After the kidnapping incident was settled, I was going to ask Alice, a person working for the underworld, to investigate the docunts handed to yesterday, when for so reason, the person who handed over those docunts appeared.
I was puzzled by her sudden appearance, but the Phantasmal King just spoke in her usual high-pitched voice.
[You don’t need to ask that rat to help you. I can provide you with the information you need.]
[……Didn’t you give this to so that I could find out myself?]
[No, I only said that it’s your reward. Wouldn’t it be strange if there’s an addition to your reward?]
[………………]
What the heck is this…… Phantasmal King should have felt the anger in the words I returned to her, but the Phantasmal King still had that arrogant tone in her voice when she indifferently told that.
Perhaps sensing my anger, Chronois-san quickly moved in front of and faced the Phantasmal King.
[……It’s been a while, Phantasmal King. Was it the previous Festival of Heroes when we last t?]
[Chronois, what is it?]
[You’re the one who told the world about Miyama, aren’t you? Why did you do that?]
[……They have beco quite a good bait, didn’t they?]
When Chronois-san asked with a sowhat sharp voice, the Phantasmal King calmly answered her.
Bait…… I tilted my head, unable to understand why she said that, but Chronois-san seed to notice sothing, and she clearly sounded angry.
[……So, that’s how it is huh…… You! You used Miyama as decoy!!!]
[…..Decoy?]
[Umu, she most probably deliberately released so unclear information, indifferently used it to manipulate the people around and hunted those who stuck their heads out…… In other words, she used you as bait to burn those turbulent individuals.]
[!? ]
Co to think of it, I rember Lillywood-san ntioning it before.
The Phantasmal King doesn’t tolerate beings that are detrintal for the world, and is she judges you to be one, she will rcilessly kill you…… In short, the Phantasmal King seems to have transmitted my information to the world and erased the people who started moving holding so kind of objective.
I shuddered at the fact that I was being used by the Phantasmal King without knowing it, and at the sa ti, I felt a strange feeling of discomfort.
What the heck is with this feeling…… The conversation should have been making sense, but there’s sothing in their conversation that I’m feeling bothered with.
[……However, I don’t understand. Putting aside the other mbers of the Six Kings, how did you manage to convince the Death King? She’s supposed to move imdiately when it cos to Miyama…… but for so reason, she remained quiet even though that incident happened. You made her do that, didn’t you?]
[……Indeed, it took a lot of work to convince Isis to do it. I was able to finally convince her by offering a fairly concessionary exchange.]
Indeed, Isis-san killed all the black bears in the forest just because I was one knocked unconscious by one before. It might be ridiculous for to say this myself, but I really think she would fly over if sothing wrong happened to .
However, indeed, regarding these recent incidents…… Even that ti when giddo-san invaded, and even this abduction incident…… Isis-san didn’t appear.
It seems that the Phantasmal King presented Isis-san with so conditions in exchange, and made her agree to stay still…… What kind of condition is that?
And also, that uncomfortable feeling I felt earlier, was it about Isis-san? No, however, I still feel like there’s sothing bothering .
[Anyway, what the heck is with that way of speaking of yours? That’s “different to how you usually speak”……]
[!? ]
Chronois-san dubiously asked. As soon as I heard that, a completely different thought popped into my head.
The purpose of the Phantasmal King, the words she said when I encountered her, the conditions she used to convince Isis-san, and the way the Phantasmal King speaks…… All these scattered pieces co together in my mind.
I see…… So that’s what it is, that is to say, this is what the Phantasmal King would probably call as the fifth trial……
Slowly stepping out in front of Chronois-san, I calmly spoke.
[……I don’t trust you. I’m not going to ask a request to soone I can’t trust.]
[……Hooohhhh……]
[Miyama? Are you sure? The Phantasmal King certainly is soone that you could hardly trust, but her information gathering ability is solid. This person can certainly prepare the evidence for you……]
Hearing the words I said, Chronois-san asks if that’s okay, tilting her head.
