Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Ch. 305

｢Is she gone? Did she go for real? Let’s see, Jade Eyes!｣

The Regressor scanned her surroundings with her Jade Eyes, one of the Seven Colored Eyes, which could see through everything.

Clearly shaken by the unexpected encounter, she thoroughly checked everything from the ground to the sky.

After confirming multiple times that Nevida had truly left, she finally sighed in relief.

“Phew… For now, at least we’re safe…!”

Just as she spoke, an explosion rang out.

The sound wasn’t as sharp as an explosion of gunpowder, but it was too strong to have come from a plant.

Regressor, doesn’t that explosion sound strange to you? Don’t be relieved just yet!

“What do you mean we’re safe!? Everything’s a mess!”

“Oh, it’s fine. That’s just a bean pod bomb. It is annoying, but if Nevida herself isn’t around, it’s easy to clean up. As long as the Tree of Genesis doesn’t form from the Beast of Genesis, it’s not a problem.”

“Beast of Genesis?”

“It’s a beast made of wood. Sometimes the fruits of the Tree of Corruption give birth to beasts. Looks like it didn’t get that far this time. Fortunately–”

As she raised a flag for herself, it happened.

Screeeech!

In the distance, a massive snake with a tree trunk for a body twisted and writhed.

Explosions followed in quick succession. Seeds shot into the sky, glittering against the brightening dawn.

One of the Chimera Beans landed with a thud right next to me.

For a moment, both the Regressor and I were speechless.

That brief silence was broken by screams echoing from every direction.

“A snake… made of wood?”

“What are you just standing there for? Attack it!”

“All our military rations just exploded!”

“Quartermaster, if I get injured by the beans, does that count as combat wounds?”

“Shut up and take care of that snake first!”

Gunshots rang out as the officers and generals of the Military State lunged forward with weapons, hacking away at the wooden snake.

But despite being chopped and slashed, the enormous tree-like snake writhed violently.

The power of the Divine can alter the environment.

Even if harm wasn’t intended when the mountains and forests move, the small creatures within are bound to suffer.

The Regressor clicked her tongue, listening to the chorus of screams.

“Tch. Do they expect me to clean this up? The Military State isn’t even on my side!”

“Well, they might be on Mr. Shei’s side from now on.”

“What?”

“Go handle it. I’ll take care of Ria and help Azzy.”

The Regressor finally glanced around, realizing the presence of others.

“Oh, right. Where is everyone?”

“They’re fine.”

“Got it!”

The Regressor, wielding Chun-aeng and Jizan, dashed forward.

With the wind swirling around her, she leaped into the air, swiftly slicing Jizan with Chun-aeng.

“Aerith Blade Supreme, Blazing Flint!”

She sparked the air through friction, and Chun-aeng ignited into a blazing red flame.

With a fiery slash, the Regressor bisected the wooden snake.

The burning snake writhed in agony, its branches scattering across Command, while the cries of soldiers echoed around us.

“Captain! What should we do about this?”

“… Command says not to engage with the hostile entity…! Just burn the tree down for now!”

The spreading fires added to the chaos, but the Regressor remained unfazed.

“It’s better to deal with fire than exploding bean pods or wooden snakes. At least you guys feel the urgency! I’ll set the fire, you guys just focus on putting it out!”

For a brief moment, a truce formed between us and the Military State.

Though the wooden snake kept twitching, it seemed the situation would soon be under control.

｢It’s big, but not particularly effective. Why did Nevida bother using the Tree of Genesis if she wasn’t planning to fight? It’s like she’s just showing off the power of the Divine.｣

That’s exactly it, Regressor. Nevida used the Divine’s power…

To show it off to me.

I turned my head.

The Chimera Bean that had landed next to me had already taken root and started sprouting again.

The large sprout crept toward my feet, its fragile-looking stem crawling along the ground.

I walked slowly alongside the growing Chimera Bean.

It was the natural course for Chimera Beans to grow from a Chimera Bean stem.

But the Divine’s order of things is a bit different.

Kidney beans, peas, chickpeas, red beans.

The stem produced all kinds of beans as if someone with a sense of humor had decided to hang every type of bean on one plant.

But the truth behind it wasn’t so amusing.

Wild vines began to coil around the concrete, while clovers stood proudly with their small, straight leaves.

