CH 144

“So……The origin of this world lies in books, and I……”

I inhale a lungful of air, then exhaled.

“I was transmigrated in a character from the book.”

A lengthy explanation began.

About the novel called RUSW, the public project of Mass Transmigration made by the Gods, and the series of events that led me to transmigrate.

I chose my words with the utmost care and tried to sound as refined as possible.

Maybe, because I paid too much attention, my voice, echoing through the room was lower than usual as if it were somehow choked.

<……>

Agnes listened in silence with an expressionless face for what seemed to be a long time.

The truth that a novel or fictional world forms the basis of reality, for the people of this world, would be considered more than violence or insult, it would be treason against existence.

Especially if you believe in God.

At some point, after the explanation was over, I studied Agnes’ expression in silence.

<……>

Around the time I was thinking that her seemingly calm appearance was somewhat dangerous.

She finally opened her mouth.

<Fiction has become reality……>

“Yes. Agnes is real, just as I am real.”

<Then……what about the God I’ve always believed in?>

“……”

<You said this was a world where ‘Strict Order and Goodwill’ has disappeared. So, was my God……never there in the first place? Did I believe in an illusion?>

Agnes’s eyes were tense as if she was about to be sentenced for some kind of sin.

I shook my head.

“I also found out today, but I don’t think that’s the case.”

<Then?>

“Grandma of All Things gave the answer. It’s impossible for a God to create a God, and there was a predecessor in charge of building this world.”

<Right.>

“I don’t know if it was an accident or a change of name, but ‘Strict Order and Goodwill’ do exist. And they abandoned the world they had created. I don’t know if it’s to stay true to the original setting…..or something else.”

So, strictly speaking, it is not an illusion.

<Ha……>

Despite the confirmation of God’s existence, Agnes did not look very happy.

She spoke as if to organize her thoughts.

<So, the current situation is that a world without God is bound to perish because it cannot envision the future, and it is only the regression of a single human being that is preventing that fate……is that right?>

“Yes. In the second half of the original story……It was a plot twist revealed in the 99th episode.”

<And as you explained before, is that all because God irresponsibly ran away?>

As she said the word irresponsible, Agne’s pronunciation was a bit muffled, probably because she was clenching her teeth.

“Yes. Because God, who acted exactly like the original….”

<Wait a minute, Ellet.>

Right then, Agnes offered a perspective I had never thought of.

<At that point, it’s not that God is being faithful to the contents of the novel, it’s about the contents of the novel portraying the reality of the Divine World, is it not?>

“……Ah.”

A groan spontaneously escaped from my mouth.

Are all the settings and God’s actions revealed in Part 2 real?

It makes sense.

This really makes sense.

RUSW stopped serialization once and from that point on, it was divided into parts 01 and 02.

The first part is up to the 85th episode, which was a normal world-saving plot, and the second part is from the 86th episode, which is focused on a waste setting where the protagonist is a frustrated victim who can’t escape from regression even after saving the world.

And the 1st and 2nd parts were completely different.

So maybe…… 

‘Isn’t RUSW Part 2 a story written at the same time as the beginning of this world’s dimensionalization by the predecessor?’

I arrived at such an idea based on assumptions.

Originally, the predecessor, ‘Strict Order and Goodwill’, would have created a world based on Part 1, where the protagonist saves the world and ends the plot neatly.

However, as that God jumped out, an error occurred in the main character and the world, making them flawed.

Thesilid’s regression ending condition, ‘The world must be saved’, which exists in the novel, and the law of dimensionality that exists in the divine world, ‘A world without God will perish without being able to envision a future’, were cleverly intertwined with each other, and the return of Thesilid was activated again.

‘That’s why the second part, which didn’t originally exist, was born.’

Ah, I guess this is what it feels like to get hit in the head deep enough to have your brain smashed.

“Sigh.”

Yes, this was it. This was the answer.

“Wow, really…….oh, my god, I……”

<What’s wrong? You look like you just got slapped in the face>

“Yeah, that’s exactly how it feels. What would I have done without Agnes? Even if I get hit later I can’t complain, I almost got into trouble without knowing something this big?”

Just look at how the message window is dead quiet.

‘Excuse me, Gods?’

[‘The Eyes that watch over the chaos of all things’ rolls his eyes away as much as possible.]

[‘The Critic who adjusts the balance’ only sips his coffee, unaware that his tongue is burning.]

[‘The Troubled Architect of the Tower of Trials’ hastily enters the tower saying he will practice closed training.]

[‘The Scales that Judges the Soul’ pokes the side of the ‘The World-building God’.]

[‘The World-building God’ curses at an unidentified deity of unknown whereabouts, asking if he was the son of the president*.]

[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ closes the mouth of the ‘World-Building God’ and watches the other gods with narrowed eyes.]

*Note: World God is probably relating that God to a Son of a Conglomerate that is always messing around.

These guys are shaking carrots as a group.

The level of difficulty, which would have been around S-level if it had been completed with part 1, became an SS-level difficulty when part 2 was written and Reed was born.

I don’t know if this was the case of me giving up because it was originally a novel like this, but when I realized that my situation is far from that example, I felt very wronged.

