm down s.h.i.+ro! I-It’s alright, you have grown


properly.”


It was the greatest shock she suffered ever since the


game’s start——no, ever since she was born.


Seeing s.h.i.+ro burn out and her already pale face turning


gray, her brother gave a follow-up in panic.


“It’s, well, that thing! Even if the number of dice


increase, it doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will grow


up equally or something like that!?”


The brother who was a middle-aged man until a little


ago lied——no, he attempted to make a gentle hypothesis


but,


......I know. That’s wrong, s.h.i.+ro self-deprecatingly


smiled deeper.


Indeed, it’s exactly as her brother said, she certainly


had “grown”.


br>


“grown”.


Her limbs had extended slightly and her fat loli


stomach, too, had recessed.


——By the way, it’ll deviate from the talk, but.


You knew she’d be fine even if she continued being a


truant since there’s no [grade repet.i.tion] in j.a.pan’s


primary schools, didn’t you?


Even s.h.i.+ro, who didn’t go to school even once since


enrolling, is listed as a [primary school fifth grade


student] on paper.


But——including the fact she was aware her own


growth was bad even for a fifth grader, she wondered.


How about we liken this “growth” or whatever to this:


——After multiplying her age by 1.6 times, she finally


became a fifth grade schooler.


If you line up by order of height, then out of the fifth


graders——she’ll be the first one in the front, right!!


“S-s.h.i.+ro, stay strong!! It simply proved that s.h.i.+ro is a


perfected beauty!!”


“......I, don’t care, anymore...... Nii...... s.h.i.+ro......


is, tired......”


“Wait wait wait, hey s.h.i.+ro! Don’t raise your thumbs


and try to go to heaven with a nice smile, hey!!”


——A smooth breeze rustled gently.


While she felt her soul turn into dust and blown by the


wind, her brother’s voice sounded distant——


s.h.i.+ro cursed——everything, had betrayed her.


She had been betrayed——by the future.


She had been betrayed——by the world.


A selfish and gorgeous body...... b.r.e.a.s.t.s filled with


dreams——she would never become like that......


While s.h.i.+ro’s consciousness fell, as she gave up on


everything——


“Uwaaaah!? W-What is it this time!?”


——Suddenly, a lighting ran through as if anchoring


her consciousness as it sank.


And following the tsunami of information surging


through her brain, s.h.i.+ro firmly stepped on the floor and


endured.


——When people confronts death, it’s said they see a


revolving lantern.


That is, in order to escape the predicament, they


search through each and every memories and knowledge.


It’s said it’s a phenomenon of abnormal activity——


where the brain would overcome its limits.


......About the matter of it being a despair worthy of


death for s.h.i.+ro, let’s put it aside for now.


s.h.i.+ro entrusted her body to the sensation of her brain


circuits burning, and ferociously pulled the information in.


I feel like——there’s something——


She felt it was an “insight” ——one that would


rebuild the collapsed equation——!!


——[List].


Every entertainment product like games, comics and


movies her brother played, watched and finished reading


during the span of eight years after meeting s.h.i.+ro.


Normal games: a total of 23.671.


Eroge


[31]


: a total of 1.852 t.i.tles.


Comic t.i.tles and erotic doujin


[32]


magazines: a total


of 85.743 volumes.


Anime: a total of 2465.


Live-action dramas and movies: a total of 867 series.


——[Sort].


Characters from within those who are specially liked


by her brother——A total number of 874 [brides].


Without missing a single one, she forcefully aligned


her mind with videos, manga, and voice, adding up the


information.


Every kind of information described in magazine


articles, conquest guides and collection of settings——In


other words.


Along with various other information, the settings


about their age, height and three-sizes!


They are coherently being digitized, turned into


statistics, graphics, and a.n.a.lyzed——!


“......Erm, s.h.i.+ro, -san? Now what are you——”


——s.h.i.+ro’s brain probably has the most prominent


capacity out of all humanity.


And right now it was being unknowingly abused,


overcoming its limits in an unprecedented waste.


As s.h.i.+ro simply glared ghastly at the floor, Sora


timidly asked.


But time pa.s.sed without it reaching her ears, and after


a few seconds s.h.i.+ro concluded.


——[Work out].


Sora——her brother’s liking, his tastes, preferences


and fetishes, all of these were mathematically indexed and


calculated.


That’s right, mathematics doesn’t tell lies...... putting


it bluntly——her brother’s tastes are:


Age——the person’s exterior settings will be


calculated with the average height and age——average


value [12.344...... old].


Three-sizes


Body type——bust-waist-hip——average value [77.2


: 59.873 : 78.23].


Relations


Settings——younger ratio [61.1%], little sister ratio


[48.4%], big-breast ratio——a minor [3.2%].


——[Conclude]——!!!


“....... I’m, glad...... so Nii...... was......


undoubtedly...... a loli-con......”


——The world got filled with light, as if an aurora


ripped through the night.


s.h.i.+ro fell into her knees, and looked up to the heavens


——there was still hope, a future.


“——Hey little sister. I don’t know what’s going on,


but wasn’t Nii-chan greatly insulted right now?”


The brother who had mathematically and statistically


been defined as a pervert groaned with his eyes half-open


——but.


Insult? No way, it was salvation itself.


s.h.i.+ro wiped her tears and stood up, as to not look


unnatural.


——I see, it seems that no matter how old I become,


I’ll remain with a loli body.


I don’t know if it’s the truth, or if it’s only within this


game——but!


(...... Bye bye...... b.r.e.a.s.t.s filled...... with


dreams...... but——)


——There’s no...... problem.


Right, it’s not a problem.


s.h.i.+ro clenched her fists and howled, while pretending


that she didn’t notice that her heart was bleeding.


Now that it was revealed that her brother was a loli-


con, there’s no problem at all——!!


If Nii doesn’t like it, then——


——If Nii doesn’t need something like b.r.e.a.s.t.s, then


——I don’t, need——!


————SOMETHING, LIKE


THAT————!!!


......Holding such a fierce resolution in her chest,


s.h.i.+ro pretended to be calm, and attempted to rebuild


the [Calculation].


The first equation crumbled miserably. But——


“......Nii...... s.h.i.+ro...... is, tired...... I’ll go......


take, a bath......”


