WE TRIED TLS
Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer
Chapter 259 | If (7)
“…Weren’t the Primordial Beasts born alongside the world?”
> [That’s right. We were born together with the world.]
“Then this Creator must be…”
> [When God created the world, we were made as well.]
Ekua fell silent for a moment, stunned by this sudden revelation. [So there really was a God?] The Mountain Lord, too, was just as shaken upon learning the secret of his ancestor’s birth.
“I always thought it was just nonsense made up by outsiders…”
> [Well, it’s understandable. You didn’t live through the Mythic Era, and the records from that time have also not been properly handed down.]
“Then all this time, our faith has been blasphemy…”
Ekua tried to remain calm as this bomb of a revelation struck him right as he was seeing someone off. It wasn’t easy. His composure faltered, and his raw emotions almost burst out before he barely reined them in.
> [You don’t need to worry about it. That being is a fair death and an unfair life, a merciful forest and a harsh ocean. They won’t go around labeling these kinds of things as blasphemous.]
“Still…”
> [I said it’s fine.]
Noticing his unease, the Land Turtle gently tapped Ekua’s arm with a flipper.
> [In the first place, that being only cares about this world’s continued existence. As long as living beings don’t seek to destroy it, they don’t care how those people choose to live or what they worship. So really, don’t worry too much. It’s not good for your body to worry about unnecessary things.]
“…I see.”
However, the reassurance didn’t completely ease Ekua’s complicated emotions. The kid’s eyes sank.
“When I read the outside Temple’s scriptures to understand them better, I remember being baffled by their justification for tolerating idol worship… but maybe there was some basis to it after all.”
> [Huh? What did they write?]
“They wrote that ‘since the entire world was created by God, even worshipping His creations ultimately praises His greatness.’ So there’s no need to condemn idolatry.”
Back when he first read that, he’d thought, “Wow, these outsiders really don’t know respect, huh? What a way to put down others’ beliefs.” But now that the Land Turtle had confirmed the Creator’s existence, it all felt different.
> [Erm… I mean, technically, they’re not wrong.]
Shockingly, it was a statement grounded in fact. Ekua felt oddly angry.
> [To be more precise, as long as the world’s continuance is guaranteed, and the object of faith is part of this world’s order, it doesn’t matter who or what someone worships… But yeah, it’s more or less the same.]
“I see…”
> [Huh, they’re still a god, so is it really okay?]
> [Why wouldn’t it be? A god’s existence and the people’s belief in them are two entirely separate matters.]
That statement left both Ekua and the Mountain Lord speechless. It was hard to argue with this since it came straight from the Land Turtle, but… having the foundations of one’s life and faith dismantled and reassembled like this was accompanied by an indescribable pain.
> [Then, is that also why the Demons are persecuted…?]
> [Because they aren’t beings of this world.]
> [Hmmmm. Then, Ancestor, shouldn’t the Knight be accepted by the Temple as well, since he doesn’t worship Demons and actually works to preserve the world? If what you said about the Creator’s tolerance is true, shouldn’t his existence be allowed as well?]
Still, the Mountain Lord quickly recovered from the shock. Though he was being treated as the subject of worship, he had no desire to reign alone.
> [There are a few things I can say about that… but first, let’s clear something up.]
> [Huh?]
> [Our god isn’t lenient. They don’t ignore idolatry or denial of God out of compassion, but because they just deem it unworthy of response, so they can’t be called completely merciful.]
> [Erm…?]
> [As I said earlier, that being is a fair death and an unfair life, a merciful forest and a harsh ocean. Another way to describe them is “nature.”]
However, the truths that continued pouring out were getting heavier bit by bit.
> [Now think about it. What’s more ridiculous than asking nature for mercy? It isn’t nature that adapts to life, but life that adapts to nature.]
The Land Turtle’s words finally completely silenced those two. They didn’t seem all too pleased either.
> [And the idea that God rejects the Demon Knight? That’s wrong too. That being has no eyes or ears, so if you’re within order, you’re embraced, and if you’re not—that is, if you carry power from outside it—you’re rejected. Like a beggar struggling to survive is given death, while a tyrant trampling over others is granted a long life, that being doesn’t consider the actions and paths of individuals. Look at us. If that being cared about us, would we have ever fallen like this?]
