After this brief yet "unexpected" encounter, Shiomi and the others, guided by Valkyrie, headed to the rooms on the palace side to rest.
Though everyone had their own room—including Gerda—it was far too early for rest.
Except for Gerda, who remained in her room under Valkyrie's protection, the others gathered in Shiomi's room.
But this wasn't for rest—it was a meeting to discuss the situation concerning Touko.
Touko Aozaki was alive. She hadn't vanished during the Bleaching, but had instead appeared in this Lostbelt. Unlike Chaldea, which had Imaginary Dive capabilities, how exactly had she managed this?
"First, we can conclude you're not a human possessed by a Servant—you're a living magus," Morgan said, her eyes losing their blue glow. She had just approached and used her Fairy Eyes to thoroughly examine Touko, sitting in the chair, and reached her first conclusion.
"I reviewed the report submitted by Chaldea, as instructed by Professor Inorai. In the Seventh Singularity, Mesopotamia, you encountered Divine Spirits of that sort. No wonder you'd think that."
Touko fumbled through her pocket, pulling out a shriveled cigarette pack. Staring at the last remaining cigarette, she hesitated.
She lifted her head, meeting Shiomi's gaze. He raised his hand in a gesture of invitation, signaling for her to take it.
"Nah, just one left. Better save it," Touko reluctantly tucked it back into her pocket. "Though I'm not entirely sure about the situation outside, from what Phamrsolone mentioned during our talks, it seems that after the Bleaching of humanity on the planet, a few structures and some humans remained, lingering for some time..."
Shiomi nodded in agreement. "It seems she wasn't deliberately deceiving you. Perhaps she revealed the truth to make you understand that human reason no longer exists, and to encourage you to support the Crypter in order to survive. What we observed during our reconnaissance near this Lostbelt matches what you've heard."
"Is that so?" Touko nodded.
"But why... can you appear in the Lostbelt?" Shiomi asked.
"To be honest, it's a bit unclear," Touko said with a wry smile. "In conclusion, it relates to the Primordial Runes."
Scáthach raised an eyebrow, instantly grasping what Touko meant.
Each of the eighteen Primordial Runes served distinct purposes, yet the final one was a unique entity whose true mysteries were known only to the great god Odin. Even Scáthach hadn't fully unlocked the secrets of the last original Rune.
"The final Rune—could our genius puppet master have already unlocked its secrets?" Shiomi said, half-joking.
Before he could finish, Morgan tugged at his cheek in displeasure. "So in my husband's eyes, I'm not the only genius after all."
"Ouch, that's not what I meant..." Shiomi couldn't pull away, so he just twisted his body to explain.
"What genius? I'm just a loser who couldn't even inherit magic, beaten by my little sister."
Touko scoffed indifferently. "Besides, if you genuine magus from the Age of Gods can't solve this mystery, how could I possibly crack it?"
"Then what exactly—" Shiomi began.
Touko wore an intrigued expression. "What follows is pure conjecture. As the symbol of wisdom sought by the great Odin, the final Primordial Rune might hold the key to surviving Ragnarök. When Earth's Bleached World occurred, I happened to be rooted in this Scandinavian Lostbelt. Back then, I simply thought to use the Primordial Runes Tenkei taught me for self-defense—"
"But at the critical moment, you inadvertently unlocked the secret of the final Primordial Rune?"
"It might only be the tip of the iceberg," Touko said, facing Scáthach and shaking her head like a humble student. "At least now, I lack the confidence to claim that was my own achievement."
Touko's perspective was clear: the mystery of the final Primordial Rune had allowed her to survive during the Bleaching and the establishment of the Lostbelt. But it wasn't something she achieved on her own—it was rather "luck" born from crisis and coincidence.
"Or perhaps the great Odin used the Primordial Runes to grant you some latent guidance?" Artoria suggested. "As the thaumaturgical foundation of a magical system independent from the King of Magecraft, such a possibility isn't out of the question."
Shiomi immediately buried his face in his hands, utterly flabbergasted. "If that's the case, then this god really is meddling... Where did this parental deity... no, parental Mother Goddess come from?"
If he were the so-called savior chosen by Mooncell, and the gods—including Odin—were watching over his journey, then it would make sense for Odin to do something in the background.
But actually helping Touko...
It was certainly cause for joy, yet utterly nonsensical.
"According to Norse mythology, Odin is both the main god and, to some extent, a father figure."
Touko nodded in agreement.
"That's not the point..." Shiomi felt completely drained, a kind of exhaustion born from joy. He steadied himself slightly and asked, "But does that mean you witnessed the planet's Bleached World and the process of the Lostbelt taking root?"
"Unfortunately, I have no memory of the middle part," Touko shook her head. "I lost consciousness the moment that meteorite struck. When I woke up, I was already in this Lostbelt. Later, while investigating and struggling to survive, I helped repair the barrier for that village, and then... well, you know the rest."
That's why Touko said it was her speculation.
Ragnarök is the apocalypse of the Age of Myths. Regardless of the instigator's intentions, Bleaching itself represents another cataclysmic disaster for the people of this planet, no less devastating than the Incineration of Humanity.
Within this context, the final secret of the Primordial Runes served to protect one individual—currently the most plausible explanation. As for whether Odin intervened... that remains unknown.
After resolving the immediate confusion, Shiomi escorted Touko back to her adjacent room.
"In any case, I'm truly glad to see you again under these circumstances," Shiomi said with a smile to Touko. "What lies ahead...?"
Touko gave him a questioning look.
"What are your plans now? Will you explore the Bleached World alone, like your past solitary travels, or join us at Chaldea?"
"Setting aside whether the former is even feasible for me, even if I insisted on choosing it, you'd desperately try to stop me, wouldn't you?" Touko flashed a seemingly nonchalant smile, gazing at Shiomi.
"Is that so? Then that's good."
Shiomi embraced Touko once more, his hands caressing her body as if he couldn't see, using his cheek to search for her lips.
"Won't they get angry?"
Touko understood the meaning behind this gesture. To refuse, she only needed to push him away—if she intended to refuse.
"Probably..." Shiomi admitted softly.
"Then you're on your own."
Touko laughed playfully, meeting his lips as they both fell onto the cool, soft bed. Their bodies warmed each other's every corner, just as they had done before.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
[email protected]/PinkSnake (100 Chapters Ahead).
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.