Chapter 22

"You did well, this is the whole story."

As Shiro said these words and removed his fingers from Elaine's forehead, Elaine slumped to the ground.

She instinctively touched her left arm with her right hand.

The experience with Elise was completed amidst continuous pain. Although not as much as at the beginning, Elaine's face was still covered in bodily fluids, and her whole body was sweating more than before.

"......Water Ball"

Wanting to calm down and wash away this discomfort, Elaine used magic to generate water and poured it over her head.

"......Dry Wind"

She further used magic to create heat and wind, which combined to dry her wet hair and clothes.

Since awakening as the 'Master of Numbers,' Elaine could instantly construct appropriate magic according to the situation by using her magical power. This was one of the abilities she had acquired by referring to the books she bought at the 'Antique Bookstore' with Elise.

"Yeah, well done. You're using your skills well."

Shiro, impressed, opened the book he was holding. There, written by Elise, was the sentence:

"Elaine meets Shiro and learns the truth."

"Thanks to him writing this last sentence, I can talk to you like this. I don't have much power left, so without such assistance, it would be difficult."

After explaining, Shiro closed the book, and almost simultaneously, Elaine finished her preparations. She stood up, looked at Shiro, and asked:

"Who are you......no, who are you guys?"

In response to her question, Shiro nodded and began to speak.

"Yeah, let me start with myself. I am the existence that gives 'skills' to humans."

"Skills......? So, are you a god?"

"Hmm, I don't think of myself that way......I'm not omniscient or omnipotent. But I guess it might be easier to understand that way."

Shiro continued, smiling a bit sadly.

"To put it simply......I give people skills. In return, I receive positive emotions that people feel in their lives, such as joy and hope, and convert them into power to give more skills to people. I manage this cycle."

"......I don't really understand."

"Yeah, I get that. So, just understand that there is such a cycle. And right now, this cycle isn't working well."

"Why?"

"The great tree in the village where you were born, which was broken by the Demon King, was responsible for collecting positive energy and sending it to me. Now, the energy collected is being used to repair the great tree, so this cycle won't function properly for a while."

"Huh......So, humans won't be able to acquire skills in the future?"

"No, it will work out. But for that, I need to conserve my power. Safe mode......no, let's skip the complicated explanation. In short, I can't use my power without such assistance. Intervening in the deal between Elise and Crow was quite a gamble."

The great tree, which stood majestically in Elaine's distant childhood memories, had sprouted new buds from its broken trunk when she left the village, but it would take a long time to regain its former grandeur.

"Yeah, I can't say I understand you completely, but I get the gist. So, what about that guy, Crow?"

"Crow, on the other hand, is the existence that manages negative human emotions, such as anger and disappointment. As he continued to deal with these, he transformed."

"Transformed? Changed?"

"Yeah. He began to take pleasure in deceiving, tricking, and inciting people to fight."

"Deceiving, tricking......"

Elaine had heard of this before. The evil god who deceived people, incited them to fight, and committed all sorts of evil deeds. She thought it was just a fairy tale......

"The evil god that, according to your legends, was sealed by a holy maiden in the past. That's Crow."

Elaine took a moment to digest these words before Shiro continued.

"Talking about the 'original history' might be misleading......"

What Shiro then described was the fate that would have unfolded if the deal between Crow and Elise had not been established.

"Elise would become a 'Sword Saint' at the age of twenty-three, and two years later, he would defeat the Demon King along with Fran, whom you know, and a young man named Nick. Then, a year later, he would meet the holy maiden Lena."

"Lena? She wouldn't fight the Demon King?"

"Yeah. She would spend that time in the church, experiencing various things and becoming a much more accomplished person, a true holy maiden."

"Hmm, that Lena......"

Elaine's words brought a wry smile to Shiro's face as he defended Lena.

"She is inherently a good person. But in this history, she was taken out into the world by Elise before she was ready, and her feelings for him became complicated, resulting in the personality you know. Well, it wouldn't be a lie to say that her competitiveness with you was one of the causes."

Elaine could nod in agreement. She often used her skills on Hana, and most of the time, it was to compete with Elaine. The cause of this competitiveness......was Elise.

"Because Elise treats me well?"

"Yeah, but it's not just that."

Elaine couldn't deny her complex feelings towards Lena. However, what concerned her more at the moment was the future. Shiro, as if sensing her thoughts, continued.

"Let's get back to the story. At this point, I used some of the power I had saved to meet Lena and tell her, 'The existence sealed by the holy maiden in the past will soon appear.'"

"So, at that point, that guy was still sealed there?"

"Yeah. She sought Elise, who had defeated the Demon King, as a collaborator to prepare for the situation, and joined his party for the first time to start the battle against Crow."

"......"

As Elaine listened to Shiro's description of the 'original history,' she felt a slight sense of alienation. The four people who would be called heroes in this history did not include her.

In that fate, she would likely end up doing nothing, quietly dying in the margins of history, just as Elise had experienced.

Unintentionally, she had replaced the 'true heroes' and inserted herself into their place, which made her feel a bit frustrated.

"......Why didn't you do anything about the Demon King? Couldn't you have done something to protect the great tree?"

"Yeah, that's......it might sound like an excuse, but I refrain from intervening in matters that don't involve Crow. I believe that human history should be decided by humans as much as possible. It's a rule I set for myself, a bit selfish, I know."

"That's what led to this situation."

"You're right. So, you can blame me."

While admitting it frankly, Shiro's expression was dark. Seeing this, Elaine realized she had overreacted.

"......I'm sorry, this is just a vent."

"No, I understand how you feel......and I feel helpless that I can't respond to your feelings."

In the slightly awkward silence, Shiro continued.

"During the battle with Crow, Elise would first become aware of his 'Divine Skill,' 'Guidance.'"

"Huh, wait a minute."

That's strange. His 'Divine Skill' was supposed to be a sword master. She had heard this directly from Elise, so it couldn't be wrong.

"Yeah, actually......his skill 'Sword Master' and the 'Sword Saint' he was supposed to become later are 'acquisition-type' skills. He didn't get them through the coming-of-age ceremony; he acquired them there. Some people are given these skills as 'Divine Skills,' but he is different."

In other words, Elise's skills were not just given to him but were the result of his own efforts.

Perhaps if the Demon King had more health and Elise had trained to reduce it, he might have become a 'Sword Saint.' But now, it's impossible to know.

"So, 'Guidance' is his true 'Divine Skill'?"

"Yes. It was supposed to remain dormant until the battle with Crow. This skill was one of the trump cards I prepared specifically to counter Crow. It was designed to be given to someone with the mental strength to overcome death multiple times, which is a fate that most people would give up on. I never thought he would achieve it at such a young age."

Shiro's judgment was correct. It's ironic that it turned out this way. As Elaine thought this, Shiro, seemingly thinking the same, sighed and continued.

"But Crow sensed this and decided to use it for his own benefit. He proposed a deal, customized 'Guidance' for the Demon King, and used it for his own gain."

"So, that guy's true goal was......"

As she spoke, Elaine began to realize the true goal of that man.

Shiro nodded, confirming her thoughts.

"The elimination of the holy maiden Lena. That was his true goal."