"Brother! Please listen to me now!"
While I was buying potions at the general store, she somehow located me again and repeated what she had said in the forest earlier.
"Miru? How did you find me again?"
I let out a sigh, showing a bit of annoyance towards her, but her message seemed consistent.
"We have to leave this country now! If not, it's really dangerous!"
It looked like she had run all the way here as she panted heavily.
"Please, just trust me this once...! You're in danger!"
She cried out so loudly that, despite being in a public place, she drew attention from others around. For some reason, I felt embarrassed rather than her. I had to calm Miru down before the stares from the crowd became too much.
"Calm down. There are people watching. Let's finish our business here and then discuss this outside."
I wasn’t outright rejecting her plea like before, and was trying to pacify her, but...
"There's no time. If you don’t follow me now, it might be pulled even closer—"
She seemed to blurt out something hastily but then abruptly stopped, covering her mouth in surprise. With all the chaos, I didn't catch her last words entirely. It seemed like she was talking about running out of time...
"Erina... Can you try to persuade Miru?"
Feeling drained from her relentless attitude, I reluctantly asked Erina for help.
"Just a moment, Harold... I think we should listen to what she has to say."
Oddly, Erina sided with Miru, complicating matters further. I looked at her, puzzled, wondering what had swayed her opinion.
"Erina?"
"Let’s hear her out. Something feels off."
With even Erina suggesting this, I felt that delaying any further would draw attention not only from those inside the store but also those outside.
"Sigh... Alright. Let me just pay for these items, then we can find a place to talk. There are too many eyes on us right now."
Hearing my affirmative response, Miru briefly smiled in relief but soon hurriedly scanned our surroundings.
"Sorry, brother..."
She lowered her head, seemingly regretful, thinking she had caused me trouble.
"But I truly have urgent matters to discuss...!"
Her earnestness, combined with some questionable statements, only added to my confusion. Living creatures, when truly desperate, often focus on the matter at hand and ignore their surroundings. Miru appeared to be obsessively fixated on getting me to leave the country.
Having paid for the items in haste, I took Miru outside. Recognizing that we were out of the public's view, I quickened my pace and entered a relatively quiet alleyway.
"So, why are you so insistent on me leaving the kingdom?"
In the dimly lit alley, I stared at her, waiting for her to explain her urgency. When she first brought up the topic, she mentioned Morione, which gave her some credibility, but her argument lacked conviction.
"Did you truly hear something from Morione? She rarely speaks of others' fates."
The reason for my skepticism was that the Morione I knew seemed different from her portrayal. While always a bit eccentric, she was steadfast in her beliefs, making it improbable that Miru could casually hear about my fate from her.
"Ugh... You're right, brother. Morione isn't like that."
What?
Her quick admission of a flaw in her logic was unexpected and left me somewhat deflated. So why did you come looking for me again-
"But didn’t you just say it yourself? 'She rarely' speaks of others' fates."
I got caught in my own words as she pointed out my earlier statement.
"What?"
"Morione usually doesn't speak of others' fates, but that's only in 'normal situations'. It doesn't mean she won't tell under any circumstances, right?"
Chills ran down my spine as I realized the weight of her words.
"The fact that I could hear about your fate means that the current situation is extremely dangerous. As I've been saying, if you don't leave the kingdom now, you'll be in danger... You might even lose your life..."
Upon hearing this, Erina's eyes widened in shock, and she impulsively grabbed Miru by the shoulders and shook her.
"Lose his life? Why?!"
Startled by Erina's sudden reaction, I tried desperately to calm her down.
"Wait... Calm down...!!"
Seeing the distressed Miru, I managed to restrain Erina, who, though she stopped her actions, continued to wear a worried expression, waiting for Miru's next words.
"I didn't hear the details, but the hint probably lies in the ominous news we heard from our respective deities."
If it's about ominous news, it might be related to the upcoming final quest of the first chapter: the Battle of Doomsday Night.
Will I face a life-threatening situation then?
Her statement, which seemed plausible, made me start to believe her.
"So, brother, you need to leave this kingdom immediately. If not, it will really be dangerous..."
"If I leave now, can I survive?"
It wasn't that I was thinking of fleeing. It was mere skepticism.
Initially, I have to remain here to overcome the Battle of Doomsday Night to return to my real world.
"No... I'm not sure, but if you leave now, you'll likely be safe for a while. Please trust me!"
She desperately pleaded with me, urging me to leave this place.
"I'm sorry, but that's impossible for me. I have my duties."
At that, both Miru and Erina looked shocked. Erina was the first to question me.
"Wait, Harold?! It's your life at stake! You can't take this lightly!"
Her words were rational. Facing a fate where I might die, why would I confront it head-on?
"Why?! You're in danger, brother!"
Miru also interjected, her voice cracking.
"Honestly, I've faced numerous life-threatening situations before. And if the deities are at risk too, I can't abandon the goddess I serve."
Trying to justify my decision based on my devotion to the goddess, I saw that Miru, though unconvinced, seemed to accept my reasoning.
"You always talk about the goddess... Harold, do you really value the goddess you're serving now that much?"
She questioned, a hint of jealousy in her voice. I shook my head.
"It's personal, and as a believer, isn't it natural to serve the deity you believe in?"
Trying to reason with her, she seemed somewhat convinced, albeit reluctantly.
"Anyway, I have no intention of leaving this country now. I appreciate your concern, but I've always overcome whatever fate has thrown my way. This time won't be any different."
Hearing my confident words, Miru seemed resigned, her aura filled with disappointment.
"I understand... If that's your decision, I'll respect it..."
She left a brief farewell.
"See you later..."
Turning away, she disappeared from sight. Only Erina and I remained, with her still looking dissatisfied.
"Harold, no matter how many challenges we've faced, this time feels different... It's not too late. Should we try to find a carriage?"
I shook my head in response to her suggestion, grateful for her concern but declining her offer. "Erina, I'm always grateful, but I believe this is the right path for me. Even if it seems reckless, even if it's the end, I hope you understand."
Upon hearing this, Erina, with a somewhat uneasy expression, seemed lost in thought before slowly nodding her head in resignation.
"Hmm... Alright... If Harold says so..."
I wonder what she's thinking. She looked as if she's staring blankly into space, clearly wrestling with conflicting feelings. As time passed, at the temple of Morione, "Is this level of ability enough to be called talent?"
Morione, with a tone that seemed to mock someone, looked down at a young girl.
"This was supposed to be the last time, you vowed to change yourself... But how did it turn out?"
She narrows her eyes, sending a glare full of animosity towards Miru.
However, despite such harsh criticism, Miru simply bowed her head and remained silent.
"Your failure has twisted things again... Even though there's still a month left, thanks to your half-baked plans, fate has been accelerated."
After listening to her own blunders for a while, Miru slowly lifted her head and cautiously spoke.
"So, how much time is left now...?"
Her voice, which had lost its confidence, echoed quietly throughout the temple. Morione heaved a deep sigh and murmured briefly,
"One week..."
The drastically shortened time.
Now, Harold truly had no time left.
"Well, if you want to try stopping it, go ahead."
She said casually, turning her head swiftly away.
'He probably can't stop it anyway...'
Hoping Miru wouldn't hear, Morione continued her thoughts internally.
'There's really not much time left.'
While outwardly Morione filled herself with anticipation, internally, she was blossoming with laughter, contemplating the upcoming anxiety and joy.
'Having someone with such a divergent fate by my side, it's somewhat thrilling, isn't it?'