“O, oh...... stay strong, okay! N-Nii-chan likes s.h.i.+ro


no matter how you look, you see!”


——That’s right, if it’s Nii then, he will say that.


With s.h.i.+ro’s dream——the future of a gorgeous body


breaking in front of him, he will definitely say that.


But that’s exactly why! It’s still possible to prove the


formula...... and the second equation is——!


■ ■ ■ ■ ■


......Sora followed s.h.i.+ro’s back, as they tottered


while walking powerlessly.


“H-Hey s.h.i.+ro. There’s still room for growth even after


seventeen years old. Cheer up, okay?”


“......s.h.i.+ro...... is super, alright...... super,


fine......”


She answered so with a voice that was like an


example of the antonym of fine.


As s.h.i.+ro voluntarily went to the bathroom of all


things, Sora seriously reflected.


s.h.i.+ro is 11 years old...... it’s 1.1 years for each


single die.


With 16 dice, it’s 17.6 years——he shouldn’t have


handed out so many.


He knew s.h.i.+ro was bothered by her child-like figure


——although it’s natural, since she is a child.


Not only that, but spending 18 days in such an extreme


game, it’s just natural for the mind and body to become


weakened.


At such a time, what if he was carelessly handed more


than the initial amount——and ended up looking different


than his own idealized appearance?


——Surely, it would be a shock.


It’s because you don’t understand that side of a girl’s


heart that you’re no good——Sora clenched his teeth.


He followed the figure of his sister entering the


dressing room with uncertain footsteps and called out.


“W-well, it’s that. Take a rest. Right? Hurry up and


enter the bath——”


——If she takes a good sleep and some rest, maybe


she’ll recover a little bit.


“......Hm...... wash...... my back......”


“That’s it! Get your back washed! Get refreshed,


okay!?”


Sora brightly nodded diligently at s.h.i.+ro’s answer and


came out from the dressing room.


“......Wash...... my hair......”


“Yeah! Doing this stop-it-right-now great adventure


for over two weeks is just too much, isn’t it!?”


And then...... in what must be the bathroom since he


didn’t really understand the Elves architectural style.


Steam was rising without having a roof, so rather than


a bathroom with the ceiling open.


——It was a hot spring.


Sora couldn’t afford to care about something like the


scenery until now, but his heart jumped at this open-air


bath.


If one were to forget about everything and be healed


in this bath, he would surely recover in one go, wouldn’t


he.


“......And so...... while...... was.h.i.+ng...... s.h.i.+ro’s


hair......”


Sora stood still as if he got charmed by the bathtub, but


s.h.i.+ro was——


“......Nii...... who’s been storing it up...... will


violate...... s.h.i.+ro......”


...... Hm?


“......Being rough...... to s.h.i.+ro...... like in a, erotic


doujin......”


“......like, in an erotic, doujin......?”


“No, this silence isn’t to make you say it twice you


know? Erm?”


Though s.h.i.+ro essentially remained with her back


turned to Sora,


“——Why are you making it seems like we’ll be


entering together. Both your back and hair, the one who


will be was.h.i.+ng it will be——”


Having told her so, Sora looked around——but, the


ones standing there,


“......Who...... will be the one was.h.i.+ng it......?”


——Was just s.h.i.+ro, who turned around showing a


smile, without a single thread covering her body.


And Sora——who felt a s.h.i.+ver run down through his


back, wearing a single towel wrapped on his hip.


He finally noticed he was in a situation where he was


alone with his naked little sister, facing the bathtub.


“——No, no, no, no, that can’t be HAHAHA, well


well, you, wait a little?”


Sora diverted his gaze in a panic and stood still while


sweating cold like a waterfall.


“S-s.h.i.+ro, you’re 17 years old, aren’t you!? You must


consider the rating, because how would you take


responsibility if it gets prohibited——”


“......Nii, that’s wrong......”


——Why is it.


With a smile that didn’t hold a single speck of malice,


s.h.i.+ro took one step closer.


Taking one step back in follow, Sora thought.


——Why is s.h.i.+ro’s smile this scary——!?


“......Each one of, s.h.i.+ro’s dice...... isn’t...... [1.1


years] ......”


——I see, Sora understood.


Although it’s obvious, s.h.i.+ro’s age isn’t exactly eleven


years old.


Reaching her eleventh birthday, they came to


Disboard


this world——so it’s eleven and seven months.


A single die for s.h.i.+ro didn’t turn into [1.1 years] ——


but [1.15833...years].


——But what about it. That’s just a “measurement


error”, isn’t it?


*step* *step*——


Step by step——as if seeing through what Sora was


thinking in his mind while backing away,


Step by step——while s.h.i.+ro approached smiling,


Sora certainly heard what she answered.


——That’s correct. It’s just a “measurement error”.


The worst kind of stuf that would confound every


equation——a “measurement error”.


With that measurement error, two of s.h.i.+ro’s dice


changed from [2.2 years] to [2.3166...years].


And it changed the [17.6] years s.h.i.+ro have from the


sixteen dice——


——Into [


18.533... years old


Above 18 years].


“......I failed...... at fascinating you with a gorgeous


body...... but......”


——This is bad.


Sora understood that he failed since it was too late.


Seeing his little sister murmur like that——he heard


his instincts shouting.


——He didn’t really understand why but, this is——


“......The operation...... went exactly as I calculated,


you see? Nii——”


——A pinch.


She let her mild voice bounce joyfully.


The smile that floated thinly trembled faintly with


shyness.


Revealing her flushed body, the little sister leisurely


approached——and behind her,


“......With this, Nii...... has no other option, besides


entering the bath together, with s.h.i.+ro...... right♪”


Sora certainly felt like he saw——a


shadow


s.h.i.+nigami


[33]


,


laughing evilly while holding a great scythe.


*step* *step*


As the Death G.o.d——rather, his little sister


approached step by step, Sora desperately attempted to


resist with a hollow voice.


“B-But your looks haven’t changed that much——ah,


no, f-f-for starters what’s inside is——”


“......Nii, had said...... Old Man Soul...... the


current s.h.i.+ro...... has an above 18-year-old soul......”


“No, no, no! Somehow that’s no good! According to


things like law, regulations or organizations!?”


