Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter Pr

Prologue: Far, Far Away, Beyond the Distance 

Something suddenly drew nearer... Was it footsteps? Rustling clothes? It wasn’t even clear if the approaching presence was alive, though that only stood to reason. 

This place had no substance; it was but a morphic space without form. It was like being in the dark of the ocean depths and a blindingly bright light at the same time. Its nature depended entirely on the person observing it. If one believed it to be pitch black, then it was so. If one believed it to be blindingly bright, then it was so. Whether you wished to see a throne or empty space, it may be so... For this place contained all creation. 

The throne of god. The astral plane. The valley. It goes by many names, but this is where divinity made its home. It is where one such divine being—Alshuna, the goddess who ruled over the world that had summoned Suimei and his friends—resided. 

Her power was such that the very nature of this place bent to her whims. When she wished for it to be a solemn temple, then it was so. Space itself distorted and rippled like water, and before long, the amorphous scenery had sculpted itself in the Goddess’s vision. 

Enormous white pillars held up a high ceiling, and something resembling an altar took shape. Stained glass filled the windows, coloring the light that poured through them. The space now appeared as the inner sanctum of a temple, but it lacked a central statue in the Goddess’s image. In its place was a chair with a lone woman in a white dress seated atop it. 

She had her eyes closed and her chin resting in the palm of her hand, as if drifting in and out of slumber. She had a royal scepter at her side. No, perhaps it was fairer to say a divine scepter. When wrought by the hands of man, a scepter was a symbol of authority. But when wrought by divinity that transcends man, just what did it signify? 

Here the Goddess waited, as if watching a dream. 

And just as the altar had manifested, the approaching presence also took form. The sounds of footsteps on a wooden floor, rustling clothes, and breathing were all now distinct. And when she heard them, the Goddess Alshuna slowly, faintly opened her eyes and courteously greeted the spirit who stepped forward. 

“You’ve done well to come here, servant of my blood.” 

Long, black hair. Asian skin. A schoolgirl’s blazer. A red muffler around her neck. Fingerless gloves on both hands. It appeared to be Anou Mizuki, but it was only obvious that a normal high school girl had not come to this place. It simply looked like her. 

Anou Mizuki—or rather, the spirit who took her form—reverently kneeled before Alshuna. 

“O Great Mother of Creation, please forgive my insolence in awakening you from thy slumber.” 

“Do you think me so petty that I would anger merely over being awoken?” 

“Certainly not, though it’s said that a god once smashed the world over the offense.” 

Alshuna seemed to guess where the spirit had come by this foreign knowledge, and looked at her with a tranquil expression. 

“Did you learn that from the girl whose body you borrowed?” 

“Indeed.” 

“And that figure... Is that also hers?” 

“Yes. I possess no form of my own as Ishaktney’s child does, which is likely why I appear before you here in this fashion.” 

“I see your tone has also conformed to hers.” 

“Indeed. I thought it would only be appropriate in this form,” the spirit boasted with a grin as it burst into laughter. 

If Mizuki had been there to see it, she undoubtedly would’ve turned bright red and flared up on the spot. Using such grandiose speech was part of a dark past that she’d long put behind her. 

“However, I do believe I commanded you to assist and monitor that one, didn’t I?” Alshuna said with an inquisitive tone. 

“Well... an unexpected hindrance got in the way and, as you can see, I was forcibly returned to the valley. I am profoundly ashamed to appear before you without completing my mission.” 

“You mean to say there’s someone out there capable of expelling you from the world?” 

“It was done at the hands of those fools who do not comprehend thine affection, O Great Mother.” 

“You speak of those summoned by the call across worlds? Certainly, my affection cannot reach them,” Alshuna said, her tranquil expression tinged with both astonishment and resignation. “Humans of their world all possess strong ‘thoughts’ and ‘wills.’ But precisely because of that, that which they long for is too much for them to handle.” 

“Is it so foolish to mistake the glimmer of ideals for the light of hope?” 

“Such misunderstandings bring other factors into play... It is a most complicated matter.” 

“Certainly.” 

The spirit bowed its head in agreement with Alshuna’s statement, and Alshuna looked upon the spirit with a transparent gaze. 

