"He bargained his soul to save my life…?"
Eleanor was breathing hard, her expression almost hysterical as she shook her head in disbelief.
"Why would he do such a thing? It was already enough that he wished to heal me, but he had even put my survival above himself?'
The deity stared at her with a blank expression across his face, his cosmic eyes glowing brightly in the greenhouse's ambient environment.
The blonde-haired girl herself couldn't understand why Aaron had done such a thing for her; the absurdity of risking one's own life for a person you had known for less than a month was just too much for her to comprehend.
"『You will have to ask him that question yourself when you return. But there won't be much time to do so if you prolong your stay.』"
She looked upward at the god, her brow twitching as she tried to understand what he had just said.
"Not much time…?"
Death shook his head while closing his eyes tightly, a web of interlacing black strings consolidating around his body.
There were so many that it appeared as if a shadow had been cast behind the man, coiling like snakes and gleaming with tiny engravings written in a language different from the earlier Ancient Nordic.
They were similar to the threads signifying Soul Pacts, yet also fundamentally different—these ones exuded a presence that matched the man before her, a kind of chilling feeling devoid of all life.
"What are those things?"
Concern nipped at her mind even as she attempted to keep a controlled expression, the uncomfortable silence forcing her to shift in her seat.
After a brief period of time, a single thread separated from the twisting pile, emerging in the center of the hedge table with a dim turquoise hue.
Watching as the string unwound, she realized quickly that its size was far shorter than the rest within the mess of wire.
"『These are the manifestations of the lifespans of all mortals.』"
He paused, his eyes still tightly shut, while his breathing was slow.
"『This particular thread is the one belonging to Aaron Grimstall.』"
Eleanor furrowed her brow, staring at the size of the cord.
"T-then if it's short it means…"
As if reading her mind, he spoke aloud.
"『Indeed. If this estimate stays true, the boy who has devoted his adventure to saving your life will have his own snuffed out anytime within the next 170 days."』"
There was a beat of silence as the deity opened his eyes, the threads dissolving into nothingness once more.
"H-How will it happen?"
Deep within Eleanor's bones, there was a fear that had begun to build the second he had told he that her friend would die.
W-what if he dies trying to save me? His death would be on my hands, right?
Of course, her thoughts had no influence on his actions; however, that did not matter to her own morals.
Even the thought of him sacrificing himself to save her made her sick to her stomach.
The God of Death frowned, holding up his finger and projecting an image of a liquor bottle.
"『In a few weeks, he will devour a poison that will lie mostly dormant until an opportunity presents itself. When that time comes, that poison will eat away at his lifespan until he is nothing more than a husk, dying at the latest on January 1st of the next year.』"
He interlaced his fingers once more, placing them in front of him on the hedge table, and observed the priestess's reaction.
Eleanor didn't do much, simply stared blankly back at him without many words left to say.
After a few moments, she mumbled something under her breath.
"Gods are truly omniscient…"
Her words spurred an immediate retort from the deity across from her.
"『Quite the contrary. We gods are so blind to the world around us that we disregard the beauty of existence for the lavish luxuries that godhood offers to us. Perhaps there might have once been a truly omniscient being; however, we are not so great.』"
He returned a weak smile before exhaling.
"『To return to the original topic of the connection between Grimstall and the 'Old Man', there is only one thing you need to know at your current state.』"
The gray-eyed girl looked up, the thought of Aaron's death temporarily pushed behind the curiosity sparked by the god's words.
She pursed her lips, waiting for the man to speak once more.
"『Never before has there been such a perfect opportunity for that man's escape as the Abyssal Convergence that will mark the dawn of 3126. And as you must expect, he will use Aaron Grimstall regardless of how long he has left in his world.』"
Fading off slowly, the deity stared at the girl, who looked slightly confused.
"Is there not an Abyssal Convergence yearly? Why would this one be any different?"
Hearing her innocent words, Death sighed, his hands unclasping and then falling to his side.
Behind him, the animals that had been devouring the local plantlife without much care turned to face the table, a strange hunger within their eyes.
"『When you return to life, the Knowledge Barrier will prevent you from mentioning the information that I am about to tell you, do you understand?』"
The girl paled, concerned at what sinister knowledge the god would impart to her that she couldn't utter alive.