They didn’t bear any beans, but they confidently took their place among the branches.

I walked past them, pondering what might emerge if I kept walking.

This was the essence of the Tree of Genesis.

It was the reason Nevida scorned the Sanctum so much, which gave names to everything in the world.

Not that any of that concerned me.

“Hmm. This isn’t really useful to me.”

This Divine’s power was particularly difficult for me to use.

Nevida, being a druid, could wield it a hundred times more effectively.

The best I can probably do is grow a peanut.

But maybe that’s enough.

I pulled out my spade deck.

After some consideration, I chose the Nine of Spade, fidgeting with it between my fingers.

Spades are special.

Diamonds require transmutation, Clubs need to be infused with mana, and Hearts store corresponding potions.

But Spades didn’t need anything.

The only requirement was my belief.

After all, spades were an idol that worshiped the Divine.

Without Maximilien around, there was no way to move the gears.

With no other choice, I grabbed the side of the Steel Beetle and painstakingly climbed up.

It was only about 4 meters, but I found myself out of breath.

Guess I’m more worn out than I thought.

I could really use some mana herbs right about now.

When I finally reached the top, I saw Historia leaning weakly against one of the gears.

Her hollow eyes met mine as I greeted her with a smile.

“Ria. Want a peanut?”

“Where would I get a peanut…?”

I snapped my fingers.

At the tip of the vine that had grown alongside me, a single peanut appeared.

Exhausted from the climb, it had only managed to produce one.

But a peanut, when split, has two halves.

I cracked it open and handed one half to Historia, who gave a small, bitter laugh.

“We’re sharing even a single peanut, huh?”

“Yeah, we’re that close.”

Historia popped the peanut into her mouth, chewing lightly with a soft crunch.

I sat down next to her, casually munching on my half as well.

Peanuts really are great.

They could make their presence known in any dish but also shine on their own.

Once our brief snack was finished, Historia muttered.

“Huey… Are you really the Human King? The King of Humans?”

“Yep.”

“I see.”

And then silence. I spoke up again.

“Is that all you wanted to ask?”

Surely she had more on her mind. When I pressed her, Historia hesitated before asking.

“…Do you have any more mana herbs?”

“I gave you everything.”

“What about the stash you hid?”

“Tch. How’d you know?”

Clicking my tongue, I pulled out the mana herbs I had stashed in the Bio-receptor.

It was nice to keep it here since I could still feel the effects of the herb even without smoking it.

“Of course, you’d have something hidden.”

She smirked and held out her hand expectantly.

I didn’t want to give it all up, so I pulled out a card, ready to cut the mana herbs in half.

Historia frowned.

“Seriously? Cutting it in half?”

“Shut up. This isn’t just a regular cigarette. It’s all I have left, so it’s precious.”

Historia’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“…You won’t give me the whole thing?”

“I’m giving you half.”

It wasn’t cutting easily.

Maybe I was too drained.

As I struggled to score the mana herbs, Historia, growing impatient, swung her hand in a sharp motion.

Whoosh.

Historia’s hand sliced through the mana herbs.

Before the severed pieces could even separate, she swiftly grabbed the larger half and immediately stuck it in her mouth, ensuring I couldn’t take it back.

Without a word, she tilted the end toward me.

**｢Fire.｣**

At least say it out loud.

I raised my finger to the tip of the mana herbs near her lips.

The shortened mana herbs met my hand.

“Set, Re. Fahrenheit.”

Historia took a deep breath, and the mana herbs lit up, soaked in flame.

Before it went out, I lit my own piece as well.

Words left unspoken scattered into the air as smoke.

The short mana herb burned out just as quickly as it had been lit.

I took the last puff and, as I looked up at the sky, muttered.

“Ria. I’m going to die soon.”

“…Really?”

“And the Human King will be reborn. But this time, it’ll be the King of Sin.”

“Who? How?”

“I don’t know who will do it or how, but I do have a vague idea why. Maybe… they want to defeat sin.”

Perhaps a bit surprised, Historia took a sharp breath, burning up her mana herbs.

“Can we… defeat sin?”

“I don’t know, but maybe they want to believe they can. Just like how you clenched your teeth and became a general to prevent another tragedy like Hamelin.”

Historia fell silent.

She absentmindedly tried to put the now-burnt mana herb into her mouth with trembling hands.

