Chapter 718: Intermission: ? ? ? ~ ~ 4 Billion Years and 20 Billion Years ~ ~ (1/2)
Late at night, right above the room where Kaito sleeps…… Sitting on the roof of the mansion, Alice absentmindedly gazed at the moon in the night sky.
It was a night like any other…… Until a single white feather passed in front of Alice's eyes and a God appeared beside her……
[……Haahhh…… What do you want, Eden-san? Kaito-san is already asleep, you know?]
[………………..]
[Unnn?]
Without answering Alice's question, Eden took out a vermillion-colored cup from nowhere and offered it to Alice. After confirming that Alice accepted it even as she raised an eyebrow at her, Eden sat down next to Alice, took out a bottle of alcohol and poured its contents into Alice's cup.
[……What brought this on?]
[Nothing, it doesn't hold any deeper meaning. However, let's see…… Perhaps, because Shallow Vernal used Epilogue earlier…… that I remembered some things from a long time ago. I wonder how many years back then was it? From my senses, it was ”over 20 billion years ago”, but there are differences between the flow of time between worlds after all. For other worlds, it may have been just a few seconds ago. I wonder what appropriate year should I describe it with?]
[I think you could just say it happened 20 billion years ago.]
[Then, it happened 20 billion years ago. I just remembered that time.]
[……I see.]
Hearing Eden's words that won't make sense to her ears, Alice drank from her cup without any questions.
A moment of silence remained for a while…… before Alice took out a small ”golden feather” and held it out to Eden.
[……I'll return this to you. In the end, ”it was never used”……]
[You don't need to return that anymore. I don't have any use for that ”feather that allows one to enter the world created by Shallow Vernal”. Rather, why is it that you never used it?]
[Even if I forcefully entered that place, what the heck would I even do? Besides, it would be better for you if I hadn't used this…… This would probably be ”a breach of your contract”, right?]
[That's right. That is indeed an item that violates my contract with Shallow Vernal…… If you had used it, I wouldn't have been able to say no to any additional terms she pushed to me afterwards, even if it's unfavorable to me.]
The feather Alice received at the night before Shallow Vernal's ordeal…… was something entrusted to her by Eden. With it, even if it's just Alice, she would be able to intervene in Kaito's ordeal.
In the end, Alice chose not to use it, believing in Kaito…… but there shouldn't have been any reason for Eden to give Alice something that would make her position worse.
[……Why did you entrust this to me?]
[I don't know…… I guess I just had this hunch to give that to you.]
[……Why is it that you highly evaluate only me…… and help me with things like this?]
[Haven't I told you about it? That of all the people in this world, you're the one I think the most highly of……]
[That's quite the boring lie. Even if I have some combat skills, there's no way that you'd be interested in someone other than your children.]
[………………..]
Hearing Alice's astounding words, Eden fell silent. Alice also didn't ask her about this matter any further, and silence fell between them again.
It was unknown how much time had passed, but they continued pouring alcohol into each other's cups and drank. After repeating that process four times, Alice muttered to herself.
[……How does it feel to be the God you've always wanted to be…… ”Makina”……]
[……Since when did you realize it?]
The moment she heard Alice's words, Eden's tone changed. She somehow sounded younger than before…… responding with a voice that, for some reason, is filled with happiness……
[You did tend to be lax at the crucial moments after all…… That moment you taunted me to a fight by showing your real body back in the Sanctuary…… Even if your appearance changed, you still have the same core as before, you know?]
[……Clairvoyance huh…… What a blunder. I had my usual Null:Clairvoyance placed, but I wasn't able to see through how strengthened your skills are while your Ἑκατόγχειρες's Ultimate Battle Form is active. I guess this is where I say that huh…… As expected of ”Alicia”.]
[Oya? Aren't you supposed to be omniscient?]
[Even if I'm omniscient, that doesn't make me almighty. My omniscience only allows me ”to know what I was trying to know”, so I wouldn't know about something if I don't try knowing about it.]