"I do…"
Accepting the girl's affirmation, he began to speak in a grave, quiet voice.
"『As you know, the nine cores that bind the God Slayer are made from fragments of Divine Authority. They were produced by the God of Blacksmiths and Flame himself to seal that monster without allowing him to break free. However, in truth, the god was not as innovative as one might believe.』"
Eleanor blinked, not quite getting what the deity was saying but trying to follow along the best she could.
"『When Divine Authority was not properly transferred to the next worthy being capable of handling it, other mutations would occur that would cause… Errors… Half-god monstrosities sprang from the primal sludge, becoming beings of immense strength and authority. These creatures were otherwise named demigods, and have existed nearly as long as most of the deities in Heaven have.』"
His expression darkened.
"『These demigods are what the ancient humans called the Ten Great Ones, the ancestors of all sea terrors and the embodiments of destruction throughout the universe. Four were slain by a coalition between the Slayer and a rogue member of Heaven; however, the remainder were banished to a single dimension.』"
The priestess's expression alternated between shock and deep intrigue— the God of Death's insight was something more valuable than she could have hoped to obtain on her own.
The ancestors to all sea terrors… To think they were on the level where the gods themselves needed to intervene…
Shuddering, she focused once more, catching the man mid-statement.
"『...After the formation of that man's seal, two of the remaining five went into 'hiding' in what you would call the Abyss. Yet even with only three remaining, those monsters left the dimension in ruins. Only upon the ascent of the Architects and their sealing technology, similar to the God of Blacksmith and Fire's own, could they banish the last of the ten out of the dimension.』"
Shifting in her seat, the blonde-haired girl bit her cheek and thought inwardly.
The Architects were the ones who created the Nordic language and used the runes as spell forms. Furthermore, they also fought against demigod-level creatures and won… Even the Sea Kings might not compare to them in terms of raw achievement.
Finding a newfound respect for the ancient race of humans, she made sure to avoid missing anything else the deity said, focusing on every word like it was gold.
"『Now, the reason I bring this up today is for only one thing that you should, and can know.』"
His hand slid across the hedge table, summoning a dark glass mirror from nothingness that reflected an image quite familiar to the girl.
Tilting her head to the side, she observed the crystal white moon that had always stayed stationary above the Sea Fallen sky for as long as she had lived.
"『One of those three sealed demigods is verging on full awakening. One bearing the epithet, Devourer of Worlds: Nidhogg.』"
Eleanor froze, a chill going down her spine.
"W-What?"
After just beginning to understand how terrifying the ancient abominations had been, the deity before her now clearly told her that one would be returning within the year's end.
"『During the commotion caused by this creature's possible awakening, the God Slayer intends to use the chaos to manipulate his seal into forming loopholes that one could exploit for his gain. Perhaps it could be to force them to obey a single command once per millennium. Or it could allow him access to one of his abilities from the pre-sealed period. The outcomes are truly numerous, with the preventative measures truly few.』"
The black-haired god sighed as he dissolved the image of the celestial entity, the immeasurable weight of his words still lingering on Eleanor's mind.
"I-If you know he's going to attempt to break out during this… this monster's awakening, why not stop it from waking up?"
It was the logical solution, and with the power of the deities themselves, nearly nothing could be considered impossible.
"『As much as I would love to save my precious vessel from an encounter with a beast surpassing his abilities, we gods are severely limited within your world. Not only are the Gates of Heaven and their hideous overseer preventing any new descents or visitors, but there is the risk of awakening a sleeping giant whose strength is unknown to even I.』"
Remaining calm even while noticing the girl's clear distress, he placed a weak smile on his face, prepared for what was to come.
"T-The gods are powerless to help us? H-How are we even supposed to fight against a monster that could challenge even you…"
Panic clouded her emotions, the harsh reality that would soon befall her homeland only now reaching her heart.
Everything she had known would ultimately be destroyed by a force more powerful than nature itself.
"『How do you ask? Indeed, that is quite the question…』"
His weak smile faded into a frown, his ethereal eyes turning downtrodden towards the hedges.
"『I can foresee life remaining in the Dimension of Waves far beyond this event, yet even I, at the pinnacle of death, cannot decipher how such a thing will come to pass.』"
The gradual warmth of the greenhouse that had been filling the priestess with serenity began to fade, her heart rate steadily increasing.