I pulled her hand away—couldn’t let her eat ashes.

Our eyes met, her dark pupils staring into mine.

“Huey, could you have stopped what happened in Hamelin?”

“Probably.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“Because at that time, it hasn’t happened yet.”

“But… once it happens, you can’t stop it.”

“That’s why I couldn’t stop what happened at Hamelin.”

Maybe my response was too casual.

Historia let go of my hand and pressed her forehead, speaking as if in anguish.

“I… I don’t understand. Why do you have to be like this, Huey? Can’t you just be… a little more normal? You don’t have to be the Human King… or go anywhere.”

Be normal, huh?

I’m already normal.

After all, I’m the Human King.

I can handle most human technology, and I can live well enough by being generally friendly.

That’s it.

But what Historia… and she… want isn’t this kind of normal.

They’re wishing for something entirely different.

Something far more gentle, far kinder.

Humans aren’t like that, so how could I be?

“Ria. Thank you. For helping me without asking for a reason.”

“Liar.”

“Even I have some sense of gratitude. Humans aren’t that shameless.”

“Really? You’ll just say thanks?”

“What do you want?”

Something flashed across Historia’s mind.

It was a simple, primal desire.

She would never have said it under normal circumstances, but under the lingering influence of the herb, the words almost slipped out.

“Mya. Stupid dog. Can’t even get yourself free?”

Out of nowhere, Nabi appeared atop the steel beetle.

Historia regained her senses and swallowed her words.

Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered if she’d said it, but apparently, even a cat’s gaze can be unsettling.

Looking around briefly, Nabi extended her claws.

She wedged them into the gap between two misaligned gears and pulled.

A large gear flew off, clattering down below.

Nabi crouched as if waiting for something.

“Woof! I’m free!”

Through the gap in the removed gears, Azzy leaped out.

She had been stuck inside the Steel Beetle, futilely biting at gears.

Now free, Azzy shook her body with excitement.

“I hate being trapped! Woof! I hate being bound! Woof woof! It was dark and lonely!”

Nabi was far more adept than Azzy at using her front paws.

And animals that use their paws tend to handle tools better.

That was probably why Nabi always seemed smarter than Azzy.

She looked down at the dog and scoffed.

“Mya. Stupid dog. Stupid creatures always rush in, baring their teeth foolishly, meow.”

“Woof! I was bitten! I had to help! And it smelled bad! It smelled like metal!”

“That’s why you’re stupid. Whether you like it or not, you had no reason to get involved in their squabble. The best thing is to just sit back and sneak the food, meow.”

Nabi casually raised a paw, with a mana herb stuck on her claw.

That cat must have been having a grand time while we were away.

Azzy shook her head and pointed at me.

“I didn’t! I kept my promise! So, the human will keep his promise too!”

“Mya-mya. Stupid doggy. You really think the human remembers such an old promise?”

Nabi waved her paw with the herb on it mockingly.

Azzy vigorously shook her head.

“Woof! No! I remember!”

“Mya-mya-mya. So what? Promises are only kept when they’re beneficial, meow. And with no king to enforce it, the human’s surely forgotten, meow.”

“No! No! The human remembers! Look!”

Azzy barked loudly, refuting Nabi’s claim.

Though Nabi scoffed, Azzy wagged her tail and approached me.

The King of Dogs, Azzy, had followed me all this time without a doubt.

That kind, trusting creature looked at me with full confidence that I would remember our promise.

With a wide smile, she recalled the promise we made long ago.

“I’ll protect you. And you protect me. I trust you, so you help me, Woof.”

Dogs will wag their tails for any human, whether they’re good or bad, and they won’t attack or kill unless threatened.

It might seem like a flaw, but it’s more of a strength.

After all, an unconditionally trustworthy ally is incredibly useful.

Azzy is probably the dumbest, yet the strongest and most loyal fool in the world.

No matter how many times she’s deceived, she’ll never stop believing in me or humanity.

“I’ll love you, so you love me too, Woof.”

As the Human King, I technically have no obligation to respond—after all, survival takes precedence over promises.

Moreover, I’ve lost most of my power.

But faced with such pure, almost unnatural trust, I can’t simply laugh it off.

Maybe…

“And then, the bad wolf won’t be able to hurt you, Woof!”

Azzy might just have a glimpse of what my future would look like.