three days later.
Janus was waiting for Oz at the promised place.
“Ah, damn you lost again.”
“Janus-sama is not talented at chess. … … But does it have to be chess?”
“No, not at all. I just wondered if this would liven up the atmosphere.”
“Janus-sama is good at plotting, but don’t just command. You will drive allies to death.”
“That’s why you didn’t touch the command of the ‘outside’ guys. And are there any among my children who would follow me if I said I was in command? All of them are crazy people, so they live as they please.”
“… … That’s it too.”
“You should have said that you would obey, even with empty words. Orator.”
“Heh heh heh.”
Janus grumbled as he arranged the chessboard, and the Orator responded with a laugh instead.
Even empty words meant I didn’t like it.
“Well? Looks like you’ve already arrived. Like a diligent guy. If it had been me, I would have showed up right before midnight and made a sarcastic remark.”
“I would like to appeal to my narrow-mindedness.”
Janus and Orator gave each other questioning glances, then shrugged their shoulders and settled down.
Orator stood behind Janus, and Janus did not move from his chair, but rested his chin on his chin and narrowed his eyes.
“… … .”
While waiting for Oz to come in like that. Janus turned the chessboard and placed white in front of him.
Chess seemed to intend to take the lead because white was first.
Orator, who had been looking at Janus like a naive person, immediately looked straight ahead with a solemn expression when he heard the sound of the door opening.
clap.
After a while the door opens.
Oz appeared with Arietta and Olivia Blue.
Most of them looked nervous, but Ozman did not hide his annoyance.
“I thought it would come in a row. Less than you think?”
“If you did, you would have run away.”
“Then what is it?”
“Minimal insurance.”
Janus looked at the [Great Step] standing next to Oz as if he was uncomfortable and scolded him.
It was inconvenient because he had been severely affected by Salem’s three supernatural magics, including that one.
“And the saintess… … Did you bring me here to confirm my lies?”
“No, Arrieta just followed me because she felt a sense of responsibility. Because he is a good person.”
“I don’t have to.”
Janus trembled as he looked at Arrieta, who was hardened.
I had no intention of lying.
Wasn’t he the one who set the stage for the conversation in the first place?
“Well, sit down for now. Let’s talk over a game of chess.”
“chess… … . What are you thinking of?”
“It’s just play. Or what is it?
“… … .”
Oz sat down with a puzzled expression at Janus’ words. I don’t know why, but I was particularly struck by those words.
“I can’t put it well.”
At Oz’s words, which seemed to have no confidence, Janus smiled in contemplation.
At that level, you can still win. No matter how much it is, Janus is not easy enough to lose to beginners.
“I’m not here to play games with you.”
“Sure, we will talk. Still, isn’t it funny just talking about it? Let’s take the atmosphere a little seriously. You don’t see many of these scene creations. Can’t you see?”
“… … If you want to look like that, how about your attitude?”
Oz looked at Janus’ condescension and replied with a shy expression.
It was a little different from what I expected.
I felt like I was speechless even if I wanted to be angry because of the gap I felt between the last picture I saw of Janus and now.
Janus is the enemy of Oz.
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Killing Salem is an evil act that will never be forgiven.
Yes, I certainly couldn’t forgive it, and I didn’t intend to forgive it, but… … .
‘I can’t stimulate it hastily.’
The mask of Janus plays the role of revealing the inner sincerity to the outside.
So what about now?
What expression is he making now?
‘This crazy bastard is now… … .’
He was drawing only an expressionless expression without any slight movement.
‘It’s a ticking time bomb.’
Even if you decorate the outside with an exaggerated attitude, there is no doubt that the inside is in a state of endless boiling.
And that look was like a ticking time bomb that you don’t know when it will explode, so it was hard to touch it.
If a battle breaks out, the outcome cannot be guaranteed.
It’s hard to win against an opponent who isn’t afraid to die.
So even if you have prepared for it, you should avoid the battle itself as much as possible.
Whatever the other person’s purpose, we need to talk now.
Janus must know Oz better than anyone else.
You can’t miss this opportunity.
And above all… … .
– You probably haven’t seen this kind of scene creations a lot. don’t you see it?
There was something to be learned from Janus’ words. I have no intention of hiding it.
‘As expected, this guy knows.’
A clue to the lost ‘self’, not Oz Quo Vadis. It’s clear that you have that clue.
In the first place, Janus’s key was the key of a traveler who crossed the world.
It is not of this world.
“Then let’s begin.”
The game with Janus has begun.
* * *
During conversations that accompany the game. There was silence for a long time.
“… … How are you doing now? Olivia.”
Arrieta, who could not see, could not understand the current situation.
Janus and Oz. Both of them just stare at each other without saying anything.
It’s not like there was a special story going on before. At some point, the words disappeared, and it seemed as if he was only concentrating on the game.
“that… … .”
Olivia hesitated for a long time before finally speaking with a sigh.
“You are concentrating on the game.”
“Who is winning?”
“I don’t know.”
“I see.”
Arrieta nodded.
Oz is the king of wizards. His computational ability must be unmatched. It’s not unreasonable considering that the opponent is also a strong player of the same level.
It is probably clear that a high level of communication is taking place, conveying opinions through movement of each word, rather than verbal conversation.
Arrieta began to get nervous imagining that scene.
‘Both are incredibly bad.’
On the other hand, Olivia, who was watching everything, thought differently.
Both of them are concentrating on the game. However, it didn’t seem like he was doing anything advanced through it.
Both of them are less intelligent.
