Chapter 109 – The third floor’s trial

Chapter 109 – The third floor’s trial

「Splendid work……

You have……『Passed』the second floor……」

The 2nd floor’s gatekeeper Hercules said as such.

「Thank you.」

Lolona said in a cool manner and moved on.

We silently sent Lolona off.

It was like in the movies, it was mesmorizing to watch.

Lolona steps in the magic circle that leads to the third floor――――。

「Why are you letting me go alone!!

I’m very lonely if I go by myself okay!!」

Laura, Femille and Marine regained their senses.

「Sorry Lolo-chan! It wasn’t intentional!!」

「Lolona-san the Berserker is so cool!」

(Nod nod nod!)

Good grief.

「Then let’s go!」

Since there’s 5 towers in total, we’ll reach the middle point of the tower.

「This is another……」

「Strange place……」

This time, we were inside a library.

Lots of books are packed in bookshelves that are high enough that I had to tilt my head up.

「Welcome to the third floor of the trial……。

I am Metty……The Goddess of Book……」

A woman appeared.

She has silky but wet black hair, with timid eyes and hanging eyebrows.

Her mysterious black dress appearance gives off such an impact.

「At this level, you will be tested your knowledge with books……」

「If that’s the case, I’m the best for it!

I’ll show you the power of the “Goddess of Knowledge”!」

Laura raises her hand.

(Since she does have the ability to access the “Fountain of Knowledge” for “existing knowledge”, I guess she might actually be at an advantage.)

「You can choose a book that you like, and ask me questions about what is in that book……。

If I answer it correctly, I win……。

If I’m wrong, you win……」

「What does that mean?!」

You can win or lose from the start.

Metty was confused.

「…………」

She silently raised her left hand in the air.

A book appeared out of nowhere.

「This bible……。

Has the story of the war of satan that occurred 680 years ago……。

For example, on page 250, the Archangel Gluttony and the Great Demon Miachel fought.」

「Wait, the angel is Gluttony and the devil is Michael?」

「Yes……」

Metty nodded.

「So, if you want to make a question out of this, You can ask me things like “Who struck down the Great Devil Michael”, and if I answered “Archangel Gluttony”, then I’ll win, and you’ll lose.」

Lolona asked.

「How many times are you allowed to reply?」

「One for each person…………」

「Is it possible to let someone else response?」

「Yes……」

「How many times can you make mistakes?

What if you wanted to say “Archangel Gluttony” but instead called it “Seraph Gluttony”—-but you immediately wanted to change your answer.」

「If I make just even one mistake, it will be your victory……」

Metty…..smiles.

「I…..

don’t make mistakes……」

Said with great confidence.

However, it’s good that Lolona is confirming the basic rules.

Lolona continues.

「Is it alright if the question comes from books that are not in this room?」

「Yes……

Of course you can ask for books from outside this room……。

Although it might be a problem if that book only exists from outside this world……。

I’ll still answer……」

Metty looked at me and Lindis when she said that.

(I wonder if she knew we’re not from this world.)

「Is there……anything else?」

「……I don’t really have anything in particular.

How about Keima-dono?」

「I have 3 questions.

The first is――――。

What is your definition of a “book”?」

「What…..do you mean by that?」

「My definition of a book is “a bundle of paper being binded with threads and glue”

How about scrolls, are they counted?」

「Scrolls…..are accepted.」

「How about books that are made out of bamboo, bark, soil, or slabs with pictures and letters?

many old history books were written in that format.」

「…………I’ll allow it.」

「I see.」

I grinned a little.

「However……

I will limit books with sentences with more than 300 thousand characters……。

Also, it is forbidden to ask about pictures of characters written after entering this room…………」

「Tsk.」

「Eyy, Keima. Did I just hear you click your tongue?」

「If it didn’t have a character limit, I was thinking of asking about “doodles I wrote on the ground as a kid”.」

「Fueee……?」

「Also, if the condition of “text written after entering this room is forbidden”, there would’ve been ways to write a text on that wall and make that a ‘problem’.」

「Can we even call that a book?」

「That’s why I was asking about the definition of a book.」

「As expected of Keima. You’ll use any acts of deceive whenever the opportunity is given……!」

「What a reliable person……!」

「Please deal with this normally……」

Lolona and the others were complimenting me while Metty was frightened.