“......The Earth’s law......is unrelated...... so does the


policemen...... that’s...... what Nii, said......”


——But, as Sora backed away, his back finally hit the


wall.


Sora, whose words and escape had been cut off, was


convinced.


This is——a [lip attack].


Using Sora’s own words as a weapon, s.h.i.+ro was


cornering him——


“......Nii, self-destructed...... you don’t have, any


excuse...... to escape......”


And then——she finally “slammed it on the wall”.


Both of her hands, obstructing his left and right sides


——though it was around his hip, due to the difference


between each other’s height.


Looking down on the ruby eyes which showed a joyful


look, Sora thought.


——Now, what will you do, Sora virgin,


provisionally and also confirmed to be currently 18


years old.


His


excuse


escape was cut off...... no——the fact that he cut


it off himself “was used”——!!


Losing to s.h.i.+ro——it would be a lie to say he wasn’t


frustrated, but it also happens everyday——but.


Sora felt the ground collapsing beneath his feet, having


lost at [tactics] of all things——


...... Wait. Wait wait wait——!?


“——Hah...... haha, hahahahahahahahahaa!”


Sora laughed loudly, as a flash of light ran in his mind


——in other words, an insight.


——He was about to get deceived.


Escape? An excuse to escape? That’s unnecessary!


“Fufu, my little sister, listen well, alright? I’ll accept


your proclamation we’re both 18 years old——but!”


That’s right, this is still [Check]——it’s not [Check-


Mate]!


For starters——


——Just why would they have to enter the bath


together just because they’re both 18 years old!?


“Siblings who enter the bath together even after being


18 years old is truly the height of the unnatural!! If s.h.i.+ro is


also 18 years old, then you should go alone——”


Sora roared as he was convinced that the Check had


crumbled, but——


——It had already been over 18 days since this game


begun.


They kept going on extreme situations, with fatigue,


hunger, wild animals, 【Tasks】and——


They managed to survive until now while constantly


feeling the Death G.o.d’s scythe on their necks——and yet.


“......Nii...... do you, hate...... s.h.i.+ro...... that


much?”


——s.h.i.+ro lowered her face and let her voice escape,


a few words that sounded like she was hurt.


At that, Sora finally felt like the scythe had cut a piece


of his neck’s skin and his view darkened.


While hugging the naked s.h.i.+ro whose face remained


lowered...... Sora thought.


——What would be the reason for still saying [NO]


even after receiving that line?


Is it because she’s a child?


He had accepted the proclamation that they were


both 18 years old——Refuted.


I-Is because she looks like a child?


Then will he insist on calling s.h.i.+ro a child for her


entire life? ——Refuted.


Is it because we’re siblings? Refuted——It had been


refuted by those few words——!


It was exactly because they were siblings, because he


didn’t hate her, that he could proudly stay together with


her without any guilty feelings——


——Guilty feelings?


...... There’s something bugging me, Sora thought


vacantly.


(...... What. I feel like I’m about to notice something I


shouldn’t——furthermore)


With the height difference, s.h.i.+ro’s heartbeat could be


felt at his hips through the skin.


The girl looked up to him, with her heart beating


soundly, strong and big, like an alarm bell——


(...... Just what is it! Those eyes telling me to “notice”


——It’s a game where people deceive and betray each


other.


But why is it that s.h.i.+ro of all people——the only one


who definitely wouldn’t betray him,


——Was cornering him this much——!


That’s right, in the exactly moment when the Death


G.o.d’s scythe was about to slash Sora’s windpipe——


“Excuse me for my rudeness, Master...... Is Sor


sama——”


“Uwooah Jibril-kun!! Hey you!?


Your dice are~erm~oh me! They


decreased to two, didn’t they!! What a


serious deal, so hurry, I’ll give you


eight of mines! What, no need to hold


back you mustn’t alright heeey!?”


“Eh? Ah, haa......?”


——A brutal angel descended into the b.l.o.o.d.y


bathhouse.


So no matter the number of her


dice


age, it won’t affect her


appearance huh——in any case.


For some reason the


Messiah


brutal angel appeared with sharp


eyes, he then threw some dice at her.


——Immediately after, it seemed like her expression


eased somewhat——but.


But for now, that doesn’t matter in the slightest, Sora


singed like he was dancing.


“Aah, what a tragedy! All people commit mistakes


——My heart that accidentally turned into that of a minor


due to the erroneous judgment! It has completely distanced


itself from all erotic things, and is now within the h.e.l.l of


despair, aah G.o.d! Once again you would steal from me the


opportunity of bathing together with a girl——Is my sin


that heavy of a thing!?”


Acting like an actor of a Shakespeare play, Sora,


provisionally 3.6 years old, trembled in delight.


——I’m saved.


From what exactly, I don’t really know.


Anyway, I survived from something, Sora turned to the


heavens and showed his grat.i.tude——but.


——*whoosh*...... A wind filled with killing intent


brushed him, giving him gooseb.u.mps.


“......Jibril...... you really, don’t...... read the


mood...... I definitely......!”


The small Imanity girl s.h.i.+ro spoke with a voice that


echoed from the depths of h.e.l.l——and behind her.


Now, which could be visualized clearly even by Sora


and Jibril——that.


“Ah, this, I’ll die, won’t I...... Master, what would be


the great sin I’ve committed?”


“......My bad, I don’t


I don’t really know, either. But, seems


like it was a really heavy sin......”


It even made the


Jibril


Flügel count her own sins with a


trembling voice.


——Nothing was saved at all, that was enough for


Sora’s eyes go blank.


The Death G.o.d holding a great scythe with an evil


smile.


Now its face was distorted with killing intent, and was


about to throw the scythe with an overthrow.


Sora didn’t know. Let alone Jibril, who didn’t have


any way of knowing.


For s.h.i.+ro, this was truly a golden opportunity, a once-


in-lifetime match.


Making her brother——become conscious of her.


In the span of eight years since she met him, not even


once was a better situation, condition, and suitable time


arranged.


And with Jibril’s arrival, it was ruined.


Even though she could have


gotten Nii


completed the formula if


she just had a few more hours, no, a few more minutes


Yes, s.h.i.+ro’s view burned with rage——but.


More importantly......


