There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 164

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When they reached a spot overlooking the entire Grand Temple, Belleron finally stopped.

Philomel gazed at the landscape, partially bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.

She could make out the tiny figures of people below. Many were alive. The monsters that had threatened them were nowhere to be seen.

‘He must have taken care of the monsters, too.’

Philomel felt her faith in the god Belleron grow a little.

The god asked quietly, “Do you see it?”

“What are you referring to?”

“The upper part of that strangely shaped object.”

At those words, Philomel looked towards the ‘stem.’ She gasped, shocked.

She hadn’t noticed it from the ground, but the sky touching the ‘stem’ was a solid, ominous black.

It wasn’t like a starry night sky, but a dense, impenetrable darkness.

“A rift.”

“Do rifts appear in the sky, too?”

“To be precise, it’s a rift *in* this world. That place leads to another world.”

“Another world, then…”

“It is the world where the invaders lived and the world Miwa crossed over to.”

*As expected.*

As Philomel had guessed, the world Miwa had gone to was the world of the fake Elensia.

“Then did the god Miwa create the game system? Ah, what *the game system is*…”

“I know. I often peeked into that world out of curiosity about how Miwa lives.”

Fortunately, there was no need for a lengthy explanation. Philomel instinctively felt that this god was the one who would provide answers to the questions swirling in her mind.

“Why did the god Miwa create such a system? And what’s the story behind choosing me?”

“You have many questions. Well, that’s why I brought only you here.”

Indeed, if she had brought up these stories in front of the two priests, they would have been completely bewildered.

“First, let me tell you why the system came into being. It’s because Miwa used to work at a place called a game company.”

Philomel was momentarily stunned by the unexpected answer.

“Do gods *work* at companies…?”

“Haha, do you think Miwa is an omnipotent creator even there?”

“Isn’t she?”

“There, Miwa is also a stranger and a mere human who repeatedly reincarnates. She has no memories of the past.”

*Just an ordinary human who often dreams of another world. Come to think of it….*

“You said that the god Miwa used a lot of power to seal the evil god and left some power in this world.”

It wouldn’t be strange if the current god Miwa was an ordinary human.

“Strictly speaking, she had to discard even the remaining power to go there. A world is not so easy as to readily accept a god from another world.”

Indeed, who knows what an alien god might do there.

“The power Miwa shed at that time is your biological father’s magic.”

*Estherion, you mean?*

“It remained dormant until it sensed the return of another of Miwa’s powers and awakened to find a new master.”

“Why did the other power return?”

Belleron paused for a moment at that question.

“I wish she had been content with just dreaming… Miwa wanted to write stories herself. Stories of the world she dreamed of.”

A dark cloud settled on his face.

“At first, it was a novel. A tragic love story of a young emperor.”

“Could that story be…?”

“It is the past of this body’s owner.”

This was also a truth she had never imagined.

“The problem is that Miwa’s creations become reality here. Because she is still the creator of this world.”

Belleron continued his explanation.

“Miwa is unaware that her creations become reality for someone.”

The Sun God looked at the horizon.

“As time passed, Miwa got a job. Luckily, she also got a chance to turn her story into a game.”

“That’s…”

“It’s a game you know well.”

The game that started it all: .

“…This time, she wrote a story about the emperor’s daughter.”

And it was a story featuring the villain Philomel.

‘Game scenario writer.’

The fake Elensia referred to the person who wrote the game’s content that way. In the end, that game scenario writer was Miwa.

As she learned the truth, Philomel felt a surge of anger.

“Why did the god Miwa choose me? To that person, I’m just a character in her story.”

The Black Sword of Balvard, created by Miwa, chose Philomel as its master.

*How petty.* Creating Philomel as a villain and at the same time selecting her as the one to defeat the evil god.

‘Surely, becoming a hero was my free will. But….’

Knowing that Miwa was the scenario writer of that game, she felt like she had been manipulated by the fate she had created.

“Little one.”

Belleron spoke to her kindly, as if comforting her.

“In countless heroic tales, who is the hero who defeats the monster?”

“Well… usually… the protagonist.”

“That’s right. The protagonist. Miwa chose you as the protagonist. So you automatically became the hero.”

“Not the protagonist but the villain. The protagonist is Elensia…”

At that moment, a memory flashed through Philomel’s mind.

When she glimpsed the past of the fake Elensia with the Eyes of Truth, she saw the string of characters that appeared on the ‘computer.’

[…Actually, Philomel is a character I have a lot of regrets about. Since the protagonist is Elensia, I don’t think I was able to fully explore Philomel’s story.]

[So, this is just my wish, but if a sequel to ‘The Returned Princess’s Court Life’ is ever produced, I would like to make Philomel the protagonist.]

*Yes. It was definitely like that.*

Miwa wanted to make Philomel the protagonist of her next work, although it seemed to have ended as just a wish.