That was all it was. The God the Land Turtle knew was just like that, and so the Demon Knight had no choice but to do his best to fend for himself. He had to, because he was the only one who could.
> [But don’t the prayers of the Temple’s people get answered? When they pray hard enough, don’t they get more Divine Power?]
> [You idiot. It’s not like someone’s sitting there listening to prayers with ears like we would. If God is a well, then people’s prayers are just buckets with which they can draw out whatever Divine Power they can handle.]
“…Then those people weren’t really chosen by God, like the rumors say?”
> [The only one they watch over directly is the Hero. Everyone else just awakened those abilities through innate talent or effort.]
“That’s…”
> [Anyway, instead of praying to God, try praying to fate. That being will never answer you, so you have no other choice but to rely on fate.]
In this world, the Demon Knight’s only absolute ally was himself.
> [Fate is the only thing in this world even God can’t touch.]
Yes, the only one who could save him was himself.
“…Then I guess I should press a bit harder for him to stay.”
But…
“But before that, I need to stop by Aori. I have something to take care of.”
Even if they couldn’t save him, they could at least do things to help him.
* * *
The Inquisitor moved her hands and feet mechanically, healing people and supporting those around her.
With just one ray of light, she healed external wounds. With another, she mended internal ones. The expressions of those she helped lit up in return. These were miracles performed through her as an agent of God.
『Send back—the—one who—is lost.』
Yes. That was the power she had channeled.
『Send back—the one who is lost.』
And the power she had always wielded.
『Kill them.』
And the power she would now be called upon to wield.
That’s what it was.
“Why?”
But.
But…
“Why…?”
The Inquisitor felt her knees buckle. It wasn’t because her legs felt weak or because of any issue with her health.
“Miss Priest?”
“O Lord, why…?”
There was only one thing that collapsed.
“Why…”
And that was her heart.
* * *
WE TRIED TLS
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* * *
“Just two more weeks! Please, just two more weeks!”
> [Two weeks! Two weeks!]
They caught me while I was testing out every possible way to disguise myself through drastic transformation via scars, tattoos, or anything else. The Warchief, who’d ridden on the Mountain Lord to visit me in secret, clung to my legs as he begged me. The Mountain Lord even had his tail wrapped around my body.
“…One week.”
“That won’t do. Two weeks! I refuse to compromise!”
“Do I look like I’d compromise?”
“…Two weeks!”
Why were those two like this? I lowered my gaze, ready to firmly brush off the clingy boy and snake this time…
“…”
“…”
Big, tearful eyes were staring up at me.
“…”
“…”
Wh-what? Did he think my attack power would drop just because he was using those sparkly eyes? That my conviction would drop by two ranks just because he was puffing out his cheeks at me?!
“…Wh-what is with you?”
…What a cunning child! He’d been faithfully fulfilling his duties as the Warchief, so why was he suddenly pulling the child card on me…?!
“I won’t ask for more. Just two more weeks. Can’t you please stay for two more weeks?”
Still, every child had the right to act like this. And I, being an adult, had the duty to yield to it.
“…Promise me, just two more weeks. After that, no more fussing.”
“Yes!”
> [Uwaaah!!]
“And take this with you when you leave.”
“What is this?”
“You’ll see. And you, get your tail off me already.”
> [Ah, understood.]
I let out a soft sigh as I looked at the Warchief’s faintly flushed cheeks when he received my conditional permission.
The three million Gal I finally handed over as payment for the wig—I added a bit more to it, considering how much I owed him—but was accepting this request… really the right thing to do? Even if the kid clung to me first, was it truly right for me to stay here?
The longer I remained here, the more danger these people might face. Was it really okay to turn a blind eye to that?
“Ah, and… I’ve told the priests I’ll be out exploring the forest with the Mountain Lord today, so…”
At that point, I was seriously wondering whether it was right for me, as an adult, to humor this child and spend time with him or if it was my responsibility to prevent any harm he might face.
“Could I… stay here with you today?”
But the answer didn’t come easily. I had no real choice.
“…Yes.”
Even adults could feel lonely.
