The Returnee Wants Peace

“Huh?”

How long had it been since a message like this came?

‘I thought it was hibernating or something, but I guess not.’

She had been worried because there was no response when she tried talking to the makeshift shrine she had made in the meantime, and Koko said he couldn’t connect with the god either.

But seeing a message come like this, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Rosha hurriedly entered the tent where her belongings were placed. Then she found the makeshift shrine and infused it with mana while saying:

“Why did you appear only now? I had so many things to ask.”

A faint silver light began to shimmer from the small shrine carved from dark blue granite, as if it had been waiting.

‘The Guide God’ says there are more complex conflicts than you think.

‘The Guide God’ says to use ‘that’ quickly if you want to have a more detailed conversation.

“That?”

‘The Guide God’ gives a hint that it’s the ‘means to cover eyes’, the ‘veil that distorts gazes’ that your companion showed you a few days ago.

Is this a riddle?

But after thinking for a bit, she could quickly understand.

‘It’s talking about the concealment curtain Hajin put up.’

She clearly remembered hearing that it was a curtain that could avoid the gods’ gaze.

Of course, she didn’t know how to operate it, but having seen it with her own eyes, it seemed like she might be able to do it if she tried.

After all, Rosha’s eyes had [the Guiding Lantern] that illuminated beyond what was reflected on the retina.

“…Was it like this?”

After [the Guiding Lantern] was built into her eyes.

Though she hadn’t told others, things that hadn’t been visible before started to appear.

Besides the golden lines she used as a guide with her near-future foresight ability, the ‘texture’ forming around it began to be faintly readable.

“That’s right! You’re doing well. A little more to the left from there…”

Koko excitedly gave instructions on whether she was doing it right.

“Imagine fabric made of warp and weft. This world is made of fabric woven with time and space, and what you’re seeing is the texture of that fabric.”

“Fabric has an outside and inside, right? On the outside, you should embroider ordinary patterns to make it seem like just a soundproofing spell, but the inside is different. On the lining, you need to weave strong ‘concealment’ threads to deceive the eyes of the gods.”

“Originally, magicians are those who deceive the eyes of the world to cause miracles. Deceiving the eyes one more step here isn’t that difficult if you understand the concept. Right!”

Koko, who had been chattering and spewing knowledge, flapped his wings excitedly.

Though he had a tendency to hold grudges and get easily offended despite his light words and actions, at times like this, his aspect as a great magician was clearly revealed.

Moreover, Rosha could now understand its words to some extent.

‘Thanks to [the Guiding Lantern] and Koko’s advice… I feel like I’ve understood part of the principles of magic.’

For novice magicians, just embroidering the surface following a guide is overwhelming.

Somewhat skilled magicians can embroider the surface while efficiently organizing the inner threads at the same time.

Going a bit further, they can create their own creative works beyond the guide.

Furthermore, if one understands the existence of the fabric and the concept of inside and outside, they can reach the level of embroidering the surface and lining differently.

Swish-

As a concealment curtain with a golden glow was created, the surroundings felt a bit hazier.

A strange sense of relief was felt as a comfortable veil was overlaid.

At the same time, she had this thought:

‘Did the god send Koko to me to make me realize the structure of the world, knowing I had talent in magic?’

Then what does the Guide God want from me?

It was then.

Even though it was inside a tent, suddenly a starry night sky seemed to drape overhead.

She could feel the lonely atmosphere of the god who had been in front of a white palace at an oasis in the middle of a vast desert.

And a low voice echoed in her ears.

[That’ll do.]

The image of a beautiful boy wearing long, flowing clothes naturally came to mind.

His wavy platinum hair and gray-blue eyes were impressive, and hearing his voice, it seemed he still had that appearance.

The god more thoroughly finished the inside of the concealment curtain Rosha had put up.

Watching the faint silver light spread, Rosha asked quietly:

“You knew how to do this too?”

[Of course. The limit of my power expands according to your skill. You embroidered soundproofing magic on the surface and wove ‘concealment’ threads, so I just touched it up so your deception wouldn’t be easily detected.]

“Ah, like how you deceived the grade of the sacred relic?”

[…Yes. Similar.]

The Guide God, who had paused for a moment, quietly continued.

[You must be curious why the Trial of the Sacred Relic you went through was like that.]

Oh, straight to the point?

Certainly, the trial contained in the sacred relic ‘Hildor’ was not ordinary. There had been no stories of paradise appearing in sacred relic trials.

‘Moreover, the paradise I went to was a real place.’

She hadn’t thought about it then, but since she had brought the Emperor in, it was probably real.

Suddenly, the Emperor’s words she had heard there came to mind.

-The gods are ‘guests’ of the world. Beings who visit there briefly with immense power that one dare not chase. All living beings in that world must cater to the guests while watching their mood.

The ‘Guest Theory’ was an impressive theory that couldn’t be easily denied.

But it seemed the same was true for the Guide God.

[The illegitimate child of the Time God ‘Elehar’, who accompanied you at the time, spoke only the truth. In the world you’re in now, there are quite a few who came as ‘guests’. Both gods and those you call ‘traitors’…]

[They keep their main body in paradise and use other perfectly fine worlds as playthings.]

Half was puzzling, but half made sense. The traitors would come back to life even when killed.

But the Guide God’s next words were beyond her imagination.

[So I decided to send a ‘guest’ to paradise, which has never been invaded even once.]

[A ‘guest’ called you, that is.]

* * *

What God revealed afterwards was quite a complex and grand story.

To summarize the conversation in one sentence, it was like this:

‘So the Guide God wants me to destroy or shake up paradise, it seems.’

Rosha had never deeply contemplated about the gods before. They were such otherworldly beings that she had no interest beyond what was absolutely necessary.

At first, she was too busy trying to survive to have time to think, and by the time she had some leeway, she was already used to the gods.

But this…

‘He said there are gods belonging to paradise, and gods who don’t. The Guide God is one who doesn’t.’

No wonder he lived lonely in the desert.

Her head ached from encountering content that could shake her values.

Rosha shook her head and jumped up from her seat.

“What, are you done thinking?”

Koko, who had been busy erasing traces of the concealment curtain, asked with his black eyes shining.

“Yes. What do I have to think about here?”

“Huh? What do you mean? Weren’t you going to cooperate with the god?”

“Why would I?”

Rosha flung open the tent entrance. The afternoon sunlight tickled her nose warmly.

The talk of gods and paradise was quite interesting, but that didn’t change what she had to do.

‘The Emperor showed a detached attitude towards this world, immersed in the desire to go to paradise… but I’m not like that.’

This was the land where she lived.

The fact that she had to stop the trials here right now remained unchanged.

Of course, if paradise becomes an obstacle, she’ll fight against it someday, but that will be done solely by her own will.

Not by the will of a god.

“But still…”

Rosha walked between the tents, holding Koko who was trying to persuade her in her hand.

Perhaps because three years had passed, some people recognized her and some didn’t.

Clang!

“Step back. This area is off-limits except to high-level officials.”

“Is that so?”

“Whoa, lower your spear, you fool! Please enter quickly.”

She passed by the soldiers guarding the entrance and headed towards the large tent where Cassis would be.

Inside, the presence of quite a few people could be felt, and it seemed they were devising strategies in preparation for this trial.

‘I wonder if Cassis is doing well.’

He had said to come if anything happened, but it seemed she would have to wait a bit until the meeting ended.

It was then.

Through the thick winter cloth of the tent, an agitated voice could be heard.

“So, Duke Echerzen and Lady Roshanak are completely unable to deploy due to other business? What business could be more important than protecting this land?”