[‘The Critic who adjusts the balance’ coughs in vain, saying that the reality you face does not change, so think positively.]

[‘The World-building God’ says that even though is like this, he gently comforts you saying he was preparing a reward for you these days.]

In a way, World God is also a victim, suffering because of his predecessor. When they comfort me in a situation where I need to be comforted, I have no choice but to soften my heart.

But apart from that, I’m still frustrated.

If the Transmigrator feels this wronged, what kind of feelings will the regressor have?

“Haaa……”

I let out a big sigh towards the sky as if to make it reach the Divine World.

<Well, Ellet.>

Agnes’ call snapped me out of my reverie.

Her voice was filled with a sense of tension and hesitation. I was a little puzzled because it wasn’t like her.

“What’s wrong, Agnes?”

<You know……. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now, and it’s something I’m really struggling with bringing it up…….>

“Yes.”

<I want you to take it seriously, and not look at me weirdly.>

“All right. Go ahead, Agnes.”

Is this a very serious matter? I focused and waited for her next words.

<Do you accept souls as believers?>

“……”

<No……?>

After a moment, I opened my arms.

“Welcome, Sister Agnes.”

That day Agnes was converted.

To the magnificent and wonderful Church of the World God.

✠

Meanwhile at that time.

‘Damn you……’Strict Order and Goodwill’…….’

Thesilid fell to the floor coughing up blood.

It wasn’t the first time he’d experienced this organ-crushing force.

It was the same recoil that struck him ‘In the Library of All Things’ where he had helped the Bible of Truth search for the whereabouts of the sloppy disk.

Only then was he punished because he challenged God, but this time even though he did nothing he had to suffer like.

‘They said you left this world behind……who the hell owns the save point……’

Can you really be this cheap?

Oh, they are also very big on unfair favoritism.

“Cough!”

Thesilid vomited another handful of blood and rummaged through his arms with trembling hands.

What came out was a small glass bottle, a potion given to him by Ellet in ‘The Bottom of Pandora’s’ dungeon.

He swallowed every last drop.

Befitting a top-notch healing potion, he felt that his internal wounds were quickly healed.

It was fortunate that he had the potion she gave him. Otherwise, he would have had to use the magic sword to heal his frail body.

Of course, if that were the case, the problem would be bigger……

‘Because I can’t give up on this episode.’

Wiping the blood from his mouth with his uniform’s sleeve, he managed to raise his upper body.

The handsome man sitting against the wall bent his head back.

He prayed for a long time towards a deceitful being that would be somewhere beyond the ceiling, beyond the sky, beyond dimensions.

“I’ll be a good boy, so……let me stay longer in this episode…….”

✠

The next day, my official schedule as The Chosen One began.

I had to greet the nobles of the Principality of Hispenril who came to the capital, visit the Golden Ivory Tower, a landmark of the capital Peronsa, and ride a parade carriage all the way around the city.

Naturally, I had to be accompanied by Thesilid, the only member of my Order of Paladins and the owner of the Holy Sword, on all schedules.

But he skipped breakfast and never knocked on my door until it was time to leave.

He was the type of person who always showed up well in advance of his appointments and waited.

<Let’s go get him.>

I went directly to Thesilid’s room.

He was just leaving out of the door when he found me and greeted me in a weakly voice.

“Hello, Eli……”

“Terry?”

<What is it? Why is he so weak?>

It really was.

Thesilid staggered his steps and leaned against the wall.

I rushed over and supported his body.

“What is this? Are you sick? What’s wrong with your complexion?”

“I’m fine…cough.”

“Blood?!”

The palm of his hand that briefly covered his mouth was tainted in blood.

I immediately poured heals on him, and Thesilid’s face relaxed.

“What the hell happened?”

“I don’t  know either.”

“If you don’t know, who does?”

“I really don’t know.”

I swallowed hard at what would have been another question. He looked so exhausted.

Don’t tell me there’s a chronic disease I don’t know.

‘What’s wrong with him all of a sudden?’

[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ says that he will start an investigation soon.]

[‘The World-building God’ gets annoyed, asking what kind of bug is the main character made of.]

[‘The Supreme Merchant of All Things’ is deep in thought as she puffs her smoking pipe.]

[‘The World-building God’ asks ‘The Supreme Merchant of All Things’ what is she doing here.]

[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ replies that he called.]

I anxiously ask his intentions.

“Do you want to rest? I can handle the schedule myself. Sir Rex is there if you want to stay.”

“No, I’m coming with you. I can’t afford to neglect my responsibilities.”

It felt his firm will to go.

I sighed and went through my inventory.

“Then drink all of this.”

I pushed about five bottles of energizing potion into Thesilid’s stomach.

After making it so that he was full even if he hadn’t eaten breakfast, Thesilid seemed to be fine.

Come to think of it, this seems like the second time. I remember he was in a roughly similar state when he came out of the ‘Library of All Things’ after fighting against Elantia.

While I was thinking so, Thesilid called my attention.

“We’re going to be late. Let’s go.”

From this point on, a hard day began.