"…" "…"
Urd and I were staring at each other with bewildered expressions, caught off guard by this sudden reunion.
She seed just as surprised by our unexpected eting.
Inside [The Naless Hawk]... or what was it called again?
The Well of Fate...? The heart of Yggdrasil…?
‘The na is so aningful, but I still don’t really understand its exact significance.’
Anyway… the space filled with stars was still twinkling brightly. However, the girl living there didn’t seem to be in a good state.
‘She looks… kind of tired…?’
Her complexion seed paler than before, and instead of bustling around and chattering endlessly, she was lying down with so chairs pulled together.
It was an unseemly posture, almost like a drunkard sleeping in front of a subway station, but on the other hand, it also showed just how exhausted she must be to disregard her usual deanor.
Feeling uneasy, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Um… are you okay?” “Mmm…☆ Well…” “…?”
Urd… was unusually hesitant, unlike the straightforward and blunt 'original Clara.' Watching her like this, a sense of unease began to creep into my chest.
“…”
But at that mont. I felt soone outside grabbing my legs and hips, trying to pull out forcibly. Simultaneously, the passage I was held in—[The Naless Hawk]’s throat—began to quiver and contract.
Damn bird!! Who do you think you're swallowing—!!
Spit it out! Spit it out—!!
Ugh…! Gah…!
Then, the opening around started to shake as if it was trying to eject back out.
“Whoa—?! What the—?!” “…Hehe, really… such a familiar voice—☆ I guess they were worried about you outside—☆” “But…?! Ah, anyway! Are you okay? You don't look too well!” “Haha—☆ Well~♪ I'm now a competent star who can help others—☆ Yes~ that's right! I've thought of so many things, so let's talk more leisurely next ti! Oh! Maybe you could bring so snacks when you co by again—☆ You can't have a proper tea ti without so sweets…☆”
Urd tried her best to sound cheerful, using ‘Clara’s’ usual lively tone. She kept smiling brightly.
“…”
But I still couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. So, I carefully asked her again.
“You’re really okay… right…?”
“…” As I began to be pulled out, I looked at Urd urgently, but she just nodded with that sa pale face, assuring that she was fine.
“…”
Honestly, no matter how I looked at her, she didn’t seem okay. But Urd kept smiling and waved off as if to say, "Go on."
It was clear she had no intention of giving a straight answer right now.
“…”
Looking at her forced, calm face, for so reason, Frida-senpai's face ca to mind.
‘…Well, at least I now have a way to talk to Urd again, so I guess I’ll have to save the details for later.’
Even though this reunion was sudden, it was a relief to reconnect with soone who knew about this world. More than anything, I was worried about her, who had given up so much for .
I told her that I would co back to see her again.
“…Okay♪”
She waved at with a cheerful smile. But maybe it was just my imagination… that wave seed strangely weak.
“…”
Before I knew it, I could hear the voices of my juniors coming from the wriggling passage. They were frantically yelling as they tried to pull out of there.
“Senpai—! Hang on! We’ll get you out soon!” “Comrade Senpai! Can you hear us?” “Guys! Grab hold, and on the count of three, pull—!” “One!” “Two!” “Three—!!”
The hands gripping my legs all pulled at once. With imnse pressure, the space that had swallowed began to convulse.
Guhargh—?!
…And then, with a retching sound from [The Naless Hawk], I started to be expelled.
Swoosh—
The space filled with shining stars rapidly faded away, and as I passed through the giant chick’s throat, feeling the wet, warm texture slide past , I found myself back on the familiar training ground.
Thud—
“…”
I collapsed onto the ground like a wet shrimp just before being breaded for frying. My juniors also tumbled to the ground, unable to control the force that had suddenly propelled out.
“Cough! Ugh! Aargh—!! Cheep…!”
[The Naless Hawk] was doubled over, gagging from the effort of forcibly expelling .
“Puhah—?!” “She’s out—!” “Are you alright?!” “Senpai, are you okay?”
My juniors hurriedly rushed over to . The giant chick was still retching and bobbing its head. It was a thoroughly chaotic scene.
‘There’s so much information to process all of a sudden, I can’t even organize my thoughts.’
I stood there, dazed, in the midst of the confusing scene.
The awakened [Naless Hawk]. The cosmic space within its mouth. The three chairs I saw before. The tired-looking Urd.
“…”
The story seed to be continuing, but sohow, it wasn’t. But there was nothing I could do about things I couldn’t change right now.
The first thing I should do is reassure my worried juniors and thank them. Everything else can be dealt with later.
I looked at my juniors, who were staring at with concern.
“…Yeah♪ Thanks. I’m okay—☆” “…I’m so relieved. When that thing suddenly swallowed you up, I was so scared.” “I thought you’d get out right away, but when you stayed inside, I got really worried.” “Sorry, sorry—☆ I’m really fine~♪ I was just a bit surprised~☆”
At my words, my juniors smiled in relief. Then, they quietly glared at [The Naless Hawk], who was still doubled over in the distance.
“Cough… Hack…! Cheep! I almost choked—! Do you even realize how fragile this body is…?! Cheep, cheep—?” “…” “…” “…” “What, what is it? Cheep? Why are you suddenly glaring at and coming closer… Cheep! No, don’t co any closer!! Stay back!! Don’t co near —!” “…” “…” “…” “Cheeeeeep—!”
