Alfazul ...... the god who created this dungeon.
"God. That's what they call him. Now I'm not talking about it.

　The man who looked like me, the being who called himself Alfazul, didn't deny or affirm whether he was really a god or not.

'You can think of me as an incarnation of a disembodied divine spirit, or you can think of me as a residual thought of humanity's ancestors. Perhaps it's your imagination. It's up to you to decide which one to choose. They're all right and they're all wrong expressions.

　After smoking me out like this, Alfazul tries to easily cut the subject of his identity out of his mind.

'But you shouldn't spend too much time on it. If your body is completely dead, everything is ruined. So let's stop asking who I am.
"...... my body is ......?　...... Ouch!

　Alfazul's attitude of trying to smoke it out was honestly unpleasant, but he also didn't have the time to pursue it carefully.

　Every time he recalled the memory of his own fatal wound, the intense pain around his right eye permeated the back of his head, making it difficult to think calmly.

　The pain is so intense that it makes me wonder if the contents of my skull are mixed in with the blood flowing out of my right eye socket.

"I'll get straight to the point. Surrender your body to me.

　With words and actions that no longer concealed the fact that he was a different person who was just imitating his appearance, Alfazul could not believe his ears.

'That way you can draw strength from them more strongly. You could easily deliver your people from the hands of Gandalf. Including any children left near your body.
What ......?

　Suddenly, what flashed through my mind was the memory of her distant past, which I caught a glimpse of when I [restored] the magical crests that dwelled in Sakura's body.

　Sakura's father continuing to smile high in the burning house.

　She thought that was the result of Sakura's father being swallowed up by the power due to an incomplete divine descent due to inadequate preparation.

　--I guess that's not wrong in the grand scheme of things.

　But can we really say that the 'power' did not have a personality in it?

　Was the content of the body that was laughing in the flames really Sakura's father?

　He - hadn't he - surrendered his body to the God who had brought him down?　

'...... No. I can't do that.
Self-sacrifice is still a terrible thing. But think about it. At this rate, everything will fall into the hands of Gandalf. Compared to that: ......
No.

　With my left eye alone, I stared at Alfazul, who looked just like me.

　There is no blood flowing from this one's right eye, but that one doesn't have a single scratch on its face.

　It is strangely annoying that this one is closer to my normal self if only in appearance.

　But still, it's strange.
　Even though I'm in such a mysterious situation, confronting a being who calls himself a god, I don't feel as if I'm grateful for it.

　Rather, a sense of rebellion, for no apparent reason, was slowly and steadily emerging.

'I'm sure Garnett will be sad when I'm gone. I don't want to just do ...... that kind of thing, I don't want to ever do that.

　Earlier, I had the opportunity to exchange words directly with Garnett's own brother, Lord Carmine.

　I ended up having the same conversation with Garnett himself later on, but there was one thing I couldn't even confirm with him.

　-- you are special to Garnett. Please let me at least spare your life. If she loses you as well as her mother, Garnett will never recover or ...... or--

'Even if you were a true god, I can't give you ...... this body. I absolutely have to go back to ...... that guy.

　-and it could be even more broken than it already is.

　If Alfazul is right, then Garnett is at my side, dying from a spike of magic in his right eye.

　I'm bleeding, not moving a single fingertip, not answering my name when I call it, and just growing colder by my side.

　I wonder what kind of thoughts he's looking at it with.

　Is she crying?
　Is she angry?
　Or is she frozen in a state of emotional confusion?

　I'm going crazy just thinking about it.

I see. Okay, okay, I'll do it this way then.

　Alfazul spread his arms as if he had just come up with a good idea, smiled and said.

'I will live as you. I will live my life as you and hide my identity from everyone who surrounds you. This way, no one will be sad. Don't you agree?
............!

　Much faster than I could say any words, I was grabbing Alfazul's chest, who looked just like myself.

　The fresh blood that had been wetting my hands stained Alfazul's clothing red.

　There is no doubt about it. This emotion is killing intent.

''Don't be silly ...... you, what are you going to do?''
'I'm just suggesting a solution that won't make anyone sad. If there's a problem, it's .......
...... Yeah, yeah, right. It's my self-interest (ego).

　For Garnett - that's one fact. There is no lie at all.

　But it would be a lie to say that's the only reason.

"Someone other than me is next to him?　Pretending to be me and being 'special' to him?

　Anger rises from the pit of my stomach, and the pain in my right eye fades from my consciousness.

　At the same time, the right eye - the cavity where the lost eye was housed - heats up and heats up the rage.

　When in the world did it start?

　Just as she started to feel that I was special, I started to feel that I was special in the same way that she started to feel that I was special.

'No!　I don't see how you can allow that to happen!

　He put all his strength into his hands grasping his chest and pressed his fist into the chest as if he were striking it from close range, striking it with all his strength and magic.

　In the next moment, Alfazul's chest was blown off like a pop, and a large hole was drilled through to his back.

''Na......!''

　It was an event that could only surprise me.

　The [Disintegration] that should have been extremely ineffective on a living organism - I can't believe that the [Disintegration] - which I hammered into it almost out of desperation - penetrated the body of Alphasul.

　No, or is it because we are not equipped with the body of a living being right now--

I'm sorry for trying to imitate ......

　Contrary to my bewilderment, Alfazul stepped back, looking heartily calm.

　There was no blood flowing from the hole in his chest.
　On the contrary, not even a cross-section of flesh existed, only a rough broken surface that looked like broken white pottery.

''You died after your brain marrow was destroyed by a spike of magical power. The organ that connects the body to the soul and thoroughly rewrites the soul's memory area. In order to [repair] the brain marrow in that state, you had to go over another level of limitation: .......

　When Alfazul made a gesture as if he was holding something in front of his chest, magic power gathered in his hands and generated a round mirror.

　My right eye in the mirror was replaced by a deep blue glowing mass of magic power, leaking a flaming flicker.

''This is ......,''
Consider that you have gained wisdom by offering your right eye. You can put it back by [restoration] and offer it again by [disassembly].

　A shrill voice entered my ears and I raised my gaze in surprise.

　Before I knew it, Alfazul's figure had changed into a fearless old man who looked nothing like me.

　And that too, in the same way I am now, with my right eye turned to light.

"Since you rejected me, the performance of your ability is the same as before. But if you use your eyes, you will be able to see how you should use your 'power'.
"...... No way, I've been working on this from the beginning: ......
No, of course not.

　Alfazul, now an old man, shook his shoulders in amusement and laughed.

'If your heart had been broken, you would have taken it without mercy. But with this one, you can wait a little longer to grow up ...... and that's all I've decided.

　But despite the content of his selfish words, Alfazul's expression was very calm.

Be mindful," he said. "Be mindful," he said, "and do not rely too much on your eyes. Do not rely too much on your eyes, for this is the same way with your 'bringing down the gods,' so to speak.

　I grabbed the front of my own head with my right hand and activated [Restoration] with all my might.

　I understood without anyone telling me that I could return like this.

　The surroundings glowed white, and Alfazul's figure also faded and disappeared.

　Then, just before my vision changed, a distinctive shrill voice reached my ears loud and clear.

It's a good idea to defend it. The time to lose it is the time to break you.
...... You don't need to know that.