Vol 1 Chapter 13 (2/2)

“You may think Yamata no Orochi’s divinity is high, but it’s not as high as Tama’s, and he also isn’t smart enough to do in someone with as much experience as me. So that’s why he saw a lucky chance when both Tama and I left the room and sprung this trap.”

There was no real hint of danger in Tsurugi’s voice.

“He really is just like a machine… that monster is. He just eats whatever he can eat, and absorbs whatever he can catch. That’s all he does. He’s really nothing more than an animal… we seriously overthought this. This Yamata no Orochi is not a high-level enough being to be able to be plotting something wicked.”

Tsurugi crossed her arms and looked straight at the demon king.

“The only thing he cares about is the preservation of this world. This Yamata no Orochi SNS world, I mean. The only thought in that head of his is ‘I want this world to continue forever.’ He couldn’t care less about the real world, but just wants to protect his own world…”

“How can you say that so confidently?”

Tsurugi threw back a quick response at Kagami’s question.

“Have you not realized it? That Yamata no Orochi is an ally of the Supreme G.o.d, just like us. You can smell it on him. And of course, this high level of divinity can only come from someone like that. So this is just a deduction… but it is most likely the right one.”

And then, she looked at me.

Even though I was just a bystander here.

“Sasami, you gave life to that monster without knowing it when you still had the power of the Supreme G.o.d within you. He is a new G.o.d that was created… or rather, was transformed into that shape, by your desires, and is ultimately a result of an alteration of this world which those desires led to… “

“M-Me…?”

Certainly, in the past I had the power of the Supreme G.o.d.

So back then…

Back then, when I had tried so, so hard, only to be tired out and end up living days filled with grief and sorrow…

“I checked your character’s profile, and I knew. You have thousands of hours logged on this game. Even if you played for two hours a day, that would be a thousand days. Nearly three years. Three years ago, you weren’t living as you do now, right? In other words… you’ve been playing Yamata no Orochi SNS since the time you possessed the power of the Supreme G.o.d, yes?”

Yes.

At that shrine, back with my real family, I was trying my best as the miko endowed with the power of the Supreme G.o.d.

As I endured the h.e.l.l of the tortures thrust upon me, I began to use the computer that had been randomly given to me as a way to escape from reality.

And within that computer I found a world without limits.

That game taught me about the huge, free, bustling world outside, outside of that isolated shrine where even the flow of time seemed to stagnate. Eventually, I would be able to escape from that place precisely because I had learned about the outside.

But it was difficult to muster up the courage to escape, and I found myself indulging in Yamata no Orochi SNS.

I became immersed, finding my “second life,” and I had my fill of adventures in that alternate world.

At that point, I probably made a wish.

A wish that this fantasy world of swords and magic, this paradise which gave me relief from a cruel reality… that this place would continue on forever.

And in order to grant that wish, this world was altered.

And the Yamata no Orochi was born.

“I see…”

You could even say I was moved.

“He protected this world for me all this time…”

I had desperately, desperately tried so hard, and grit my teeth for so long.

In order to make sure the power of the Supreme G.o.d was being used correctly for the sake of mankind, I had been exposed to the harshest training, and my freedom had been robbed from me.

I found myself longing for this other world. I found myself falling in love with the fantasy.

This world had offered a young child a chance to escape.

At that time, did I fall deeply entranced by that kind fantasy and want desperately to protect it?

Did that desire turn into the Yamata no Orochi, turn into a G.o.d, and was that G.o.d still fighting to preserve this world to this day?

I had lost the power of the Supreme G.o.d, and turned into just another normal, powerless, boring, unmotivated girl… with that, this Yamata no Orochi I had created also fell apart and grew weak.

But he still trapped the people who were enjoying this Yamata no Orochi SNS, absorbed them and drew strength from them… he earnestly continued trying to keep my dream alive.

Yamata no Orochi.

The monster I had given life to.

A hikikomori G.o.d, and the protector of this kind escape from reality.

“You understand, don’t you?”

Tsurugi softly spoke to me as tears streamed from my eyes.

“End it here. You’ve found a place you belong in the real world… so you don’t need to run anymore to this one. There is no point to sacrifice others in order to preserve this world. Tell him that. Tell this faithful dog, who has continued wagging his tail long after his master had forgotten him.”

“I got it.”

Thank you Yamata no Orochi.

When I was weak and close to breaking, escaping reality was how I managed to keep living. And up until now, I didn’t even know you were here, protecting the world which offered that escape.

I’m sorry.

And thank you so much for your hard work.

I’m alright now.

So…

“Tsurugi, is it possible to transfer my powers to me in this world?”

“Hm? Ah, yeah, unlike Kagami with her low divinity and you rather special siblings, Tama and I aren’t weak enough to get done in by a machine like that. We can use our divine abilities all we want in this world, so with just a small alteration…”

Tsurugi took out a double-edged sword from a crimson bundle.

And then she swung it grandly upwards.

A crack ran through the world, and warm power overflew from that crack.

I waited for that power to envelope me, and then placed my hand on my brother’s shoulder.

“S-Sasami-san?”

A bit shocked at how clueless my brother was, I decided that for the first time in a long while… I would try my best.

The Yamata no Orochi was a monster born in an age where I was trying hard.

So if I wanted to lay him to rest, then I had to try hard now as well.

“I command you in the name of Tsukuyomi Sasami.”

I temporarily borrowed the power of the Supreme G.o.d which rested in my brother’s body.

And then, like a G.o.d myself, I issued a high-handed command.

“Oh ye malevolent G.o.d… lay to rest.”

I issued a command towards that huge Yamata no Orochi, who was waving his eight heads in the distance like a dog wagging his tail.

“Disperse, and melt into the world. Sleep.”

My order, the order of a person who used to command the highest divinity and who had created this Yamata no Orochi… my order pierced right through this faithful servant who had continued loyally granting the wishes of my long past self for all this time.

My command might be rejected.

He had spent all this time helping me, and yet I hadn’t even noticed his existence.

He might have been shocked, might have lost his affection towards me, and might not lend his ear to my command.

However.

“I’m okay now!”

I yelled.

Like those times long ago, I put all my effort into it.

“I’m living a pretty happy life now!”

So please, you too… you don’t have to try that hard anymore.

…………………….

………………

When I came to, I found myself in my usual small s.p.a.ce surrounded by my computers. Apparently I had just been sleeping soundly, with my head on my computer desk. There was a blanket draped around my shoulders, and I found a note from my brother which red When you wake up, please go properly sleep in your bed.

I took a look at my computer screen which had been left on for all this time, and I saw a single window displayed.

Yamata no Orochi SNS is currently experiencing unknown problems, and has temporarily ceased operations.

We still have no estimate as to when these problems will be resolved.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our users.

“……”

I looked around the room. I saw my computers lined up, all the floor cus.h.i.+ons in their right places, and the Yagami sisters were nowhere to be found… it was almost like everything had been a dream.

But I remembered. I would never forget.

I shut off the power to my computer, and took a long stretch.

“Fuwaahh…”

I let out a yawn and went to sleep in my bed, as my brother had suggested.

Fortunately, it didn’t take giving life to a monster that would protect a fantasy world to have sweet dreams.

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