Chapter 786: Intermission: Far North Star ~ ~ The Head of Death Kings Subordinates ~ ~ (1/2)

After a long period of training, Polaris' heart was overflowing with joy as she finally reached the power of a Count-rank. Her abilities have improved to the point where it's ridiculous to compare them to what she once was, where she even achieved a draw against one of the Six Kings' executives, Epsilon, a few days back.

With this, she finally has enough power to unashamedly call herself the subordinate of the Death King Isis…… She was happy that she could finally be able to serve her benefactor, whom she had always yearned for.

However, her joy was soon replaced by other emotions.

After years of training, Polaris had developed her unique power and had gained ”Limited Future Sight”, which allows her to know ”the consequences of her actions” before they happen.

Therefore, she used her power in advance to examine her own future and see if she could properly be Isis' subordinate.

[……Why……]

However, the future she saw wasn't the one she wanted. The result of Polaris' action of asking to become Isis' subordinate…… ”was Isis' tears and rejection”.

The Isis of that time still hasn't met the person who would unconditionally accept her…… Kaito yet, and her heart isn't composed enough to accept subordinates. However, Polaris had no way of knowing that.

Polaris can see the ”results”, but she can't the ”process” as to why such a result happened. Therefore, she didn't know ”why that happened”.

She couldn't permit a future in which she would cause grief to Isis, to whom she owed so much, and she desperately tried to think of the cause.

Wondering if she was still not strong enough, she put more effort into training than ever before.

She also trained other abilities that she hadn't trained before, thinking that perhaps, she may be lacking something other than strength.

Thinking about the possibility that her method might be wrong, she started considering all the ways she could think of the premise of ”her actions” and examined the results that awaited her.

However, the result didn't change. By the time several hundred years had passed, she was completely locked in a stalemate. As a result, Polaris continued to train during the day, and at night, she began looking at the results of every conceivable pattern of her actions through her Future Sight.

She spent her days doing everything she could, feeling frustrated with an unchanging future, but still holding on to her unshakable dream.

Three millennia have passed since the battle with Epsilon, and 18,000 years have passed since she began her training————- when the future she saw suddenly changed.

Until now, she could only see the result of Isis rejecting her with tears in her eyes, but after one day, that changed…… becoming into ”refusing Polaris' offer to become her subordinate with an apologetic look on her face”.

If one only looks at the results, one would think that Polaris will still not become Isis' subordinate even if the future changes. However, the expression on Isis' face that she could see in her Future Vision had considerably changed, she seemed to be acting reserved rather than outright rejecting her.

And then, a little while later, she heard a rumor about an otherworlder who was in close contact with the Six Kings. When she gathered information through her paltry contacts, it seemed that that otherworlder had brought about Isis' change.

Quietly thanking that unknown otherworlder in her heart, Polaris began desperately searching for the future where she could be Isis' subordinate once again.

After several months, she finally found that future.

As a result of Polaris' action of ”waiting on the deserted island”, she was able to find a future where she becomes Isis' subordinate together with ”a girl with hair of two shades of gray and black”.

She doesn't know who this girl is. She doesn't even remember hearing about anyone with that kind of appearance. The rumor is that the otherworlder is male, so she shouldn't be that otherworlder…… However, her appearance was but a trivial matter.

At last, she had found the future that she had always hoped for, a future where she could be Isis' subordinate. A tempest of delight raged within Polaris' heart.

And thus, after two years of desperately suppressing her feelings, feeling like it was the longest two years of her life…… The person she had been waiting for finally arrived.

It was a starry night when Iris, who had received information about Polaris from Alice, visited the deserted island where she was said to be staying in order to recruit her.

This was because she had learned from Alice that Polaris trained during the day and looked at the stars at night, so she thought that night would be the best time to talk to her.

Coincidentally, under the starry skies befitting Polaris' nickname ”Star-Gazing Witch”, Iris found Polaris standing in the middle of the deserted island, gazing at the skies, and called out to her.

[……Star-Gazing Witch Polaris, right? My name is Iris Illuminus…… First, I'd like to apologize for the sudden vi———- Mhhh!?]

[………………]

In the middle of speaking, Iris stopped speaking, looking astonished. The reason for this was simple…… When Polaris looked back at Iris, she seemed to be overcome with emotions and large tears poured down her eyes……

[……Ahh, finally…… At last…… The time…… has finally arrived.]

When she heard the words she mumbled, the previous conversation she had with Alice popped within Iris' mind. About how they heard Polaris mutter ”The time is not yet right”. And from Polaris' current state and the word ”arrived”, she could guess that her visit here had fulfilled some kind of condition.

As Iris thought about such a thing, Polaris continued.

[……I've been waiting for you to visit.]

[Fumu, can I interpret that as you having Divination ability or some kind of Future Sight?]

[Yeah, you can see it as such. I have Limited Future Sight, allowing me to see the consequences of my actions. That's all there is to it. Well, I'll explain the minor details later…… but first of all, bring me to her…… to where she is…… to Isis Remnant-sama's side.]

[…………………..]

When Iris heard Polaris' words, she looked a little dubious and thought about it. Until she came here, she was thinking about how to persuade Polaris, who continues to refuse many solicitations…… but the situation was very different from what she had expected.

After a few moments of silence, thinking about what she should do, Iris quietly spoke.

[……I could tell that you had been eagerly waiting. If that's the case, I'll keep my questions to a minimum. Do you have any harmful intentions towards Isis-sama?]

[Not one bit!]

[Alright, I'll take your word for it.]

She had a lot of questions she wanted to ask, but judging from Polaris' appearance, she decided it would be difficult to calmly talk about it here. In addition to her previous question, Isis asked the bare minimum of questions that should be confirmed as Isis' subordinate.

And her response…… Iris has always been keenly aware of the subtleties of other people's emotions and has a high level of insight. From what she sees, Polaris didn't seem to be lying. Rather, from every word she said, she felt a deep respect for Isis.

Thinking that things had really turned out differently than she had thought, Iris took Polaris with her and teleported to Isis' castle.

When Iris returned to Isis' castle, she took Polaris with her to the study where she expected Isis to be.

As soon as they arrived at the castle, Polaris looked so nervous and serious that she didn't say a word, and both of them arrived at the study in silence.

Then, knocking on the door a few times and going inside, Iris immediately saw Isis reading a book as usual. Looking towards Iris and Polaris who entered the room, Isis turned towards Iris and smiled.

[……Welcome back…… Iris…… Is that girl…… Iris' …… acquaintance?]

Naturally, Isis had been aware of Polaris' presence from the moment Iris had teleported nearby. She knew that she had great power, but didn't ask the purpose of her visit, thinking that if Iris brought her here, it wouldn't be a problem.

[I have returned. And so, errr, she is……]

While answering Isis' words, Iris was wondering what to do. After all, she didn't know the reason why Polaris wanted to come here.

She was having difficulty explaining that, so she was pondering how to bring it up…… but before Iris could continue her words, Polaris took action.

[Isis-sama!]

[……W- What's the matter?]

Calling out Isis' name with a shout, Polaris took a step forward and immediately kneeling down, she vigorously bowed her head. The way she was rubbing her head on the ground made Iris, as well as Isis, look astonished.

[I am! the Witch whose life was saved by you about 18,000 years ago!]

[……Eh?]

[You did me a great favor by saving my life, but I ran away without even expressing my gratitude…… I was an irredeemable fool! Thus, I was looking forward to the day when we would meet again!!!]

[………………..]

[First of all, please allow me to apologize for my rudeness at that time, and for my disrespect for coming so late! I am so sorry!!!]