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Volume 5 Prologue Part 15

As for the observation of the events in parallel worlds, the happening of the exact same event or the appearance of the exactly same person or God or a Spirit is difficult to observe precisely even with the involvement of statistical causality unless such appearances or happenings are assured at exactly the same time as their occurrence in the universe, but they do manage to get observed and ascertained, then it can definitely be said that the individuals causing such happenings are the possessors of the strongest kinds of Divinities. In case of Little Garden, when someone is talking about the authority of 『Future Vision』, they usually mean the power to observe and then estimate the exact value of these two.

 

The total amount of the changes in the perceivable universe determined by Alpha. It did not have any kind of specific name before, but when they came around humans have , as they always do, came up with one, which has since then became universally accepted. They called it. . .「Fate」.

 

「I think that I might have heard Kuro Usagi say something about it or something extremely similar to it while we were in the Capital of Glittering Flames . . .  but I am afraid that we did not have the chance to talk about it in more details at that time.」

 

「When it comes to the issue of solving the mysteries of Little Garden that are meant to test your knowledge, in terms of their difficulty level they tend to have at least four or more digits, so she probably did not want to needlessly confuse Master and her companions.」

 

While the first two indicators are used for measuring what is called 「Innate Divinity」, the third indicator is something that is primarily used to measure its direct opposite, a thing called 「Acquired Divinity」, bestowed by the Gods, Spirits or Dragons upon mortals as a result of overcoming a trial or challenge. To put it in different words, 「Acquired Divinity」is a 「Divinity obtained from accomplishments and achievements」.

 

「Now, I have a question: what is the exact relationship between Divinity and the things such as mythologies and folklore?」

 

「Both of them are influenced by things such as their impact on the world, long-term effects, achievements of the heroes mentioned in them, their compensations and value. Some of the things that can serve as typical examples the discovery and reclamation of the new, uncharted lands, coming up with new concepts and inventions or sacrificial rituals.」

 

This was actually explained to them before when Asuka and the others fought against the Demon Lord of Hamelin on the North Side.

 

「「The existence of a particular Gift means that there must also exist a folklore related to it」. The truth of the matter is a little different than that, but from the cognitive point of view that belief is not exactly wrong either. The most important thing there is to know about such Gifts and Divinities is that they cannot be something that was already dwelling in the potential user, but they have to be something that they have obtained from an entirely external source. Master’s Holy Sword, which has the ability to cut through both folklore, Divinty and physical bodies would be a perfect example of that.」

 

「Well, that might be true, but it could probably return to its original state as long as I wish for it, but let us not forget what Mr. Amakuni said: 『Your terrible swordsmanship is more suited for waving a stick around rather than a real sword, Princess. While you can wield the Holy Sword, wielding it and using it properly are two very different things. And while you might learn a thing or two by the way of obtaining experience through genuine battles, it will still not be enough for you to say that you are wielding the 『Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi』 properly, even now that it has been reforged. It might look like it is complete, but right now, it is just like a painting of a dragon that lacks its black dots for eyes. 』 Well, for someone whose swordsmanship is only good for waving a stick around, I am still doing pretty good with it, if I do say so myself. Fufun~~ 」

 

Asuka said with her face filled with pride. But. . . . .  but did Almathea not just called it a Holy Sword?

 

(『Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi』, otherwise known as 『Kusanagi』. . . the mysterious Holy Sword that suddenly made its appearance around two years ago? So Amakuni was the one responsible for its creation? But despite being a Divine armament in origin, its legend never mentioned that it was actually a Holy Sword. . . . . . . . .  so why did Almathea referred to it as such?)

 

 

Lamia also heard the stories about this sword. It was a blade that one of the Queen’s Knights, Faceless, used during one of the Gift Games that 『No Names』 participated in two years ago. It is said that this sword possessed many powerful abilities, including the one to nullify all supernatural abilities, Gifts and magic including the ones that were infused with Divinity, itself included. And what is more, that ability could be used either against specific individual or objects, or across a wider area of effect. Feeling her eyelids twitch nervously, Lamia glared at the body of Charybdis, which has not moved an inch ever since Asuka slashed it, and said:

「Now I am pretty much convinced. The legend of Scylla and Charybdis mentions that they were actually humans turned into monsters. . . . .  and you just cut that folkloristic part about them her being a monster away from her, right?」

 

「That is right. Usually I can invalidate Divinities and supernatural properties unconditionally, but for the effect to be stronger and sure-hit, it is always better to cut off everything, including rumors and speculations, no matter how small or insignificant they might be.」

 

Lamia pretended to be calm, but in reality, her heart was pounding like crazy right now. Whether it really was a Holy Sword or not was no longer an issue, although it would be great if that was indeed the case. If. . . .  if that sword could really cut folklore and Divinity away from the material plane. . . .  then maybe, just maybe it could also rend the cursed folklore spread by the wretched Storytellers asunder?!