——A red cloth swayed with the wind......


“......Hmm. When you’re being this carefree, it even


makes my rage and resentment disappear......”


A red cloth——a young macho stood erect in the


bathtub, and his loincloth swam in the wind......!


Aah, no matter how you distort the logic, s.h.i.+ro is a


child——s.h.i.+ro thought.


Muscles pulsing like an independent organism——this


indescribable shocking footage.


If one says watching R18G


[34]


that violates her mind


——is a right, a duty of those with 18 year olds, then,


“......s.h.i.+ro, is fine with, remaining......


child


an 11-year-old soul......”


Leaving behind that murmur, s.h.i.+ro fainted on the spot.


“Fainting at the physical beauty of my body from my


glory days...... Geez, falling in love once again?”


Ino


The lump of meat soaked on the bathtub with the


worries of his younger days——thinking of the “time


when he was too popular”, which was wholeheartedly


irritating.


“......Hey, Geezer. Could you answer my question that


suddenly sprouted just now?”


Making an effort to not look at him directly, Sora


asked in a low, yet, shrunken voice of a 3.6-year-old.


“Would appearing in front of the ma.s.ses fully naked be


a rights infringement——a violation of the [Ten Oaths]?”


——Hmm? he lowered his gaze.


Ino then answered with a good smile.


“There’s no one who would be afraid of such a small


thing. How about you live true to your desires?”


“What I’m asking is if it isn’t a violence to show


around the grotesque footage of the ‘muscle doing fetal


movements’! Like always, you don’t even get sarcasm, do


you——also, don’t say small thing, it’s the circ.u.mstances


of age, you know!?”


It’s just that a lot of things shrank because the dice


decreased, Sora raised an a.s.sertion.


And as he strolled through the bathtub——he simply


made a screen.


s.h.i.+ro’s hand, which he was holding under it, trembled


slightly.


His little sister who suffered a deep trauma from that


very violence was——


“......Machos are scary...... uuuhhh, the meat, is......


attacking......”


She kept repeating delirious words due to the


punishment that was far too heavy for a rating scam.


Likewise, from the other side of the screen——one


more voice said.


“......Being hit awake and getting told [go wash


s.h.i.+ro’s hair] isn’t violence?”


“It can’t be helped right...... since s.h.i.+ro completely


snapped at Jibril......”


Like the flow of a river, Steph, taken along by Jibril,


said sleepily.


Sora couldn’t see the other side of the screen——but.


Steph received six dice from s.h.i.+ro and was was.h.i.+ng


her hair with the figure of a 12.6-year-old.


By the sound of the bubbles, Jibril should be getting


stepped on by s.h.i.+ro and at the bottom of the bath.


——And.


“......I can’t believe how you can give away the dice


like that so carefree——that’s [life] you know?”


——Flatly.


Skepticism, confusion...... Ino’s murmur contained


countless meanings.


Sensing the gazes gathering at him, even from those on


the other side of the screen, Sora sighed.


“It’s not like there’s any problem, right...... as long as


it doesn’t become zero, it’ll be the same thing even if it’s


one or ten. And besides——”


But he waved his hand carefree, and pointed at Steph’s


way with his chin.


“The problem is the same for everyone. For us, we


can’t survive since the living capacity is null, right.”


——Silence.


It was a silence coming from each one’s own


contemplation and deep emotions, but Sora shook his


hands fluttered, as if he disliked that.


He changed the topic, as if to hide his embarra.s.sment.


“Rather, just what did you guys come here for?


Specially you, geezer——old man? In any case, you.”


Although as a result, I’ve been saved by these two’s


appearance, Sora thought as he questioned their intention


“Of course, I came here as soon as possible to crush


Sordono’s b.a.l.l.s


[35]


, but what about it?”


“Hey, heyy!! At least change your words! I’ll cry a lot,


d.a.m.n it!!”


Even if violence is forbidden due to the Oaths——


consider the heyday body of someone like Schw


chan


[36]


for example.


After being told [I’ll terminate you] by said robot, if


you didn’t freak out it would be a lie, right.


“But, I changed my mind. I’ll leave killing you for


last.”


......Hohoo...... so you’re saying [I’ll kill you lastly]


huh.


The next words are obvious——[That was a lie].


——This is bad. My b.a.l.l.s will be crushed——!!


“......Sordono...... just how much do you know


about the Eastern Union’s history?”


——Suddenly.


At Ino’s suddenly question, Sora, pondering furiously


how should he escape, switched his thoughts.


......This surely it’s the kind of flow where, depending


on my answer, I can avoid the death flag.


“Even if you say history...... the Eastern Union is


concealing most of its history, isn’t it......?”


Sora answered while examining his words fearfully.


That’s right——the Eastern Union is hiding its


detailed history from the outsiders, just like their game’s


contents.


Though it must be because it’s related to the


“circ.u.mstances behind the development of the


trumph card


electronic game”——in any case.


“That’s why I’m restricted to what’s in the books.


There were various islands where tribal strife continued


for over six thousand years——”


——It continued after the end of the [Great War],


due to the dif erences in their physical features——.


In short, they divided into factions of either dog ears


or cat ears and kept fighting with their kindred.


It’s truly despicable, unforgivable. Why would you


try to say you’re the better one? Sora thought.


A great person once said——[Heaven does not create


one kemonomimi above another]


[37]——!


Dog ears, cat ears and bunny ears, too——wouldn’t


it be fine if they’re loved equally the way they are?


For those great treasures to fight and not envelope


the world in love...... it’s extremely inexcusable.


Although——I won’t say where, but you see.


——It seems there’s also a world where they kill each


other due to dif erences in the skin color?


Thinking about that, Sora and the others aren’t really in


any position to say anything, or rather——


“One of the Three Great Powers, the Eastern Union,


who pacified in half a century, and even obtained a


game


method


of sure-victory against the other races.”


Terrific, that single word wasn’t enough to describe


that incredibly dif icult feat.


It’s something which admiration and compliments


shouldn’t be spared.


I see, so this world has other intelligent living beings


——the Exceed.


Do you think bringing them together is something


easy if it’s just one of them?


——That dirty peace covered in brutality, filled with


discrimination and prejudice for over 6,000 years?


