Chapter 27
Aquila’s brow furrowed on its own.
‘Since we have come to a different space close to the true body, you intend to intervene?’
In truth, this was not the first time Aquila had received such an indirect message from Raspalara in this run.
In the previous run, when he had entered this other space using the Scales of Judgment in the same way, he had received a similar request to participate.
Aquila still had not forgotten the question he received back then.
‘You sent only a single question mark.’
It was a question that seemed to contain countless meanings, as though doubting Aquila’s very existence.
That symbol even made him wonder whether the gods themselves were unaware that this world was endlessly repeating.
Or perhaps, from a god’s perspective, his existence—being forcibly possessed into a different body each time he died—was simply alien.
Once might have been coincidence, but he had received the exact same question several times.
So this time, too, the possibility was high.
“Waa……!”
“My goodness!”
Whether Aquila was being serious on his own or not, Shen and Cahena exclaimed in awe at the suddenly transformed space.
An endlessly stretching, pure white expanse.
It seemed to be Yujelia’s first time here as well, as she kept glancing around.
“How could this be…… Is this not reality?”
As if accustomed to such reactions, Ianpel explained in a gentle voice.
“It is reality, yet not reality. You could call it a twisted space-time.”
“Oh, is this another dimension? I had only heard of it, but to actually come here…….”
Cahena looked around with eyes full of wonder.
“Still, I feel like we should not move around freely…….”
Shen muttered with an uneasy expression.
Everything in sight was so white and pristine that it felt almost sinful to move, as if touching anything would stain it.
Ianpel turned his gaze away from the three who had begun talking among themselves and looked toward Aquila, who had been quiet for some time.
He had been staring intently at a single point in the empty air.
“You are not surprised?”
“……Huh?”
“This place. I thought I might see a surprised expression, but are you perhaps familiar with it?”
“I am more than sufficiently astonished.”
Aquila replied indifferently to Ianpel’s probing tone.
It was quite a casual manner of speech for someone addressing a saint.
A subtle smile lingered on Ianpel’s face.
He was a man who continued to stir Ianpel’s curiosity about what, exactly, was contained within that head of his.
“Shall we begin? Or should I give you more time to be surprised?”
At those words, Aquila finally tore his gaze away from the window.
A white space he had visited dozens of times already, now nothing more than tedious.
And facing him with a playful expression was an even more tiresome man with water-colored hair.
‘Three question opportunities in total. If Raspalara intervenes, at least one of them will be wasted.’
If that happened, Ianpel would be forced into a situation where the dialogue ended abruptly without using all his questions.
And he would point to Aquila as the cause, after which he would begin paying him extremely close attention.
This was not a mere prediction.
In the previous run, after accepting a god’s intervention and meeting such an end, Aquila had experienced being hounded by Ianpel.
‘That leech. Once was more than enough.’
Moreover, once the Scales of Judgment were used on a specific target, a cooldown of three days was imposed.
He could not afford such a gamble.
What mattered right now was Ianpel’s trust.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Aquila straightened his posture.
“No. It is just that actually coming here made me tense.”
“You do not look tense to me?”
“I may not look it, but I am surprised and tense. Right, Shen?”
“Y-Yes?! Uh, yes…….”
As the conversation began, Shen, who had been quietly standing behind, was startled and stammered.
Aquila glanced back briefly.
“All three of you, do not just stand there. Sit down. There are chairs.”
“I feel like we should not sit on them…….”
“As he says, it is fine to sit. Do not stand uncomfortably.”
With Ianpel’s help, the three hesitantly sat down on the spotless white chairs.
Their movements were cautious, as if afraid to leave even a scratch.
While they were settling in, Aquila raised his hand to the selection window.
Ding!
【You have selected ‘No’.】
【Sun God Raspalara’s request to participate has been rejected.】
With his heart feeling much lighter, Aquila spoke.
“Let us finish this quickly. The questions are probably already decided anyway.”
“Oh? But what if, contrary to your expectations, I ask a different question?”
Ianpel added playfully, though there was surely some sincerity behind it.
“If you want to give me more, then by all means, please do.”
Aquila nodded once.
If Ianpel asked a different question and gained new information, he would have to pay Aquila a greater price than originally planned.
Accurate compensation was a rule Ianpel himself had established.
The saint smiled with his eyes.
“I like that you seem to know me well. It is interesting.”
“I am not particularly interested. Stop the needless talk and proceed.”
“How cold. Haha. Do not make that face…….”
Ianpel remained smiling cheerfully.
“First, before we discern the truth, I should hear your plan, should I not? A plan contains neither truth nor falsehood.”
“Yes, well.”
“Then could you properly explain the legitimate justification for bringing the Temple Knights into the land of Igrail, in a way that both I and the observers here can accept?”
Ianpel gestured with his chin toward Shen, Yujelia, and Cahena sitting side by side.
Without bothering to look back at them, Aquila spoke at once.
It was already a conclusion he had reached.
“I know a way to forcibly use the Scales of Judgment.”
“……What did you say?”
“I will use the Scales of Judgment borrowed from the temple on the culprit who placed the Curse of Deadly Poison on me, and extract a confession. Then the connection to the Guild of Darkness will be revealed as well.”
And even if it was merely a plan, Ianpel would have no choice but to accept it.
Aquila continued in a low voice.
“Ever since that staged incident in the basement, rumors have been spreading quietly that the Temple of the Sun resolved the curse, have they not? The Temple of the Sun is officially at odds with the Guild of Darkness, so if I, the victim of the curse…….”