"Even a god doesn't know the future, I suppose…"
She turned her eyes towards the ground, taking a long, slow breath.
"The so-called 'Knowledge Barrier' will prevent me from reciting any of this when I return, correct?"
Death nodded in affirmation.
"Then…"
She continued speaking, slightly more positive than before.
"Since you've admitted that I will certainly return to my real body, is there anything you can tell me about when that will be or how it will come forth?"
The question had been brewing in the back of her mind ever since realizing that hope still existed for her, wondering with what method she could actually come to life again.
Returning her comment with a smile, the deity spoke firmly.
"『There is no set date of your revival written in the lines of your fate; however, the method of your revival is not hard to determine. Using my connection to my contractee, I can see various things within your world, even if he cannot.』"
He paused, taking a moment to think before finishing his explanation.
"『Aaron Grimstall is currently on his way to seek out Cauron Thorn, the only human who I would dare say has knowledge that borders the gods themselves. The boy who is attempting to help you return is not mistaken to look for that man, as, with the state of your shattered core, no matter how many miracles you perform in this world, there will be no way for you to survive without his expertise.』"
Eleanor frowned, remembering the book that lay within Aurora's shop that detailed the life of The Immortal.
"Will he truly be willing to heal me?"
She looked at the god with concern.
"『Thorn once spent a week of his time studying a rock because it was slightly duller than the rest around it. A child with a shattered core, yet still clinging to life even in the wake of witnessing a god's true form, far surpasses that 'rock' level of interesting.』"
Chuckling after comparing the girl to a stone, he gradually stirred the shrubberies beneath the table, a coolness settling over the greenhouse.
"『You must be curious about what your role in all of this is, right, Ms Lynn?』"
The blonde-haired girl sat quietly, muttering something barely audible.
"That would be useful…"
Disregarding her slightly backhanded comment, he leaned forward while resting his jaw against his hands.
"『You are the first friend that Aaron Grimstall made after awakening on his shabby ship. Such a thing symbolizes a great deal when going against a lonely being like the Slayer, and with that in mind, it's almost a guarantee that he would wish to control you to use as a bargaining chip against his pawn.』"
Eleanor squinted her eyes, her lips curling up in a small smile.
"I doubt it's really that simple. Aaron wouldn't blindly follow a monster even if my life was on the line."
The God of Death instantly shook his head, sighing as he did so.
"『Quite the contrary. That boy has a very similar nature to a deity I once met, a kind heart. And no matter how valuable it is, there is no denying that it is something that is very easy to exploit by someone without morals, without ethics, and without a single bone of goodwill in their body. Isn't it proof enough that he is devoted to spending however long it takes to save your life?』"
The girl frowned, the previous uncertainty now being shattered by the man who seemed to know the perfect reply to everything.
"Then what can I do to prevent his plans from succeeding?"
There was a pause from the man as he pursed his lips.
"『There are two options I can suggest. First, I would suggest helping that boy regain his memories, for, in the end, their absence might be the last barrier preventing him from completely distancing himself from the Slayer. I do not know what that man has offered Grimstall entirely; however, if the contents of their first agreement are at such a level, then all further ones are likely to be even grander.』"
She nodded, storing the information for after hearing the second option.
"『The second is far simpler.』"
He paused.
"『Abandon the boy and prevent yourself from falling deeper intertwined with his fate.』"
Eleanor flinched in surprise, surprised by the vast difference in the difficulty between the two options, making the choice almost a no-brainer.
It would be significantly safer to choose the second option… Furthermore… Why would I stay with Aaron anyway? I only knew him for two weeks, and it wasn't even by choice.
Closing her eyes, she prepared to give her answer.
Option two. It's easier and safer for both of us.
Parting her lips, she was about to speak before stopping suddenly.
In the back of her mind, the voice of that blond fool whispered quietly to her, the memories that they had shared together, the experiences that they had lived and died through.
Then, the last moments before her death within the mind realm.
The two of them were replaying their previous conversation over the bonfire in the pleasant atmosphere.
Death watched her expressions with an unreadable look, his lips tightly shut as if not wishing to influence her decision.
Inside the primordial god's head, he could only silently think as her hands shook and her lips quivered.
"『I wonder if you will surprise me, Ms. Lynn, or if you will be the person I think you truly are deep inside.』"