Shaking my head in response, I moved my gaze.
[……Chronois-san. I trust the Phantasmal King. I’m grateful to her.]
[Unnn? Miyama, what the heck are you talking about?]
[There’s sothing that’s been bothering for a long ti. And now, I know exactly why…… You’re not the “real Phantasmal King”.]
[………………..]
The words I quietly said startled Chronois-san, but the being in black robe remained silent…… She doesn’t interrupt as if she’s telling to keep going.
So, the true nature of the discomfort I’m feeling is probably this.
The first ti I t the Phantasmal King, I felt her eerie presence…… but at the second ti and the third ti I encountered her, she was far eerier than that.
However, from this being in front of right now…… I don’t feel that much shivers.
Until now, I had thought that the more I learned about the Phantasmal King’s dreadfulness, the more I felt sothing akin to fear, but it’s more convincing to think of this person in front of as a different person.
[Chronois-san. You said earlier that the Phantasmal King speaks differently, right?]
[……Yeah.]
[Could t be that the Phantasmal King…… usually speaks with a “peculiar tone but filled with honorifics”?]
[……That’s right.]
Before, Chronois-san had described the Phantasmal King as a boisterous and irritating fellow.
However, the Phantasmal King I actually t wasn’t like that, she was more like a creepy mastermind…… And the mont I heard that “she’s speaking in a different way”, I rembered sothing.
When I talked to Kuro, and when I talked to Chronois-san…… It’s like they’re talking about different beings who “usually use honorifics”.
I thought it was just because she was lowering her head before terrifying, more powerful beings…… but if the Phantasmal King’s usual tone of voice is her characteristic, it may be because she doesn’t want her true identity to be revealed.
[……Chronois-san, you were wondering how she convinced Isis-san, right?]
[Umu, I don’t think the Death king would be easily convinced. She said she made a deal with her, but I can’t imagine her putting priority to anything rather than Miyama’s safety.]
[……I think the Phantasmal King probably said this to Isis-san. “I will always be around him, and if it’s necessary, I’ll intervene and save him myself”……]
[What?]
Yes, the Phantasmal King probably convinced Isis-san to stay still by guaranteeing my safety.
Based on that premise, it changes the way you look at a lot of things.
The attacks, giddo-san’s visit, my abduction…… Of all these three incidents, if I were to think that the Phantasmal King was trying to protect ……
[……Just when we were attacked, she didn’t interfere since she thinks that Anima and Sieg-san could beat Eta and Theta. But then, she thought that it would be difficult for two exhausted people to defeat Sigma…… So, she intervened.]
[……Miyama?]
[When giddo-san showed up, she disguised herself as Kuro and made giddo-san put down his hand…… and now, again……]
Thereupon, I stopped speaking for a mont and slowly turned around.
The person who wasn’t there when the Phantasmal King appeared for the second and third ti, and who was there when the Phantasmal King appeared first and this ti.
[……I want to help Lilia-san, Lunamaria-san, and Sieg-san, who have been taking good care of .]
[Kaito-san……]
[……So, I’m going to need your help.]
Inhaling once, I then look straight into her eyes, and utter the answer I’ve arrived at.
[Please, Alice…… No, “Phantasmal King, No Face”……]
Dear Mom, Dad——- Co to think of it, that fellow always appeared out of the blue, except when I visited her. An enigmatic being with no bottom in sight, and sharpness that can be seen sotis. If I’m not mistaken, Alice’s true identity is——- the Phantasmal King, No Face.
**********
{Author’s Notes}
It seems that there are already so people that predicted it was her.
You’re right…… The Phantasmal King’s true identity is Alice-chan~~.
For all the ladies and gentlen who guessed right, magnificent…… I confer to you 30 S (Serious-senpai) points.
T/N: 18/92 9…
Reviews
All reviews (0)