“If there was someone like Miko-san in the previous


world——maybe wars would end someday, too.”


“......That’s unexpected.”


“What is?”


“——I thought you’d say...... if it’s ‘a feat


accomplished with an Old Deus’ power then it makes


sense.’”


But, it was these very words Ino said that were


completely unexpected.


“Ahahahaha! What’s this, Gramps! So you can tell


some interesting jokes!”


Sora hit the water as he laughed out——and looked at


the giant game board over his head.


“Pacifying a conflict zone in half a century? If such


divine feat was something that could be done just by


praying to a mere G.o.d then——by now, wars should have


disappeared without a trace, even from our previous


world!”


——Indeed, if it’s what an Old Deus’ power is


capable of, then this


game


scenery eloquently speaks for itself.


Mimicking the ground, distorting the law of nature, and


creating a land of spiral in the sky——


If the energy required to make this possible was


physically calculated, he wondered what number would


appear.


He had no clue, but surely it must be equivalent to


[almost infinite] ——it’s indeed the deed of a “G.o.d”.


It’s the kind of unimaginable power overwriting the


world and controlling the laws...... but.


——It’s completely futile.


In this world, no matter how much power one has,


right infringement isn’t possible.


Much less——no matter which world, while ending


wars is good, there’s only one method to make peace.


“If it’s an Old Deus behind [


Miko-san


the Divine Gamer] being


able to make such a ‘


game


negotiation’, then I’ll think this first.”


And, as if looking at the figure of someone he


respected with all his heart——Sora spoke to Ino.


“——Miko-san is using the Old Deus. And obviously,


she’s outwitting her in a game, right.”


According to the Oaths——neither of them can


infringe upon the other’s rights.


Both Miko using the Old Deus, and also the Old Deus


using Miko.


It’s something only possible for the first time——after


making an agreement, playing a game and “being


victorious”.


“............So that’s, how it...... is, huh...... Miko-


sama.”


At the end of a long silence, maybe he earned


something——Ino dropped his gaze with his shoulders.


He smiled bitterly.


“......Seems like I have overstayed a little too


long...... it’s about time for me to leave.”


“I’m grateful for it. I can’t relax in the long-awaited


hot springs with those intimidating muscles around.”


He looked at Ino’s back as he stood up from the


bathtub and left.


It seems I was able to evade the death flag, Sora


secretly felt relieved——but.


“By the way, may I ask you one last thing?”


His heart jumped at Ino’s words, who suddenly turned


around.


But, as if not knowing about it——though, there’s no


way he could’ve known it——Ino questioned.


No——.


“The [Traitor] who retained its memories——Sor


dono, it’s you, isn’t it?”


——He affirmed.


The sound of Steph holding her breath could be heard


beyond the screen.


If Ino was correct then it would explain why Sora


talked about this game with an “a.s.sertive” tone.


I wonder if they thought something like this, Sora


answered with a bitter smile.


“Hohou~? What basis are you using to say I am the


[Traitor]?”


“What, is there a need for a basis?”


But after saying “No need for something like that”, Ino


continued with a sharp gaze.


“If


Tet


the Sole G.o.d who gathered all the Exceed were to


say [there’s a traitor]——then it’d be you,


unconditionally.”


“Haha! How good, that’s really easy to understand!


Nice reasoning!”


Sora


You guys’ existence itself is the basis, even


though he was told that, Sora clapped his hands and


laughed.


Exactly——this game is something that started with


everyone’s agreement.


——If one accepted the rules at face value, then this is


what the [Traitor] or whatever thing is implying:


On top of everyone confirming the rules, in order for


them, alone, to escape the memory erasure——


They will deceive everyone——and it’ll be as if it


was something everyone agreed upon.


You're


Sora is the only one who could pull of such stunt,


Ino gave him that “compliment”——but.


“Let’s just say if it was me in that case, I would doubt


Tet straight away.”


——And, if I had to say more, Sora continued his


words,


“I wouldn’t go as far as doing that [impossibility] just


for such a stingy preparation.”


——Ino and, beyond the screen, Steph and even Jibil


held their breaths in doubt.


The retention of the memories meant “knowing the real


victory condition.”


They seemed to question Sora’s true intention for


calling it a “stingy preparation” ——he smiled wryly.


——[The second explanation of the rules.]


There are “falsehoods” among it...... but.


No big lies were incorporated between the first and


the second times.


When asked about erasing their memories——the


danger anyone would consider immediately should be


obvious.


——They will lie about the rule of “winning if you


ascend” by saying “you’ll lose if you ascend”.


Greatly falsifying the rules should’ve been sealed in


advance...... with “everyone’s consent”.


On top of that, what would get falsified——? No,


even before that——!!


“We would worry over what to do about [movement]


and [food] before preparing something like that, right!! If


we didn’t get the [


Harley


legs] then forget about the goal, it’s


doubtful whether we would even live and reach


the next stop


fifty-two more squares, you know!?”


“——Ah~...... there’s nothing but persuasiveness


there......”


Sora nodded, having the suspicions cleared due to the


scathing thoughts which only those who went through the


same life-and-death situation could relate to.


——That’s right——a preparation of just that level is


still a long way from [Victory].


And


Kuuhaku


[ ]’s methods is always only one——namely


——


“Since we’re going to prepare something, then——


we’ll prepare something critical”


——Right, that’s——


“We’ll prepare it in a way that, no matter how things


turn out, we will win.”


Resting his head in the stone edge of the bathtub, he


looked directly into Ino’s eyes with antic.i.p.ation.


Sora fearlessly, yet friendly——spoke.


“I would do that if it was me...... anyone would do it


——right?”


——Of course.


You did it, too, right? ——Sora’s eyes were telling


him so.


“......I see. That’s natural......”


Like that, Ino looked down and left without turning


around again——and on his back,


“——By the way. Can I also ask one thing?”


“What would it be?”


“......That’s, well. It’s about that one thing regarding


the size of my arms. Is that during peacetime? Or for


emergency?”


At Sora’s fearful question, Ino let out a smile and


continued walking without stopping in his legs,


“Hahaha, unlike Sordono, I do have a heart that takes


others’ feelings into consideration, you see——let’s just


answer that I do not like hurting others for no reason and,


as such, I will refuse to answer.”


