158 For the liberation of the goddess
"I have a question"
I asked after waiting for Claudia to calm down.
"Yeah"
“Does Claudia herself want to be freed from the labyrinth if it comes true?”
Claudia froze for a moment, but then shook her head silently.
"I wanted the current situation to be the way it is. As long as it helps the people living here, I don't mind staying the way it is. Don't get me wrong, I said this... There's a reason why you can't keep things hidden when you're deeply involved with the village's residents.''
……Really. It doesn't seem like a simple release will do. What Claudia wants is for the village residents to live safely and to control the monsters, but there is also a part of her that accepts being the core of the labyrinth as her duty.
If Claudia is essential to maintaining the labyrinth, does that mean she doesn't want the chaos that would result from being released? The Kingdom of Verdogar, the guilds... there will probably be various influences. I can't do it without thinking.
So that must be Claudia's true intention. However, even that moment of freezing is also an expression of Claudia's conflict. In that case, all he has to do is persuade.
“What is the reason?”
"There are people in the labyrinth village who can tell a lie. If I hide information and move to get them out of the labyrinth, those kids will be careful not to leave me alone and tell you guys. I might tell you some things I know.”
Well...that's better than keeping the information a secret and making us feel distrustful. There was already something about Claudia that was unclear.
Even so, it's a monster that can tell lies. It's similar to the Magical Inquisition, but if it's a passive ability, it'll be a lot of trouble when you leave the village, and in that case, it would be a good idea to make the same ring as Grace's.
"I understand. But don't we have to fix the problem of the Last Guardian's outage and the occurrence of monsters?"
"it is……"
Most of Claudia's troubles stem from that. It's good that monsters appear. Training is just training, and if you can get supplies without the risk of death, nothing could be better.
Originally, labyrinths were convenient for humans. If that's the case, it's just a matter of reshaping it to make it more convenient. It's no different from what I always do.
“Then, we aim to release Claudia in a way that satisfies her.”
"how?"
"Falsify the technique and return it"
When I said that, Claudia looked as if she was taken aback.
yes. It's not a modification, it's a falsification. Rewrite it as you see fit. Monsters only appear in the training area. Don't take your life.
In the first place, having Claudia support Boundary City by herself is being too kind to her. She has various ideas, such as having everyone who lives here bear the burden of a wide range of negative emotions... such as rearranging the technique...
"It's not like we don't have a chance of winning, right? If you said it was a miracle from God, you'd give up, but it doesn't seem like it."
"...If it's said to be a goddess's blessing, then it's the royal characteristics of the people of the moon. I was particularly strong in that power, so I was perfect for the role of rebirth....I was worshiped as a goddess. I feel like that power has gotten stronger since then."
Claudia says, sounding somewhat tired. Does that mean that the goddess' blessing is not something that comes from the labyrinth system?
Faith...or loyalty? I guess it is the power of the Surestras family to provide divine protection to such things.
Although these are not the words of Grace and the others, I feel like I can understand that they are being deified. There are royal characteristics, and there is also the mystique of coming from the moon. But the part that I agree with most is his way of life and way of thinking.
If he sacrificed his life to watch over the Term Wills for an incredibly long time...then he should be described as a god. I say this while acknowledging her good nature.
"We don't have any obligation to force us to cross a dangerous bridge. I understand what you're saying. But Claudia isn't a goddess, she's a member of the royal family, right? If there's an environment where we can make it happen, we should at least take advantage of it."
Claudia, taken aback by my words, finally burst into laughter after a pause.
"F-fufu, ahaha, ahahaha, no, I'm sorry. I always say unreasonable things..."
"Well, I'm at least aware that I'm being a bit unreasonable."
"...As expected, you're interesting. As a member of the royal family, huh? That's right. That's certainly true."
Claudia said as if she was completely relieved. I guess I was able to convince you...?
This is not only a solution to Claudia's problem, but also a way to solve the labyrinth village's problem.