Ding-dong!
At that moment, a completely different notification sound suddenly rang out.
Aquila’s eyes slid to the side for a moment, then returned forward.
He intended to finish his explanation first and check it afterward.
“If it is said that I officially requested help from the Temple of the Sun, then there would be no reason they could not set foot in Igrail—”
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
As if urging him to check immediately, the notifications kept ringing.
Then, all at once, a notification window popped up before his eyes.
【A new message has arrived!】
【Message from ¥※¤¡:
Why did you reject my participation?
ㅠ.ㅠ
I want to participate too.
I will ask just one question. Is that still not okay?】
“……would there not be.”
Aquila nearly froze, but somehow managed to finish his sentence.
He quietly surveyed the now-silent surroundings, then turned his gaze back to the message window.
‘What is this?’
The space where a nickname should have been displayed was garbled, but judging by the context, the sender was obvious.
Raspalara.
In the previous run, the Sun God had only shown interest in him after he had cleared several scenarios.
Yet in this run, where nothing had progressed yet, there could be only one reason for such early interest.
The blessing of the Sun God.
It must have seemed strange that an unknown human was carrying his blessing.
“You know a way to forcibly use the Scales of Judgment…… Was that written in a book as well?”
After falling silent for a moment to mull over the plan, Ianpel suddenly asked.
“Is that a question?”
“No. I did not specify it. You could say it is personal curiosity.”
“Then I will accept only questions.”
With a sharp retort, Aquila dismissed the message window without hesitation.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
He had no leeway to deal with anything else right now.
He decided to simply ignore the incessant notifications.
“The price for forcibly using the Scales of Judgment is truly—”
“I said I will not accept anything other than explicit questions.”
The light-purple eyes and the black eyes collided without retreat.
Ianpel’s mind began working furiously again, but in the end, there was only one answer.
“……Ha. Now I understand what you meant when you said the questions were already decided.”
For the first time since facing Aquila, Ianpel let out a deep sigh.
He carefully chose his words several times, as if to ask with precision.
“Then, as you wish, the first question. The price for forcibly using the Scales of Judgment is wagering your own soul, and if it is revealed that you are not speaking the truth, you may even lose your life. Did you devise this plan with that fully understood?”
“Yes.”
“……W-What, young master?!”
Ding!
【The first question from a participant has been posed!】
【Penalties will be imposed if you answer falsely!】
Aquila’s answer was faster than the appearance of the warning window.
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Shen sprang to his feet in shock, but the two directly involved in the exchange remained calm.
“It is the truth.”
When no change occurred in Aquila, Ianpel immediately continued.
“The second question. Are you convinced that the culprit who placed the Curse of Deadly Poison on you is among those bearing the name Reschenhardt, and that they are colluding with the Guild of Darkness?”
At those words, Aquila curled his lips into a smile.
Ianpel must have inferred it simply from the fact that he intended to return to Igrail with the Temple Knights, and from the notion that it was something Aquila alone could not handle.
His perceptiveness truly was remarkable.
“Yes.”
After Aquila’s answer, once again, nothing happened.
At least, that meant it was judged to be the truth.
“Huh…….”
A low exclamation escaped from Cahena.
She did not know who the culprit was, nor did she even know exactly what had happened to Aquila in the first place.
But now, Cahena understood.
‘Celsia Reschenhardt.’
That name clearly surfaced in her mind.
That was the reason Aquila had called her here as an observer.
“Now it is the last one. I am exceedingly glad that everything has been confirmed as truth, but regrettably, I require certainty.”
Ianpel spoke as if truly regretful.
Aquila clicked his tongue inwardly, as that expression was one he often made when laying bait.
Before Ianpel could ramble on further, Aquila cut in first.
“Promise that you will use the Scales of Judgment even if the worst-case scenario occurs. That is what you are going to say, so let us proceed quickly.”
“You…… Have you ever considered working by my side?”
“No. Add your conditions quickly and let us finish the contract.”
“If you ever get chased out, the Grand Temple of Portplum will welcome you.”
“I will exclude that from the conditions.”
“Ah, that is such a shame…….”
Regardless, after finishing his regretful remarks, Ianpel finally cleared his throat.
“Everything you have said so far has been judged as truth, but it is the truth as you believe it. Even if it differs from the truth of reality, our Grand Temple of Portplum will not be held responsible. Do you agree?”
“What choice do I have? Yes.”
“If you permit the contract, it will bind to your heart. Should you break it, divine punishment will be delivered.”
“Yes.”
“Then let us form the oath. Aquila Reschenhardt, promise to carry out the plan exactly as you explained to me and the observers present here.”
“Ianpel of the Temple of the Sun, promise that if I fulfill my vow, you will lend the Temple Knights and pay the remaining compensation.”
Ianpel’s and Aquila’s gazes collided once more.
A brief battle of nerves.
In the end, it was Ianpel who smiled first and spoke.
“I swear before these three witnesses.”
“I, too, swear.”
Ding!
【A truthful oath has been confirmed!】
【The pact binds to both parties’ hearts!
Expiration: until all promised terms are fulfilled.】
【All three question opportunities designated upon entry have been expended!】
【The dialogue is ending, and you are leaving the space of ‘Truth or Truth’!】
With the final notification, the pure white space began to collapse.
And just before it vanished completely—
Ding-dong!
【Message from ¥※¤¡
You are the first human to ignore me…….】
After checking the final message, Aquila let out a scoff.