“Then perhaps the reason why the system was visible to me…”

The reason why the game system, which should have been visible only to the protagonist Elensia, was also visible to Philomel.

“Is it because I’m the protagonist?”

Belleron nodded.

“It’s just a story that Miwa is still planning.”

Hearing those words, something clicked into place.

“Is that why the system appears and disappears?”

“Perhaps.”

Because it was not an officially written story, Philomel’s qualifications as a player were also imperfectly given.

Somehow, a faint warmth spread in one corner of her heart.

‘Not a villain but a protagonist.’

Moreover, the world she lived in was not just someone else’s creation. It was a place of life where everyone lived and breathed.

At that time, the Sun God opened his mouth, saying, “In addition, I would like to say.”

“Miwa is now in great despair and cannot create anything. She seems shocked that the novel written by the invader has been officially recognized.”

“I can see why.”

It was like having her own created story stolen by someone else.

“And Eries is trying to bring such Miwa here.”

“Yes?”

*What is this again?*

“That rift is a passage to attract Miwa.”

“What’s the reason?”

“That’s how she can be completely resurrected.”

The words that the High Priest had told Philomel just today came to mind.

*As long as Miwa exists in this world, Eries will be resurrected.* In other words, the evil god can only be resurrected if Miwa is here.

Philomel stared at the rift that emitted an ominous aura.

“The god Miwa to that place…”

“And she intends to destroy this world before Miwa regains her memory and power.”

The world is going to be destroyed?

It was a fact she already knew, but seeing the unrealistic yet ominous scenery, she realized it anew.

Philomel’s fists clenched.

She couldn’t let that happen. This was the precious world where they lived. Also….

‘I’ve just filled Nasar’s favorability to 100%!’

She hadn’t even had *this and that* with Nasar yet.

Besides that, there were countless things Philomel wanted to do.

She wanted to spend more time with her Magic Tower family. She wanted to travel like when she came to the Grand Temple with Nasar and Kyukyu, and she also wanted to meet the real Elensia.

‘There are still stories I haven’t finished with the Emperor.’

Philomel looked at the god who had borrowed Eustis’s body.

“How can I stop the evil god?”

“It’s simple. As the prophecy received by the High Priest says, stab Eries’s heart with the Sword of Balvard.”

*Just with that?*

As if reading Philomel’s mind, the Sun God spoke first.

“The reason I can’t directly confront the evil god is not only because of the lifespan issue, but also because of that rift.”

“Why the rift?”

“If gods clash, the rift will expand further due to the tremendous collision of power. It would be like helping Eries.”

But, he said.

“A human borrowing the power of God is different. So Miwa left a sword to the humans before falling asleep, so that they can stop the evil god if he tries to resurrect later.”

Miwa even predicted that Eries would try to bring her through the rift.

Philomel asked in a hesitant voice.

“Can I… do it?”

“You can do it. Miwa’s power, the game system, is on your side.”

Belleron gestured towards the ‘stem’ with his chin.

“That place is Eries’s territory, so ordinary magic, divine power, aura, etc., do not work.”

“But the power of the system works.”

This meant that the items in the Starlight Shop could be used as usual.

“That’s because Miwa’s power is similar in nature to Eries’s.”

Belleron silently looked at Philomel and lowered his voice by one tone.

“If you don’t want to do it, tell me now. I have no intention of forcing you.”

“Is there another alternative?”

“The only way is to draw all the remaining lifespan of this body and collide with it. I can’t let this world be destroyed.”

“That’s the last resort.”

And….

Philomel took a deep breath.

“I still have grudges to resolve with the owner of that body! Thank you for saving us, but please save your lifespan!”

It was a direct word to God, prepared for divine punishment, but Belleron burst into laughter.

“Haha! How interesting, how interesting.”

She couldn’t understand what was so funny.

One person and one god had various conversations after that and then fell silent at the same time.

“You’ve made up your mind.”

“Yes.”

“I will assist as much as possible, but it will not be easy.”

“I’m prepared for it.”

“Take this with you. It will protect you from contamination.”

He rummaged through his arms and took out something. It was the Ring of Red Flame.

“Why is this…!”

On the day she left the Imperial Palace for the second time, Philomel had returned the Ring of Red Flame to the Emperor.

“I don’t know, but it was in my pocket when I searched.”

*Whoaaaaaaa!*

The ring’s jewel emitted light from the god’s hand. It was an intense light she had never seen before.

“In addition to the original divine power, I have filled it with my power. If you have this, your surroundings will be pleasant even within his domain.”

The Sun God directly put the ring on Philomel’s finger. Just by wearing one ring, the air she breathed in was clear and warm.

Philomel stared at the ‘stem’ with a refreshing feeling.

Now it was time for the protagonist to play an active role.