“That’s answering it, isn’t it! You’re answering it,


aren’t you!?”


As Ino laughed loudly and left while Sora still roaring


at his back, abruptly,


“Master, you do not need to listen to a dog’s


nonsense.”


Maybe s.h.i.+ro finally forgived her since Jibril said so


with her face peeking from the screen.


“Isn’t this something that’s also said in Masters’ world


——[Too much is as bad as too little


[38]


]——even if


it’s unnecessarily big, there’s not really any benefit for


girls ♪”


Beyond the screen, he could feel the girls nodding all


together, but——


“......Right now, I’m having an unprecedented sense


of alienation. Could it be, well——”


It can’t be——could it be that I’m the only one who


don’t have any experience?


If that’s true then that’s a


despair


reality I won’t be able to


recover from, and as Sora clang to it with his eyes,


“Please be at ease Master, for I am brand new. Dor


chan too is just a young woman with the knowledge——”


“——Huuh!? T-That’s wron——wait I can’t deny or


affirm that, can I!! About the size of Sora’s arms, you


say, regardless of the possession or lack of experience, as


long as you think about it normally you would die,


wouldn’t you!!”


“......It doesn’t, matter...... everything about, that


geezer, is...... disgusting...... scary...... *tremble*”


——Sora narrowed his eyes at the answering voices


as it if was dazzling.


I’m glad——so I wasn’t alone......


“If I had to add, then before becoming smaller with the


decrease of the dice——Master in his original size also


has nothing to lament about.”


“S-Seriously......? S-So I’m alright?”


It wasn’t about the current 3.6 years old Sora with two


dice, but about the size of the original Sora’s Sora.


Let’s put aside how Jibril knows that for now, but if


that moving library——I mean.


If he has the flying library causing natural disasters—


Jibril’s guarantee, then he can have some confiden——


“Yes. It’s a gentle size——or better, I memorized it as


being the ideal if the other party is a child ❤”


“......Jibril...... you’re forgiven...... this is the best


thing, you’ve said, this year......”


“I will give up on this game. Rather, I’ll retire. I’llI’ll retire. I’ll re-


do the character creation......”


——Right, let’s re-do it, this life——as Sora let out


tears,


“Aah Master please wait! This Jibril was talking


about how it would be fine if I just restructured my body


and became a child!!”


“......Jibril, I take back, about forgiving you...... sink


in the, bathtub...... and go count, your sins......!”


A loud sound of water echoed at s.h.i.+ro’s “command”.


Jibril, who fell from above the screen into the bathtub


like a cannonball was——


——Gobobobebababababa!


[Ahaaa~❤ I’m being kicked by the Master——it


gives me s.h.i.+vers!]


“......Jibril. Just where are you heading to......”


Making bubbles flas.h.i.+ly——did she bother to use


magic for that?


As Jibril pryed the information directly from their


brains, Sora let out a tired sigh.


——A game where people betray, deceive and steal


each other’s lives.


While the peaceful conversation far too unbecoming of


it echoed——he just said,


“Hah~ it brings me back to life...... the Elves onsen


have magic in it, both beauty and fatigue——”


Maybe only Steph decided to give up on thinking.


Since her lengthy monologue of it’s a nice bath to run


away from reality~ continued——


■ ■ ■ ■ ■


——Having suddenly opened his eyes, Sora looked


around.


Seems like I was more tired than I thought, he


scratched his head.


After the bath, he redistributed the dice with Steph and


s.h.i.+ro——he didn’t remember anything after that.


Staying in an extreme situation for too long, it’s only


natural for a person to get so tired, his memories flew


away.


But s.h.i.+ro——the one who cornered him, and was the


biggest cause of his exhaustion, was——


“......Uu...... the muscles are...... don’t, come......


Nii, help, me......”


She was within Sora’s arms as if was something


natural——no, simply obvious.


It seems like she’s fighting with the incurable wound


even within dreams.


......It’s too cruel. Is this violence something that can


be allowed?


As Sora petted s.h.i.+ro’s head, and pondered about


complaining to Tet and telling him to do his job already


“Oh? I’m very sorry Master, but did I wake you up?”


——Let’s see.


“I presume that, after picking up s.h.i.+ro who came out


from the bath and feel asleep, I brought her to the room


where I too collapsed at the bed exhausted, and woke up


due to the mutterings about muscles wriggling——that’s


about it, so?”


“I’m thankful for the explanatory tone, Master.”


“Not that, it’s about you. I understand the geezer, but


——what are you doing here, Jibril?”


While absent-mindedly being thinly illuminated by the


s.h.i.+ne of the two dice on her chest and the light of the


spirits,


Jibril was sitting on a chair while writing in a book as


if it was also something natural.


It seems that Ino came to “question” Sora, but what


about Jibril——?


“Nothing much...... Master slept without putting on a


blanket so I thought it’d be a problem if you get a cold


Jibril answered Sora’s question with a gentle smile.


“It’s good that you two could sleep since I considered


lying naked together to warm——”


“d.a.m.n it all! Why——why was I sleeping all carefree


If it was all dark, and with s.h.i.+ro sleeping, then——!


I could’ve l-legally enjoyed touching many kinds of


things and yet——!!


Why I am always like this in the critical times——as


Sora held his head and trembled ashamed——


“......I came to see the Masters faces...... that’s all.”


Literally, with a shadow in her smile illuminated only


by the dim light,


As Jibril quietly told him so, Sora had an


uncomfortable feeling and faced her again with his gaze,


but.


Jibril kept on without stopping the brush that was


writing in the book——a diary——


She simply responded with a sudden question that, like


always, had no context.


“What does the Master think about......


‘Reincarnation’?”


“......? Even if you ask me that, is there even a cycle


of transmigration in this world? ......So now it’s anything


goes, huh.”


——Reincarnation, cycle of transmigration.


Although its existence hadn’t been proved, there are


many who believe in it even in the previous world.


So even if she asked him about his thoughts on such


common sense——


“Ah, no. There isn’t.”


——So there isn’t, Sora directed his gaze with his


eyes half-open at her as she parried the question.


But Jibril, still not stopping the brush, continued


indifferently——


“......The [soul] that loses its [vessel] melts in the


Spiritual Circuit and disappears.”