They are repeating meaningless numbers to the point where it becomes frustrating to watch.
‘oh my. It’s not like that… … .’
And it’s the same for the orator who is seated on the other side.
Watching Janus move his words with a serious expression made everyone on his side embarrass himself.
“Checkmate.”
“… … .”
Even Janus lost to Oz.
It was a beginner’s game itself, with no surprises.
“… … Shall we talk a little more seriously?”
Janus, who had been working on the game with a lot of weight until just now, hurriedly changed the topic.
“About our common purpose, and about ‘you’.”
The main story that starts now.
It was a remark that did not feel the weight as the previous process was naive, but Oz hardened his face.
The title ‘you’ that Janus said took too long unlike usual.
“Ah, at least it would be nice if the other people left their seats.”
“What?”
“Lord Janus… … ?”
It wasn’t just Oz who was flustered.
Orator, one of the ‘instigators’, could not hide his bewilderment at the reaction that was different from what he had said before.
“It’s important.”
Janus said nonchalantly while arranging the chess board.
“… … Do you think I will follow that?”
“Wasn’t the fact that you came here meant that you would take a trap?”
“I am.”
“indeed.”
Janus clapped his hands as if he understood, then addressed the narrator.
“Do no harm to the guests. Orator.”
“… … I will swear on my faith that I will not harm the saintess today.”
Orator was dissatisfied with the current situation, but obeyed the order for now.
Janus must have an idea. It was an oath that I could make because I believed in it. Seeing that, Janus shrugged and said to Oz.
“Is this enough?”
“It couldn’t have been… … .”
“That’s Okay.”
“Arrieta?”
Arrieta intervened in the conversation.
“Oz-sama, that person was a priest. It also possessed the divine power of a cardinal. As long as such a person swears by faith. There will be no problem.”
“It is as you say. The stronger the divine power, the more the penalty. Don’t you know that too?”
“… … .”
That’s right.
Oz has seen that penalty all along.
Wasn’t it close by?
A person who gets caught up in anguish the moment he speaks a lie.
Arrieta, who is said to be the incarnation of divine power, cannot tolerate even simple lies. Then the cardinal must be similar.
It must be the highest level that a naked human being, not an adult, can reach.
If so, is it possible for a priest who received a penalty for divine power to defeat Arrieta? I assure you, that is impossible unless there are other means.
And in the eyes of Oz, Orator was nothing but a pure priest.
“… … Okay. Arrieta, then please leave your seat for a moment.”
“Yes, Mr. Oz. See you later.”
Arrieta left with a soft smile on her face.
And Olivia and Orator followed her.
“Chess is not fun. Shall we try something else first?”
“… … How long are you going to keep messing around like this?”
“Well. Maybe you want to put your mind elsewhere. If I do, I might kill you.”
“You could die.”
“Maybe.”
Janus took out the checkerboard without reacting to Oz’s answer.
“I don’t know how to play Go.”
“It’s a concave.”
“What if… … .”
widely.
This time, Janus, who grabbed the black stone, started the game again.
“Oz. Shall I be honest? I have no intention of killing you.”
“The guy who said he might kill me seconds ago is good at talking.”
“Ah, it was true. I’m not kidding though. It means that in some cases, it might not kill you.”
“I am not.”
As long as we know that Janus’ purpose is the end of the world. You can’t just sit back and watch it.
“What I do is create. The end is just a process.”
“You’re just saying you’re going to kill everyone.”
“If there was a way to end it without killing everyone, what would you do?”
“But most of them will die, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then you don’t even have to listen.”
widely.
Oz kicked Janus without even listening to his suggestion.
Stop interfering with yourself as I will only spare some of you.
If I was going to fall for that proposal, I wouldn’t even start in the first place.
“He is resolute, with a surprisingly determined sense of purpose. Why?”
“Do you need a reason for the obvious?”
“… … Maybe. I want to protect my precious person. I want to protect my hometown. I want to preserve history.”
Janus thought of a reason he couldn’t give up even if he thought about it.
obvious reasons. The strings of bonds that can never be given up.
“But doesn’t that apply very little to you?”
“… … .”
“I don’t understand. First you… … .”
widely.
said Janus.
As if blocking the road, as if cutting off the line connecting the white stones, the black stones were placed.
“It’s not even Oz.”
“… … .”
“Your existence is full of lies from beginning to end. Do you know Arrieta? That you’re not the real Oz. What about the others?”
“… … .”
“Is that really what you built up in the first place?”
Janus knows. Know.
That the existence in front of my eyes was originally a different person from Oz.
That’s why I can’t help but think it’s strange.
He has no reason to do this.
“No, even if it’s entirely what you built up.”
Because you have someone you love? Because you feel affection here?
If that’s the case, that’s reason enough.
enough but… … .
“That you will be able to remain in this world until the end. I don’t think you really think so.”
He’s an introvert anyway.
It is only a temporary existence borrowing Oz’s body.
“My purpose and Oz are the same. Although the reasons for doing so are different, I am looking at the result of becoming a spirit.”
To erase lies from the world.
to save Arrieta.
Although their reasons are different, the goal of becoming a god is the same.
widely.
Black stones form the line.
There are four stones lined up side by side with no obstruction on either side.
If this happens, the game is over.
No matter what move Oz rolls next, the outcome is fixed.
Even if you block one side, 5 stones form a line on the other side.
yes… … .
“The moment Oz’s purpose is achieved. Isn’t it too optimistic to think you’ll be there then?”
The result is fixed.