"I feel... proud *sob*."

Reading what Mana had become after her miserable childhood makes me feel proud. Like I could show her to everyone I know and brag about her or something. it's a first for me to experience something like this... it's not a bad feeling though. After all! Isn't she amazing?! she managed to turn around her life from zero... to hero!

I don't know what's life's like for a Royal Guard, but it has the word 'Royal' in it! So it must be very amazing!

"Hm? What's with that logic? I feel kind of weird somehow---"

*PING PING PING*

While my mind was wandering elsewhere, I was brought back by the loud sound coming from my head. It sounded just like an old phone ringtone.

"Wha-what is that?!"

Uwaaa~ It's not stopping..! It's so loud and annoying! What if the neighbors come and complain about this?! *

"This is getting creepy, c'mon what do you want! Show yourself and stop this already!"

I put my self on guard and brace my self for any kind of weird development that might come my way- but it turns out that it was unneeded, as suddenly a screen popped up in front of me and...

"Hello~!"

And on that screen, what showed itself was really unexpected.

"What's with that creepy mask!"

"Ehehehe~"

"Stop that creepy laugh!"

Yes, it was a weird girl wearing a hockey mask, only made to be more bestial with horns, fangs, blood, and everything. Basically, it was a beast J*son.

Also... I ended up retorting again after all... I seriously need to apologize to the neighbors tomorrow...

With the weird girl's laugh in the background, I calmed my self and started talking.

"So? Who are you? What is going on really? I need many questions to be answered and I won't accept no as an answer."

180-degree turn! I put on a harsh tone and ask her questions in order to establish our standing. I don't want to be looked down, you see~ In this kind of situation, you have to establish yourself to be the one in charge so the other party could treat you fairly! ...I read that in a motivational book btw.

"Ehehe~ Iyaaa~ No need to act like that with me, I am your and her operator! So as long as it does not breach the rules... I will answer any questions you have~!"

"...is that so?"

Rules? I expected as much. This situation I'm in... it feels too much like a game. Special skills? Levels? Those were game-like. Moreover, the phrase, 'In-game Species' on Mana's status screen is the biggest give away in this case.

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"Game, huh..."

"Yep! ...game!"

For a moment, I felt like the atmosphere surrounding the weird girl changed. It turned back to being silly by the time I noticed though. I wonder if it's just my imagination?

"...so?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's my explanation?"

"Ah, right! You are currently in War!"

"War?"

"Yes! A war to decide who will be the next God of Aruilte! As promised on the age of old... god has given us the chance to BE god itself! Normally... such promise is not possible to be fulfilled. But! With the help of another god... it's possible! And that brings us here, the holy war has started. The current god of my world and the god of your world have worked together in order to make this War happening."

I fell silent.

God?

My world's God aside... why is their world's God being treated like some kind of job position?

Aruilte?

Is it not earth, she was talking about?

I furrowed my brows as I try to think of another plausible explanation for this. But the result I ended up with was absurd.

What if, just like different countries having different rules and laws... different worlds have different gods and system? If this is true then... it would not be weird for gods having different roles, in different worlds.

But, another world? That's fiction ain't it? There's no way that's true right? However, no matter how hard I think, I couldn't come to other plausible conclusions. And I don't think that she's lying either...

Come to think of it, there's that theory... what's its name again? Many worlds interpretation? If that theory is true then... it might explain this situation.

Guessing what's in my mind, she immediately gave me the confirmation I need.

"You are correct. Aruilte is a world existing parallel to your World. The only difference is that they are on a different plane of existence- different dimensions, you may call it. The worlds are living side by side. Not disturbing each other, peacefully coexisting, until today that is."

So it is true. Another world. No matter how absurd, I couldn't deny it because it was the same conclusion that I reached after all... then, all of these... were really real?

"Now on to the rules. It's simple really. Any method is fine, as long as you defeat the other 100 contestants and be the last pair standing... then you win. If you lose... you, the both of you, die. You were supposed to die after all. You were only saved because you were chosen as a contestant for the war. That is what my duty entails to tell you, but if you ask me, I don't actually like--- ah..."

My heart started beating rapidly. I couldn't hear what she was saying at all. All I could hear were the painful beating in my chest, and the sentence, "You were supposed to die."

So that's why... that's why everything feels so convenient. The timing of Mana's arrival, the first action she took after that. Everything... everything she had done was to prevent my death. My... death.

The truth is... I've already realized that this is---

"......you know."

"......"

Real.

"Somewhere on my mind, I kept thinking that all of those that happened was nothing but a... dream."

"...I know."

"...the magic circle, Mana's appearance in the bathroom, the thief, the status screen, everything... I wish they were fake."

"...I know."

I could feel my face distorted in pain as I fell to the floor, clutching my chest.

My breaths were disorganized.

"This is that, isn't it? Hyperventilation?" I mockingly thought.

Yes. Somewhere deep down, I was hoping for all of these to be a dream. Fakes, created by figments on my imagination.

That single hope was the string that was holding me together.

That's why I was calm.

That's why I could joke around.

That's why I was... "okay."

Without that string, I crumble.

The fear of something out of my control happening.

The fear of the unknown.

The fear of almost losing my life and the possibility of losing it now.

The fear of seeing your reality crumble before you.

Everything came, and hit me all at once.

"...hey," after a long silence the girl said, "how about I give you a proposal?"