She indifferently——spoke about this world’s [death].


“......Just like how [water] can’t acc.u.mulate in a


broken [cup], a


water


soul that lost its


cup


body will stain the ground


and melt in air, returning to the planet...... This world has


no cycle of transmigration——but.”


And so, Jibril stopped the brush. Then she turned to


Sora with a meek look in her face and continued.


——Although it’s a possibility that’s infinitely


equivalent to zero.


——Although it’s the same irrational argument as


saying a monkey will be able to write a novel if he kept


typing endlessly.


“For someone possessing ‘exactly the same soul’ to


appear once again——theoretically, it’s possible.”


——When was it exactly that the existence of the


[soul] was a.s.serted as common sense?


At the time, Sora had vaguely understood it as


“something like DNA”, but——


“......Basically, it’s that? The story about how it’s


possible for


a clone


someone with the same genes be born by


chance?”


So if the soul or whatever, holding even more


information than the genes, were to appear in a


completely equal state, then.


I see, maybe you could possibly call that a way of


reincarnation.


“......Master, this is just a supposition but——if


‘s.h.i.+ro-sama was someone’s reincarnation’ then what


would you thin——”


“I wouldn’t think anything, it doesn’t matter and I’m


not interested, either.”


Jibril asked meekly but——Sora answered


immediately.


“s.h.i.+ro is just s.h.i.+ro. She isn’t anyone of the past and


even if it’s someone of the future, it won’t be s.h.i.+ro.”


Taking a billion steps back, even if such


clone


reincarnation were to appear,


It would be just “an unknown someone” with s.h.i.+ro’s


appearance.


“......Then let’s suppose even more, but...... what if,


something was to happen to s.h.i.+ro-sama——”


......That’s a supposition beyond unimaginable.


If you want to make me cry then just say so, as Sora


grumbled in his heart.


“And the ‘reincarnation’ with the exact same soul were


to rely on Master, what would you think?”


——Until where it would be oneself and by which


means it would be a stranger.


As he got asked such a philosophical question——


Sora who wasn’t blessed with a n.o.ble brain.


“HAHAHA, the premises won’t hold with that, you


know.”


“......Why is that?”


“It’s because ‘it’s someone else’! Regardless of how I


think——before anything else, it won’t become attached


to me and won’t rely on me, you see!”


——A s.h.i.+ro, who becomes attached to him, and


walks alongside him——he wondered.


Compared to someone with exactly the same genes as


her appearing naturally——the probabilities of there


having someone like that are far lower, right?


Saying so, tears s.h.i.+ned in the corners of his eyes——


but maybe it wasn’t a satisfying answer.


Jibril silently lowered her face——at that moment,


quietly.


“......Nii...... that’s, wrong......”


“——Hey little sister, since when were you awake?”


“......Since, the moment...... the word...... [lying


naked together] ...... came out......”


*glare* and took the place of Sora, who drew back


after being overpowered by the red eyes in the gloomy


darkness.


s.h.i.+ro who faced Jibril——said with the same small,


whisper-like voice she always used.


“......s.h.i.+ro, don’t understand...... what Jibril......


wants, to ask......”


It seems as if Sora and even Jibril, herself, didn’t


seem to understand.


But s.h.i.+ro——with the awareness of being


disinterested in people’s subtleties——though, exactly


because of that.


I don’t know what you’re seeking but——I don’t give


a d.a.m.n, she said plainly.


“......s.h.i.+ro, won’t recognize...... something like, a


reincarnation......”


Both probabilities and suppositions should just


screw themselves, she said with a whisper-like voice——


but with a tone that wouldn’t approve disagreement.


“......If it’s, s.h.i.+ro’s, ‘


clone


reincarnation’ then...... it will,


go once again, to Nii’s, side.”


“......No matter how many times, I reincarnate......


I’ll search for Nii, as many times as necessary...... I’ll go,


to his side.”


As she said so with the red eyes looking over to him,


Sora asked himself.


“......Nii, too...... surely, won’t...... reject......


that......”


The figure looking up to him with this white hair, this


faint voice, and with these red eyes.


——It’s another person. It’s not s.h.i.+ro——would he


be able to push her away like that?


“......But, having s.h.i.+ro’s, appearance...... s.h.i.+ro’s,


voice...... dressing like, s.h.i.+ro......”


——Then the story is simple, and s.h.i.+ro, just like a


child sulking and whining,


“......Someone who, isn’t s.h.i.+ro...... being stroked by


Nii, and laughing...... happily......”


——With watery eyes, she concluded.


“............I definitely, won’t recognize......


something like that......”


I see, it’s a simple story, Sora gave a wry smile in the


middle of the silence.


Just think about it backwards——someone with my


appearance, someone who isn’t me is stroking s.h.i.+ro.


It doesn’t matter what Sora, s.h.i.+ro or the others would


think of that.


What do you think about it——it can end with just


that.


——Maybe this time the answer was satisfying.


Jibril cast down her eyes, closed the book she had


once again ran the brush through and stood up——


“I am very sorry for intruding during your rest. It’s


about time for me to leave so please take your time and


relax.”


“......By the way. In the end, you haven’t really


answered what you came here for, have you?”


While she stroked happily the two dice on her chest,


Sora asked with his eyes half-open towards her back as


she stood to leave——but.


“I came to see Masters’ faces...... it was really, just


that ♪”


[Though there was a greater harvest than that],


Jibril laughed as if jesting,


“Lastly...... a [report] and a [confirmation]——one of


each.”


Starting from the report, Jibril gave a somewhat


complicated smile.


“I was correct to come here——it was an extremely


happy time.”


And now onto the confirmation, still with a


meaningful smile, but resolutely——


“......This game——it’s alright if I win it, isn’t it?”


This game is a game where the players betray and


deceive each other.


Regardless of what each one thinks behind the scenes,


there’s just one single thing that won’t waver.


——Only one of them will be able to


ascend


[win]——


Sora had said——everyone made it so that they would


be the ones to win.


Then


Jibril


I , too——receiving the Masters’ permission,


must’ve done that——she confirmed with her eyes——


“Obviously. Likewise, obviously——we won’t be


letting you win.”


“......Jibril, really...... will, get...... punished,


so......”