“How is that one doing now?” 

From just that simple phrase, “that one,” the spirit knew precisely who Alshuna meant. 

“He is at last becoming accustomed to thy power, O Great Mother. However...” 

“Is something troubling you?” 

“I’m afraid he’s acclimating too quickly.” 

“Hmm... If he were to come here, it would be about half the stars’ blessings. I see... So, what stage is he at now?” 

“He’s currently in the second stage. The unification of consciousness has just begun. Normally, this wouldn’t occur until after gradually becoming accustomed to thy power and receiving the stars’ blessings, but... because of this, it seems he’s easily swayed by extraneous words.” 

“You mean to say you’ve witnessed occasions where he’s been swayed by the words of outsiders?” 

“They were but words spoken by those fools upon coming in contact with him, yet it seems they’ve taken a firm root in his heart.” 

“It seems his bewilderment is coming to a head as a result of acclimating to my power too quickly... Do you have any idea as to the cause for this?” 

“His ‘thoughts’ are far too strong... Also, I believe it may be an influence of the weapon brought from the other world.” 

Alshuna listened to the fragmented pieces of information the spirit presented her and closed her eyes slightly to ponder them. 

“The Sacrament, that weapon created to deny the approaching end... Are you saying it guides him?” 

“I cannot say so for certain right now, but there is no denying that it has a strong influence over him. If the unification of consciousness were to begin now, I fear it may tear him between conflicting demands.” 

“How troublesome...” 

“Indeed.” 

There was a conflict between his emotions and the duty Alshuna had imprinted in him, meaning there was a danger of him moving counter to her will. But that wasn’t even the worst of it. At the rate things were proceeding, there was a distinct possibility that he wouldn’t be able to bear the push and pull of conflicting desires, which might drive him to make an even more dangerous choice. 

Neither the Goddess’s will nor the Sacrament could change the world the way he would want. And once he could bear that no longer, he would inevitably put his mind to changing the world himself. The danger, then, was who—or what—may be exerting their influence over him. 

“I’ll have you return to his side. Guide him so that no extraneous influences delude him.” 

“Then shall I once more borrow this girl as a vessel? If we overdo the possession, it will impose an irreversible burden on her body.” 

“Yet I seem to recall that she had the appropriate disposition for the task...” 

“Her soul, certainly. But the mind and body of one who has yet to fully mature are delicate.” 

Though the spirit presented its concerns over further possession, Alshuna’s assessment of the girl in question was most accurate. Her body was healthy and her mind was surprisingly open to mystical influence. But the fact remained that possession left gaps in a vessel’s memory, not to mention the stress and anxiety it caused. 

Now that the spirit had been driven out, the girl’s consciousness had returned and she was keenly aware of the lapse in her memory. Should she be possessed again—and again and again—it would be the cause of endless terror. Such a fate was difficult to cope with, even for those more mature than her tender age. The end result of being worn down with the constant anxiety of uncertainty and the confusion of missing memories... It left one’s mind crippled. 

The spirit found this far too pitiful. The girl in question was a kind, sweet soul, and it would be unbecoming of a guide to foist such a cruel fate upon her. However, the Goddess seemed to be of a different opinion... 

“So be it. It is for the sake of protecting this world from all that threatens it. Sacrifices must be made.” 

“...” 

That was the Goddess’s decree: sacrifices must be made. It was something the spirit had known full well from the very beginning. 

“I understand your reservations, but should the world end, then all will be lost. Do you disagree?” 

“...It is just as you say.” 

“You hesitated.” 

“M-My deepest apologies...” 

The spirit was afflicted with a deep chill upon hearing Alshuna’s reprimanding voice. It was only natural that she showed no mercy. If a spirit born of Alshuna opposed her, it went without saying that it would be immediately absorbed back into the Great Mother of Creation. 

The spirit understood that it had incurred the Goddess’s displeasure and stiffened up on the spot. However, the next words to come from the Goddess’s mouth were far gentler than expected. 

“I shall leave your response just now unquestioned. As I said, you will once more return to his side. Everything after that... I leave to your discretion.” 

“All is as the Great Mother wills.” 