Once the Last Guardian is destroyed and the spell is tampered with, the village residents won't have to suppress their emotions. The story of being able to get out of the labyrinth will proceed at the same time, but if that happens, the labyrinth village will be able to be used as insurance regardless of the political situation in the Kingdom of Veldgar.
I don't think there is no chance of winning. If the technique couldn't be modified or tampered with, there would be no need for Claudia to try to break through the Last Guardian in the first place.
"Okay. I understand. Let's say it's possible for you. But there's still one problem."
“What do you mean?”
"I have a solution to your problem. But... there are some conditions for that. Can I talk to Grace and the others for a little while?"
"Do you get it"
--So I decided to leave my seat and wait in the master bedroom.
It seems like they've been talking for quite some time...I wonder what's going on.
Then, Grace comes calling me to the bedroom.
"What was that?"
"That's from Claudia-sama's mouth."
Grace laughs quietly.
Claudia said when I returned to the living room.
"The problem is what will happen to the labyrinth after I'm released. Even if we maintain the mechanism that creates monsters, if I'm gone, there will be nothing to determine the direction of the labyrinth..."
I see……. I don't know what will happen if there is no one at the helm.
After that, I guess I can't just turn it into a field or a mountain. As for Claudia.
“However, there is a way to maintain the labyrinth without any problems even after it is liberated. I have a contract with the Veldgar royal family, the descendants of the people who led the humans at the time, but… with contract magic similar to that. ……you know"
Claudia hesitates to say something, but...I see. The aggressiveness of the monsters in the labyrinth was originally a system to maintain Claudia's mental state. It seems that she has thought carefully about what will happen after she steps down from her role.
“If there is such a thing, then why not do it?”
"So... I said there was a condition. This contract magic binds one bloodline from generation to generation. As long as that bloodline does not die out, the oath of the contract magic will keep the direction of the labyrinth fixed and unchanging. ”
In exchange, Claudia said, there will be less flexibility to adapt to the situation. Well, if the world was being regenerated, I would have had to adjust to various situations, but now the people around me are adjusting to the labyrinth.
“What are those conditions?”
Claudia closes her eyes and says after taking a few seconds.
"……marriage"
My face turned bright red and I turned away.
Well...
"...When I step down from my long-term role, there will be no one who will know me. At that time, at least find someone you can trust from the bottom of my heart, regardless of the royal family or politics, and make her your partner..." That's what my father said when he sent me off. That is my last duty.''
Claudia's face was still a little red, but she looked straight at me.
"I have no obligation to have you fight the Last Guardian. However, if you're a member of the royal family, you should use whatever you can. I think both of those words are correct. That's why I have an obligation. As you offered, I'll let you use it, but... -If you are going to risk your life, even if I give everything I have, I don't think it will be worth it.''
"...No, it's not that it's unbalanced, but that doesn't mean..."
Her gaze met with Grace and the others. The girls nodded with serious faces.
If I think about various things, such as who has the prospect of defeating the Last Guardian, and what kind of obligations come with that, will there be no one else but me?
"I wouldn't say something like this if it weren't for you. Besides, I have to go to the Deep Room to make that contract, and I'm sorry about that..."
"...I understand. But, I've already told Grace and the others. If you think I'm not suitable as your partner, you can renege on that promise."
"Are you saying you're going to reverse what the royal family said?"
Claudia is smiling with a clear face.
...Anyway, the last guardian must be defeated.
"Do you have any other questions?"
"Hmm. Ah, now that I think about it, I heard from a great person at the Moon Temple that the goddess Shuas is a woman of a very young age."
When I asked, Claudia subtly averted her gaze.
"...I don't want them to recognize me even if they see me. Also... if they find out that this child is the true identity of a goddess, they'll be disappointed, right?"
I see……. Even if she doesn't want to be called a goddess, she values her image if it will help someone else.
I think Penelope will probably be happy though... Yeah. Don't bow your head.
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