As the two of them answered challenging, she bowed


deeply——


“......Forgive me, but this time alone I shall win. No


matter what methods I have to use.”


Saying so, Jibril turned on her heels and flapped her


wings, flying through the window to the night sky.


She disappeared suddenly like when she appeared


and, gazing at the place she was standing, s.h.i.+ro suddenly


asked.


“......Nii, what about, the dice...... you handed out, to


Jibril......?”


“Huh? No, but Jibril had two dice, you know? I had


her re——”


——turn, but Sora, who has about to say that, noticed


startled and stopped his words.


What about that memory? ——There’s nothing.


On Sora and s.h.i.+ro’s chests, there were nine dice each


——and if there’s one with Steph who must be sleeping in


another room then——


“~Jibrill~lll!! What do you think you’re doing,


performing such a stingy cheat right after giving such an


exaggerated proclamation of war!?”


——As he shouted, blaming the one disguising the


number of dice with magic and nicely “borrowed and ran


away” with eight dice,


“......Nii...... super, idiot...... super, dumb......”


But it was originally for a stupid reason——it’s a


transference he did for the sake of running from s.h.i.+ro.


As the voice said it was entirely Sora’s fault, there


were no allies or room for him to disagree.


Sora simply went back to holding his knees——......


[1]


TLC: “Beautiful/Pretty (Girls)” for those unfamiliar with j.a.panese


animation (anime) or comics (manga).


[2]


TLC: Sugoroku is a traditionalj.a.panese board game played with dice,


like USA’s variant, Backgammon, if people know what that game is.


[3]


TLC: Funnily enough, “Dona, Dona” is a Yiddish theater song about a


calf being led to slaughter.


[4]


TL: He’s making a reference to a few games, but, the only one I found


was the reference to Final Fantasy IX.


[5]


TLC: For those that use USA (Imperial) measurements: 131cm = 4’


3.5748” and 0.48m = 1’ 6.8976”


[6]


TLC: 10km = 6.2137mi


[7]


TLC: 3,500km = 2,174.79917mi


[8]


TL: In the beginning volumes, the continent is introduced as Andalusia,


but here it’s written as Lusia.


[9]


TL: Vár is a Norse G.o.ddess that’s a.s.sociated with oaths and pledges.


TLC: “Pullum” means pull in Icelandic/Scandinavian/Latin, where Norse


stemmed from, so the s.h.i.+p’s meaning would be “The Pull of Vár”.


However, in the j.a.panese text, it’s actually ヴァ―・ル・ブルム, which is three


separate words having nothing to do with Vár or pulling. Translated directly,


it’d be “Va Lu Blum”, completely different, right? Since I can’t tell what it’s


supposed to be, I left it as is for now.


[10]


TL:JAR〇 is referencing to the j.a.pan a.s.sociation for Refugees.


[11]


TL: It’s a kind of explosive. The official formula is C6H6N12O12


, but,


it appears in order of elemental composition in the novel. It’s also called HNIW


and CL-20——way easier to remember than that absurd name/formula.


[12]


TLC: Dark organic material in soils, produced by decomposition of


vegetable/animal matter and essential to earth’s fertility.


[13]


TL: Referencing to Biohazard, if readers couldn’t get it.


[14]


TLC: USA readers: 380km = 236.121mi.


[15]


TL: Paarthurnax is a reference to the RPG, Elder Scrolls.


[16]


TL: Siddartha Gautama is the real name of Buddha.


[17]


TL: A cartridge-based, arcade system board and home video game


console released in 1990. Some of the platform’s popular series included Fatal


Fury, King of Fighters and Metal Slug.


[18]


TLC: In j.a.panese, the word used was ガバガバ. It’s an onomatopoetic


word to represent a sound of something that’s oversized, or in large quant.i.ties,


i.e. water gus.h.i.+ng down the drain. Basically, Ino’s original plan is going down


the drain for the reason explained afterwards.


[19]


TL: Referring to j.a.pan’s famous pro wrestlers.


[20]


TL: “Kusoge of The Year”. Kusoge refers to “kuso geemu”, which


means “s.h.i.+tty game”.


[21]


TL: DT = “doutei”, which means virgin in j.a.panese.


[22]


TL: Complicated joke. It refers to a tag given to a series which the


upload of the next episode is late ——for example, it should’ve been uploaded


after a week, yet, there’s no sign of it after an entire month. The missing part


is a black joke, which is irrelevant to whether the uploader really went missing


or not. So, it means that “since the episode is late, Sora still haven’t seen


what ‘happened’to make Steph reach that kind of development.”


[23]


TL: Romancing Saga 3, the sixth t.i.tle in the SaGa role-playing video


game series developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and


released exclusively for the Super Famicom system in j.a.pan.


[24]


TL: Harley-Davidson is an American motorcycle manufacturer.


Harley is the name given to the motorcycles produced by him.


[25]


TL: It’s a kind of combustion engine utilized in Harley’s motorcycles.


[26]


TL: Yamato-Damas.h.i.+ (“j.a.panese spirit”) is a term referring to the


spiritual and cultural values of the j.a.panese people.


[27]


TL: Niō or Kongōrikis.h.i.+ are two wrath-filled and muscular guardians


standing at the entrance of many Buddhist temples.


[28]


TL: The Beatles.


[29]


TL: Dragon Quest.


[30]


TL: Dragon Quest again.


[31]


TL: Eroge refers to Erotic Games (18+ games).


[32]


TL: Doujin generally refers to self-published works of magazines,


manga and novels. Though it may be done by professionals, it’s usually done by


amateurs.


[33]


TL: 死神 s.h.i.+nigami — Death G.o.d.


[34]


TL: R18G: Rated 18 Guro (Grotesque stuff).


[35]


TL: Word says “take”, kanjisays “kill”. “Take his b.a.l.l.s” or “kill his


b.a.l.l.s” sounds weird, so I left it as crush.


[36]


TL: Arnold Schwarzenegger from the Terminator movies.


[37]


TL: The originalsaying is: “Heaven does not create one man above or


below another man.” In j.a.panese, it’s separated into two sentences, the first


one referring to “above” and the second one to “below”. Sora only said the


first.


[38]


TL: It’s a j.a.panese saying. Simply put, moderation is better.