 

(Maybe. . . .  maybe it could separate Mother’s. . . .  mom’s Curse of Vampirism away from her, even though it happened more than a thousand years ago?)

 

It happened shortly after the Vampires who became known as 「The Knights of Little Garden」fell at the hands of the Demon Lords. It was then that Storytellers began spreading their malicious rumors, causing a certain woman to become a monster due to all the scandals they caused. It was their fault that the Vampire Queen, Lamia Draculea, Leticia Draculea’s younger sister and Lamia’s mother lost her pure and noble form and became little more than a bloodthirsty monstrosity.

 

Storytellers, hailed as the fourth strongest species in Little Garden have the ability to interfere with the world and its history through their poems and songs, and they used that foul sorcery of theirs to turn the queen’s fair skin into scales and her lovely red lips were tainted by ugly fangs that scared anyone who looked at her. And after a curse according to which she would be fated to devour her own child, she was forced to enter a state of a very long sleep in order to protect the child that was still growing in her belly at that time.

 

(. . . . . . Calm down. At present, I do not even know if I will be able to undo the false history created by the Storytellers. I need to get my hands on a touchstone first.)

 

But there was no way for such a convenient tool to just wound up in her possession. And besides, the powers of the Storytellers allow them to hold the power to modify even the content of the Gift Games on par with the Authority possessed by the 「Host Masters」. In other words, in many cases they are going to have the power on par with that of the Demon Lords. That also meant that her touchstone cannot be anyone with the 「Host Master」Authority. She needed someone comparable in strength to a Demon Lord, who has experience in being modified by the Storytellers, and it has to be someone susceptible to a strike from an unrefined swordsmanship, and something was telling Lamia that this swordsmanship hurdle was going to be the most troublesome one to overcome. Judging by the level of Kudou Asuka’s mediocre swordsmanship, only a limited number of potential opponents would fall for actually receiving a blow from something so unrefined as her sword strikes, and there is no way for someone convenient like that to be well within her reach. . . .

 

(. . . . . .  Ah!)

 

No, there is. Or rather, there was. The person who meets all of the criteria was, or still is, depending on how you look at it, affiliated with 『Uroboros』!

(Yes, it might not be a bad idea to use that man as my touchstone. Besides, he is nothing more but a disposable piece that Krishna awakened so that he could have someone who could probe around those fools from 『Avatara』 for him.

 

But if she wants to cut him with Asuka’s sword, she is going to need a good reason for it, and a strategy. And also prepare gifts for the other leaders of 『Uroboros』.

 

(It is going to be risky. . . . . but definitely worth giving a shot.)

 

Looking at Asuka’s back, Lamia made her decision as the rest of the group began to read the words that appeared on the surface of the stone monument.

 

「Okay, so. . . . what is the next destination on the map?」

 

「The words seem to be pointing towards the eastern part of Atlantis, probably to where the next stone monument is located. But since the distance between the destination and our current location seems to be quite vast, then it might be better for me to carry you there.」

 

「What are we waiting for then? Let us head outside immediately. . . .」

 

「Wait. First, there is something that I need to tell you.」

 

When Lamia spoke and raised her hand, Asuka and the others looked at her all at once. The gamble she was about to make is an exceedingly dangerous one, but she had to get it done no matter what. As a member of 『No Name』, Kudou Asuka definitely has a reason to fight 『Uroboros』, so she was going to sprinkle some breadcrumbs that would point her in the right direction, and she had no reason not to go and eat all of them.

 

Lamia took a deep breath, and told her new companions while producing an emblem with the 『Uroboros’s』 flag engraved on it that rested on her chest until now:

 

「Before we go any further, there is something about me that I believe all of you should know. Up until now, I. . .   I have been keeping my real identity a secret from you all, but no more. My name is Lamia. Lamia Draculea The Second. As one of the leaders of the Sub Community belonging to 『Uroboros Demon Lord Alliance』, there is something that I would wish to discuss with Arjuna, 『The Oathbreaking Hero』.」