No Game No Life - Volume 4 - Chapter Ep

INTERRUPT END 
The exchange audible from the beach, felt at her back in the dusk as she walked, looking up at the moon… The Shrine Maiden muttered. 
“…Did he know I was testing him—I wonder…?” 
No…the Shrine Maiden gave her head a contemptuous shake at her own whisper. Whether he’d known or not, his actions would have been the same. Sora, from the start, had no mind at all to abandon Ino. His heartbeat, from start to finish, resounded pleasantly, without a single note of discord. 
—Yes, the Shrine Maiden had been testing Sora and Shiro. What would she have done in their place, faced with the same decision? Probably—no, certainly—she would have chosen to cast Ino off. Because it would have been an unnecessary risk. Because, by sacrificing one, she would obtain much more. Because to ask for more than that would be idealism. And because casting aside such idealism— 
—had been her limit. 
“…Perhaps I can lay my hopes in them?” 
Those two sneered at her limit and flew over it. Having sought confirmation of this—by testing whether they would save or abandon Ino—the Shrine Maiden closed her eyes. It was because—if Sora and Shiro had abandoned him as she would have, for seeking more than her own limits in Sora and Shiro and giving them such a reckless test— 
—she would have condemned herself till her last days. That was why she’d picked Ino, but— 
“…Truly, I may be able to lay my hopes in them.” 
Having come this far, the Shrine Maiden finally understood. The noise at her back—Immanity, Werebeast, Flügel, and Dhampir. 
—Those two had no concept of the barrier of race. 
“…With those two—I may be able to leave it to them.” 
Thus, pressing her hand to her chest, the Shrine Maiden felt the throbbing of her heart—emotion long since forgotten. She looked up at the bloodred moon and whispered. 
 
“Jibril.” 
“I am here.” 
Jibril shifted instantly behind Sora at his call. 
“You…knew the story of why the queen is sleeping and even the condition to wake her up, right?” 
It had been Jibril who’d told him, back when they’d met Plum. 
“I did—except that I was mistaken…” 
Misinterpreting his query as a rebuke, Jibril humbled herself before him. However… 
“That’s not my point. Where’d you get your info?” 
“It was in my homeland—Avant Heim.” 
Then, half in hope, half in disgust, Sora continued. 
“…We’re talking about the Flügel here. You guys must have all kinds of books snatched up from all over the world, right?” 

“Why, that goes without saying!” 
Jibril nodded with irrepressible pride. Grinning a bit disgustedly at that face of hers, Sora thought, Ah, whatever , and moved on. 
—To beat the queen’s game. There couldn’t be very many ways to root out an unknown, absent victory condition. But—there had to be a way. What they needed—for now—was information. And— 
“Steph. You go work with Izuna and pore over the old king’s library.” 
“—Huh?” 
“Elkia’s former continental territory was adjacent to the waters of Siren,” explained Sora. “Considering that old king uncovered the Eastern Union’s game, I can’t imagine he didn’t do any digging into his neighbor.” 
The man who had played the proud fool king—it was hard to suppose that he had a definite answer. If he’d pinned it down, then he should have woken up the queen himself—but— 
“…Even if he doesn’t have the answer, there’s a high probability he left some thoughts on it.” 
Sora’s eyes conveyed confidence in the king, Steph’s grandfather. 
“I’m counting on you, Steph.” 
“—Why, yes, Sir. You needn’t worry.” 
“…Understood, please.” 
Together, Steph and Izuna each gave a big nod. 
“…Uh, umm…S-soo, what are we supposed to dooo…?” 
“Good point. Jibril. Take Shiro and me—and, Plum, we’re taking you, too.” 
“Uh, a-all righhht… Huh, where are we goiiing…?” 
“Didn’t I tell you? —We’re getting not two races, but three.” 
And Sora continued, beaming. 
“Now, here’s the question. To blow the lid off this game of unknown victory conditions, the most efficient approach is to dig up all the records we can about the queen’s game as it’s been played in the past and compare them against one another to deduce the principles—so, then, among all the places we could go, where would have the most records?” 
… 
—A moment’s pause. And then. Kshhrrrk , two wills—perfectly contrary to each other—roared out. 
“At last—at last! The new lord to reign over the Flügel shall finally grace his throne above us—oh, that this blessed day should visit so soon!” 
“NOoooOOOOoo, no, pleaaase! Anywhere but that den of monsterrrrs!” 
The sounds of Jibril, kneeling so fast in prayer as to kick up sand, and Plum, first wailing and trying to flee only to be caught by Jibril while struggling. Yet both were ignored by Sora as he took Shiro’s hand. Nodding subtly, he spoke: 
“Come, let us go—to Avant Heim.” 
TO BE CONTINUED