So lonely that they couldn’t help but agree to these kinds of things, even though they knew they shouldn’t.
> [Hey. How come you always tell me to go away, but let the kid do whatever? That’s discrimination, you hear?]
“Be quiet.”
> [Hnnng.]
“Haha… Oh, right. Honored benefactor, the priests packed me a lunch box. Would you like to eat together?”
I pursed my lips at the Warchief’s invitation.
Once I left the Great Forest, once I left these trees behind, would I ever hear that kind of invitation again? With the penalties tied to [Disguise], I wouldn’t be able to remain in cities or towns for long, or travel with others, so would I ever get to hear these warm words again?
“Ah, I didn’t mean right now… I meant we could eat together at the time you usually eat. I asked the priests to pack extra, so there should be plenty… I think…?”
Slim. The chances of that happening were incredibly slim. Unless I returned here someday, and unless these people still felt affection toward me when I did, it was probably next to impossible.
“…Do you not want to?”
And so, this outcome was inevitable. If the road ahead would be painful no matter what, it was only natural that I wanted to delay walking it for just a bit longer.
“No. Let’s eat together.”
Unable to even show a smile, I brought my hand toward the child’s head.
Was it okay to do this to someone who was essentially this place’s leader? Would it be rude to pat him without asking first?
Tap. Just as I stopped my hand with an awkward bit of space left, the child rose onto his tiptoes and pressed his head into my hand. Ekua smiled bashfully, shedding his status as Warchief and becoming just a normal child for that moment. [Hnnnnnng.] Only the snake, still feeling discriminated against, continued grumbling for no real reason.
“…When did you eat breakfast?”
My fingers, once stiff and frozen in place, started stroking his hair. Every time I tried to stop, the kid leaned into my touch, so it was hard for me to pull away first.
“Around sunrise.”
He woke up that early…?
I glanced up toward the sun that was about to reach the middle of the sky. Fortunately, the dense trees blocked most of its light, so my eyes didn’t sting.
“Let’s eat now.”
“Yes!”
I’d eaten breakfast a bit late, but… my Class was physical. In other words, the more calories I consumed, the better.
So, thinking this was only a good thing, I started prepping for lunch. The Mountain Lord, who’d been half-ignored, was openly pouting, but that quickly changed when I tossed it a single apple. I wondered whether it realized that was one of the apples it had grown itself.
“This is the box for lunch.”
“…Lunch?”
“There’s also one for dinner.”
No… That wasn’t what I meant with that question, though.
Looking at the seven massive lunchboxes, I couldn’t help but make a slightly conflicted expression. I got that the Warchief must’ve asked them to pack a bit extra, but wasn’t this a bit too much…? How much could that tiny child possibly eat?
“The Mountain Lord said it wanted a taste as well.”
> [I wasn’t really planning on eating it, though. That minuscule amount wouldn’t even serve as a palate cleanser.]
Fortunately, my suspicions didn’t last for much longer. The kid and the Mountain Lord quickly explained, sheepishly noticing my doubtful expression. It made sense. Even an average adult couldn’t finish all that, but this was probably nothing to someone as huge as it.
“This one has fried rice, that one has porridge, and this one…”
While I was thinking, Ekua began opening the lunch boxes one by one. The smell of well-seasoned soup, stew, stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, curry, fried noodles, and a few grilled dishes wafted over to me.
“I couldn’t come up with a reason to exclude meat. I’m sorry…”
“It’s fine.”
What was he talking about? With a growing child around, meat was absolutely essential. Between my personal tastes and his nutritional needs, the latter would always prevail. Even if the priests had asked me, I would’ve told them to include it.
“We give thanks to nature that always blesses us.”
More importantly, the fried rice and risotto… Just looking at it made my mouth water.
I picked up my spoon and eyed the dish that was closer to jasmine rice than Korean short grain. The child had already finished his prayers, so there was no need to wait further. My stomach, shriveled after weeks of living alone, welcomed the long-awaited luxurious feast.
The light rice danced across my tongue, while the chili-flavored coconut milk curry burst on my palate along with fresh vegetables.
After all the blood I had lost while training with [Disguise], it felt like my vitality was finally being replenished. It was ridiculously delicious.
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