Upon declaring its allegiance, the spirit prepared to take its leave. It was then that the Goddess interjected... 

“I have just one more thing to tell you.” 

“What is it, O Great Mother?” 

“Be sure to keep a watchful eye on that one’s friend.” 

“His friend? Do you mean my riv— Pardon, do you mean the caster from the other world?” 

“Precisely. Be especially careful when he approaches that one.” 

The spirit pondered Alshuna’s words. It had personally conversed with the caster several times now and didn’t think that he required such vigilance. Neither his abilities nor his ideals struck the spirit as potential threats. 

“O Great Mother. If I may speak candidly, I do not believe that boy warrants such caution. It is certainly true that he possesses great power, but he is still a child of man. That one will surely surpass him sooner or later.” 

“It is not merely his power that we need be wary of.” 

“You mean to say he may also mislead that one?” 

“The closer he gets, the more he’ll have his ear. Both he and the girl are a tremendous influence on him.” 

The spirit recalled the interactions it had witnessed between Suimei and Reiji. It was true that they respected each other’s opinions. Reiji depended on Suimei’s pragmatism and Suimei revered Reiji’s unrelenting righteousness. In a certain sense, they balanced one another out. Each had a firm grasp on the other’s heart, keeping them both from straying too far from their respective paths. In short, they each possessed something that the other lacked, complementing each other perfectly. 

“As long as that one acclimates to thy power, the extraneous voices shall grow quieter. That, after all, is the true nature of becoming strong. Should the caster fall behind in power, his words will never reach that one.” 

Or so the spirit said. But Alshuna shook her head. 

“It will not be so simple.” 

“...It’s certainly true that the power granted to him is split in four, but even so, I don’t think a mere caster could possibly be a match for him.” 

“No. Even if all my power were concentrated in him, he would surely still never surpass that caster.” 

The first time the spirit had ever encountered Suimei, it was struck with a strong revulsion. Even if it was with the blessing of one of the Creators, no human should be allowed to surpass the Creators themselves. 

“Is he truly so powerful, O Great Mother?” 

“Indeed, he is. He possesses a vessel that’s just that exceptional, and a destiny to match. The one to charge him with such a fate surely lies far deeper within the abyss of the truth than even I do.” 

“That’s...” 

“That’s why we must be careful. For that one to surpass the caster—to even catch up with him—he must rely on that weapon. And in doing so...” 

“It will exert all the more influence over him.” 

“If that’s all that comes of it, then so be it. However, that weapon possesses a devilishness that takes advantage of the greed of man.” 

“It takes advantage of greed?” 

“It’s all connected to the Source. That weapon uses the desires of its wielder as an offering to grant them power, and the weapon craves those desires ad infinitum. It thirsts for ever-increasing greed from its wielder, whispering temptation in their ears.” 

“...” 

“We’ve gone off topic,” the Goddess said after a brief pause. “Remember this for now: that young caster has driven divinity from his world and used his power to forestall the inevitable end. He is also capable of reaching the light.” 

“The light?” 

“The light he used when he saved the girl I bestowed with power from the servant of that fool. But such light is far too much for the body of man, for it is the infinite light that can grant any wish to those who reach out for it. That is the light I speak of.” 

“Wha— And you’re saying he can reach it?!” 

“If the need arises, he will undoubtedly extend his hand. To fulfill the common wish of every being. To pursue that which they all desire to the very best of his abilities... In the not too distant future, the day will surely come when he grasps it.” 

“How is a mere human capable of such a thing?” 

The Goddess narrowed her gaze at the spirit, as if deliberating that very question herself. 

“Perhaps because he was allowed.” 

“By whom?” 

“By everything. By that at which all eventually arrives, and from which all is born. Not so different, I imagine, from his destiny.” 

The spirit could not comprehend the meaning behind the Goddess’s words; they were far too abstract. And perhaps sensing the spirit’s bewilderment, the Goddess reaffirmed her earlier statement. 

“Do you hear me? Be wary of that caster from the other world. If you draw too near him, you will also come to find him dazzling.” 

The spirit answered Alshuna with a bow. It, of course, had no intention of refuting her. After all, it had already had the occasion to catch a glimpse of exactly what she meant.