I continued asking.

「Then this is my 2nd question.

What is your definition of ‘information’?

The story of history may be information, but scripts of novel or drama seems to be categorised as a ‘story’, and things like diaries are more of a ‘feeling’ then it is ‘information’ about your daily life.」

「If I gave a devious answer, then you’ll be the ones getting it right……?」

「Of course!

That’s our Keima!」

「Fuee……」

Metty said after thinking for a bit.

「……Then the definition of information is a string of meaningful words…………」

「Then this is the last.」

「Yes……」

「How long would you need to answer?」

「Is that….necessary?」

「If you don’t set a time limit, you can just say “I won’t say anything then….!” and wait for us to starve to death or surrender.」

「Is there any meaning in winning in such a lawless way……?」

「A win’s a win.」

「…………」

「If I’m in your position, I’ll definitely do it.」

「Is your previous life a devil……」

「Keima-dono……」

「Keima-san……」

Metty is a given to ask that, but even Lolona and Femille followed suit.

「If say there is, how long would you need?」

「……I got it.

I will……give myself 10 minutes…………」

Metty puts her hand up.

A huge hourglass appears.

「If I can’t answer by the time the sand on this hourglass is exhausted…………then it will be your win.」

「And if you can’t answer before time is up……」

「In such a case……it will be your win as well……

Of course unless you intentionally speed the clock.」

「I see.」

「Please……。

Or rather……。

Can you ask me a question now…………」

Metty looks like she’s about to cry.

「I’m sorry for Keima-dono’s behaviour……」

Lolona deeply apologized.

「Seriously!

He’s really bad at messing you up by pointing so many evil plots!

Even without that, we could easily win!」

Laura grabbed her fist.

Then she said.

「Then here’s my question!」

「Please……」

Metty asked Laura to ask.

「What is Laura, the Goddess of Knowledge, top 3 favourite book?」

「Eh……?」

「Since I didn’t understand a thing you guys were saying about rules, so I came up with a question about books?!

You can answer that right?!」

「It’s true I can’t really answer that……」

「Yayーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー!!!」

Laura jumped with joy.

Cute.

On the other hand, I was shocked.

Laura……。

You……。

「Can you even read books……?」

「Such a rude question!?

I’m the Goddess of Knowledge, so of course I can read a book!」

The common sense of this world has been rewritten.

「But your question is not about books, it’s about you.」

「The “question that cannot be answered” has not been established……。

Because there’s no such thing as “Laura, the goddess of Knowledge” in the book of goddess……」

「Are you for real?!?!」

「Was your black history deleted from official records……」

「Of course not?! There was a time when I was still active as a goddess!」

「There was one who committed a deadly sin……。

The goddess who was exiled due to extreme laziness……。

It may have been the “Strayed Goddess” that have been exiled……」

「You mean I was exiled?!?!」

「Perhaps……」

「That is……。

But why……。

All I did was play around and did nothing for a year……」

I was speechless.

「But nonetheless, if you can’t answer it, then it’s my win! So let us through!」

「Y-Y-Y-Y-you caaan’t!

I-I-I-I-It’s not a question if it’s not written in the booooks!

Pleeease give a question from a book that you have selected.」

Metty clung onto Laura’s waist and desperately begged her.

「Was there such a rule?」

「There issssss such a ruleee!」

「This is more difficult than I thought……」

「I admit that it may be difficult, but that’s because it’s meant to be that waaaaaay!!」

Metty looks incredibly unfortunate.

「Keima-san and Laura-san are amazing……」

「It’s like Keima-dono goes on the outside road, and Laura who is running from the outside road——–Runs on it with the intention of going on the royal road……」

「We can count on them!」