[The Naless Hawk] eventually got mobbed by the juniors in retaliation. Thanks to their refined control, it got just enough of a beating to not get seriously hurt. And now, it sat by us, letting out pitiful whimpers as we ate dinner.
“Cheeep… Cheeeep… They don’t believe … This is too much…” “Who in their right mind would believe the words of a crazy chick that suddenly swallows people?” “Cheeep… But… To prove that I’m a divine beast, I had to show you the sacred space connected to Yggdrasil… Cheeeep…!” “…” Twitch—
Rota’s orange cat ears perked up.
She set down her soup bowl and looked over at . Her orange, jewel-like eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Senpai, was there really sothing inside that thing’s stomach?” “…” “Actually, the concept of the ‘Well of Fate’ that it ntioned is sothing Frida-senpai also talked about… So it might actually be a real ancient divine beast.” “Like the giant snake we saw last ti?” “Right?” “…If that’s the case, shouldn’t we deal with it now? We can’t have more of those incidents.” “Cheeep—?!”
[The Naless Hawk], who had been slowly picking up crumbs from the floor, flinched and looked up in shock.
“…”
What should I do… Should I just show them?
“Hmmm—☆”
At this point, the original story and all that… It might be ti to co together and make so unified decisions. Introducing our hidden ally—‘Urd’—now might be the right mont.
‘If Urd is the ‘Clara’ from the original story, she’d be happy to see the juniors again.’
If the juniors see Urd living in the Well of Fate, and they get shocked, thinking ‘What?! Two Clara-senpais?!’…
Hehehe—☆ Actually, we’re the Claras of the Academy City—☆ We belong to an organization working in secret to save Yggdrasil (serious). As [Saints of Sacrifice], we know the truth of the Academy City!
…Well, it would be sothing like that.
Now, even if I reveal the truth, the justification isn’t in my head, but sothing Yggdrasil will take care of for .
… … …
It’s not a bad plan.
With the Double Clara Attack leaving the juniors dazed, I could follow it up with sothing like this:
‘The role I played as [The Faded Spiral] was actually following the prophecies of Yggdrasil, and any knowledge about and future events is thanks to Yggdrasil.’
Clearing up all the distortions in their perception until now, and finding the fastest way forward.
“…”
The operation was now fully prepared.
From now on, I would act as the Saint who follows the great prophecies of Yggdrasil.
Before starting the operation, I fully released the Pretty Filter, raising the cells responsible for my empathy and emotional intelligence.
‘Cry out, Pretty Filter.’
Anyways, Yggdrasil is amazing, so incredible—☆
Knows everything, and even provides forest baths—☆
Hilde is so pretty and cute, I want to kiss her every day—☆
‘Mmm… Perfect.’
My reason had dropped just enough, so now I felt like I could say anything, no matter how nonsensical.
Before responding to Kara and Rota, I looked over at Albite, who was next in line to obtain the next legendary weapon according to the flow.
“…”
Albite was gently tossing small pieces of bread towards [The Naless Hawk], who had been battered around like a ragdoll. She had been quietly listening to our conversation.
“Uh, I’ve been curious about that too… Did you really see sothing?” “Mmm—☆ I felt sothing… holy for sure—♪” “Really?” “You’re telling that stupid chick actually showed you sothing?” “What did you see?!”
I am a girl who has witnessed the truth. I am a girl who has discovered the reality of this world.
“The truth and reality of this world—☆” “…!” “…!” “…!”
The juniors, hearing my words, imdiately looked at [The Naless Hawk], who had been pitifully picking up crumbs.
Sensing their stares, [The Naless Hawk] seed to get nervous and tried to scamper away, but was quickly caught.
“Open your mouth—!” “Craaaaw—!”
Albite had originally started this half as a joke.
No matter what the senpai said, The idea that the world’s truth was contained in a chick’s stomach sounded a bit far-fetched.
But…
[Watch over as I move forward—!] [I’m your senpai—☆] [Haha…☆ I might’ve done sothing…☆] [Oh—♪ Is this a ‘coincidental’ dungeon…?!]
“…”
Clara always seed like she was pretending to make mistakes, pretending to joke… like she was preparing ‘sothing.’ That’s why Albite had always been curious about what exactly Clara was preparing.
“…”
And now.
Here.
For the first ti, Albite was witnessing one of ‘Clara’s’ truths.
“Sen…pai…?” “Haha—☆ What, what is it? Are we all signing autographs now?” “Wh-why are you here…? Senpai is outside right now, isn’t she…?” “Yeah♪ Surprised?”
‘Clara’ gently patted Albite’s head as she looked at her in confusion. Her touch was kind, but she seed sowhat weary.
“Don’t worry. ‘Your senpai’ is still waiting for you outside—☆” “Then who are you?” “Mmm…☆ I actually wanted to tell Clara first, but things seed urgent earlier…♪”
The current ‘’ had given up being ‘Clara.’ I sacrificed my ti to turn back the clock on a dood future.
The pink-haired girl gently stroked Albite’s head as she spoke.
“In other words… Mmm…☆ You can call the ‘Goddess of Fate,’ the past Urd—☆” “God…dess…?” “Yep! ‘Clara’ is, well… my agent? My upgraded version? Haha—☆ Anyway, we’re kind of like friends—☆”
A friend of the goddess. An agent of the goddess.
People in the world called such individuals priests or apostles.
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