When the depths of the earth darken, or the polar night...

　
　I woke up once after the drinking party, but since it was already night, I let her go straight back to sleep again.

　Tomorrow is the day to challenge Diedrich's prophecy.

　I will overcome it and go to Gadeisiola to help Ricardo.
　Then I will overturn the Day of Reckoning prophecy.

　And while we're at it, you'll also get me and Arcana's memories back.

"...Brother..........

　I look at Arcana, but she's asleep.
　She's probably just talking in her sleep.

　I stroke her head and she smiles slightly.

'The unaccustomed drunkenness must have been hard to bear. Get a good night's sleep.

　I got up and left the room.
　As I walked down the corridor of the Sword Emperor's Royal Palace, I heard a noisy voice coming from a certain door.

　A banquet hall.
　I peeked inside and saw Shin and Nate on the stage.

　They were still drinking.
　Empty liquor barrels were piled up in a pile around them.

I didn't know there was a man who could compete with me this well. You're good.

　With a genuine look on his face, Nate said.

'You're pretty good at it too,'

　With a calm expression on her face, Shin returns his gaze to him.

''Well, that's about as far as I'll go with the petty examination, it's time for us to have a real drink.

I don't see why not. We'll drink the night away.

　They smile at each other, perhaps acknowledging each other after the drinking war.
　The knights of Agaha stepped back as if they were afraid and fighting.

''Yi, now that you've been drinking, petty investigation...''

Those two monsters...

........you know, Commander Nate. I'm sorry to interrupt the fun, but they've already consumed all the liquor in the castle...

　When one of the knights told him that, Nate raised an eyebrow.



Isn't that where the good booze is?

　Singh turned his gaze to the golden barrel.
　It was reverse scale liquor.



I don't mind.

　Nate said sharply.

'But, Captain,'

I said it was all right. It's a shame for the dragon order to be lacking in drink. Why can't you hunt dragons with your sword?　Just bring me all the gyroscope you can find.

...Ha.

　I restrained the knights who were about to leave the banquet hall with my hand.

''Lord Anos this is very nice of you.

　The knights bail on me lightly and stop.

'Sin. Don't be just a bit tipsy. We're going to be busy again tomorrow.

"As you wish.

　Singh replied and then turned to Nate again.

'I would have liked to exchange a few more drinks, but that's about it for tonight.

Yes, sir. No, it was a delightful drinking game. Sinn Reglia, how could there be a man like you on earth?

　The men exchanged glances in an amicable manner.
　They seemed to be getting to know each other quite well.

"I don't hesitate, Lord Anos.

　One of the knights bowed so.
　The knights seemed relieved that they had not run out of reverse scale wine.

'What, don't worry about it. It was a fun night of drinking.

I'm sorry, sir.

　The knights bowed their heads again.
　I left the banquet hall and often walked down the hallway and then moved to the balcony.

　It's night, and the area is dim.

　The city of Agaha stretches out below us.
　The lights of the houses looked like a starry sky.

　There is a platinum blonde girl who gazes blankly at the view.
　Her small hands rested on the railing, her hair swaying in the night breeze.

'Misha,'

　When I called out to her, she turned around loosely.
　Then she looked at me and loosened her cheeks in happiness.

'Welcome back,'

　I walked over to Misha's side.

'Was Arcana okay?'

Yeah, he's sleeping like a baby.

Good.

　Blandly, yet gently, she said.

'What have you been doing?'

Sobering up.

　Come to think of it, did Misha drink there too?

''It's a tasteless thing to detoxify with magic.

"Hm.

Shall we go?

Almost there.

　I guess he wants to stay here until he's sobered up.

Then we'll do that.

"Anos.

　And then Misha called me over as if she was onto something.

"What's up?

There.

　Leaning back slightly from the railing, Misha turned his demon eyes downward.
　I looked through the gap between the overlapping leaves of the trees and saw Nafta, the future god, sitting on a rock.

　With her eyes closed, she was facing the opposite direction from us, towards the canopy.
　 Kanda Quisolte was not holding it, and her hands were slackly lowered.

　It was impossible to guess what was on his mind from his expression.

''--I don't mind showing my face at a drinking party once in a while.

　A reluctant voice rang out.
　It was Diedrich who came there.

　Nafta does not turn to him, but keeps his face to the heavens.

'Nafta denies it. The only thing that will happen to the place in the tavern is a future where the place will go white if the gods are not drunk.'

　With those words, Diedrich walked over to her.

'It's not as if gods don't get drunk. The Demon King's chosen gods used to be admirably drunk.'

'The unnamed God has the order of creation. By the Nonconformist, she got her feelings, and she got drunk with them. You already know, prophet, that this is a miracle that no god can perform.

There's no denying it, though.

　Diedrich stood beside Nafta and looked in the same direction as her.

'Diedrich. Why are you talking to Nafta?

But that's only because you're the one who responds.

　She closed her mouth to think for a moment, and then she said it again.

'Nafta has made a pact. I will do whatever Diedrich, the Selectman, asks of me. But by nature, no words are needed between the Future God and the Prophet.

　Just as if to tell the truth, Nafta said.

'When Nafta was lowered into his body by Diedrich, he showed him all the futures that the future god Nafta and the prophet Diedrich would follow. You already know what Diedrich will say and how Nafta will respond. I know it too.

The future for you, God, will be a little different than for us. But it is not in my nature to not do it just because I can see it or know it.

　Nicely, Diedrich laughs.

'Out of all the prophecies, I chose the future to have this conversation with you. Sure, it's a ridiculous coincidence for us, I suppose. But I wanted to keep this future in the past, not one of the possible futures.

　Nafta turned his face to the Sword Emperor of Agaha.

'Let's ask, Nafta. 'And why is that?'

I don't know how long it's been since I've made a pact with you to be a selective judge. I remember the first words you said to me the day I met you.

　Diedrich softened his expression and said.

'If the future is light, then the divine eye of Nafta, which looks into every future, casts a dark shadow over the hearts of men. Prophecy is not hope, but despair. The prophet is one who holds the darkness and pours light on the people. Do you wish to make a pact with Naphtha?

Diedrich answered this question with a resounding yes. There was not one single future you would refuse to accept.

I now know exactly what you meant by that.

　Sullenly, he muttered as he thought about what had happened so far.

'This guy's irresistible...'

　It was as if it were an expletive of suffering.

'Naftah is thinking. The world is filled with order and all that is impossible is human life. But because their eyes are blind, people see hope in the impossible. It is because they see hope that they can live. From Naphtha's point of view, man's eyes are all closed. But because they are closed, there is something that can be seen because they are closed. That is hope. Even if these two eyes are closed, they will never be seen by the divine eye of Nafta.

　Diedrich responded with a bitter look.

'There's no doubt about it.

"Half of the Sword Emperors in history didn't make a pact with Nafta. The other half of them made a pact with Nafta and then abandoned the God's Eye that was given to them.

　Nafta tells us.

'I suppose it means that a future of hope is preferable to a person than the best future.

　Let's say that 100 people die every year from a natural disaster.
　No matter how we look into the future and how we deal with it, the best future is one hundred deaths.

　If we don't look into the future, 500 people will die every year.
　Still, one hopes for a future in which the number of deaths can be reduced to zero someday...?

　That's not surprising.
　Obviously, the former should be better, but feelings are unavoidable.

　If you don't know, you'll be happy.

'Yet the Prophet Diedrich, given the divine eye of Naphtha, still tries to see hope with his eyes.

　Nafta asked him in a serene voice.

'Why?'

"I am the King of Agaha. I have a duty to look to the future for the people of this country. And for the sake of the God who has served this country so well, I must look to hope.

　Diedrich says calmly.

'Nafta. "Nafta," he says calmly, "I want to show you at least once. I want to show you, Nafta, just once, that even your God's eyes can see the light of hope.

Does Diedrich believe that the blind spot in Nafta that the Demon King mentioned exists?

Well, I don't know if it's possible, but it could be. But if it's not there, I'll have to make it for you.

　Diedrich gave a cheery smile to Nafta, who was looking somewhat cold.

''Hey, Nafta. There is certainly one thing that makes me different from the sword emperors of the past. That will cloud even this divine eye of yours and show me some hope.

　Nafta's expression was mixed with a slight hint of confusion.
　Seeing this, Diedrich laughed vigorously with a ga-haha.

You can't see it. You can't see it. He has decided not to say anything until the prophecy is overturned.

　There is no way Nafta can see a future that reverses the prophecy.
　The future in which Diedrich tells us why is as good as non-existent, to say the least.

'Do you mind?'

　Turning over as if in thought for a moment, Nafta opened her eyes.
　Her serene, divine eyes stared at Diedrich, looking into the future.

'Nafta is curious,'

　His expression breaks out in satisfaction.

'It's a good one, isn't it? 'It's a good thing, isn't it? But a king does not give up his best for the sake of hope. You see the best in your own eyes, and I see hope in mine.

　Nafta stood up quickly and faced Diedrich squarely.
　Sternly, yet somehow gently, she said, "You are the last prophet, the Sword Emperor Diedrich.

'The last prophet, Sword Emperor Diedrich. Nafta thanks you. Nafta thanks you for being the last king to make a pact. This future with you was the only salvation that Nafta, the god of the future, could ever look forward to.

That one is superimposed.

　Diedrich reached out and squeezed his hand as if to grab the canopy.

"Together we will seize it. A future of hope at the end of the best of times.