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Chapter 81. The Resolve To Kill

The Infinite Loop Operation has a simple method: continuously create a situation where Frodil cannot avoid for 2 minutes. Well... the process is simple, but the difficulty is extremely high. In reality, Frodil, even without the Grimoire, has exceptional knightly abilities, so he will probably escape before getting caught in the Infinite Loop.

It would be great if there were a way to seal the Grimoire itself... but I’ve never heard of such a thing.

"Hey, is there a way to seal the Grimoire?"

"...Do you think I’d tell you if I knew, just because you’re asking now?"

"Yeah, I thought so."

"I don’t know."

"Are you answering me or not?"

So, you don’t know after all.

"How easy it would be if there was a way to seal the Grimoire... I’ve thought about it many times in my life. Even when I fought against General Balls, I struggled quite a bit... I had to rewind many times."

Hey, it turns out that he was using the Grimoire even when he supposedly defeated the First Division Commander in one blow. My Grimoire is special, and normally people can’t even notice the time rewinding, so he saw through techniques that should have been new to him and even countered at an absolutely unavoidable timing. If he didn’t know time was rewinding, there wouldn’t be a way to handle it.

"Ah! Your cloak is quite versatile."

"Jealous?"

He suddenly slipped into my pocket. Could it be that he noticed a new habit of mine that I rewound earlier? I was surprised and suddenly blocked his sword with the cloak, deflecting Frodil’s sword with a high-pitched metallic sound.

"A material that repels magic and even physical attacks... such a thing surely doesn’t exist."

"That’s probably true... it might be reinforced by some kind of magic."

"No, it’s just too... unnatural. You usually wear that cloak, don’t you?"

"Well, saying 'usually' is an exaggeration."

I don’t wear it much during school life. It’d be annoying to wear such a flashy red cloak in everyday life. I’m not a superhero or anything.

"…If you could come up with a way to nullify the Grimoire, would it work?"

"I don’t quite understand what you’re saying, but can such a thing be easily created? The Grimoire is almost like the soul of its bearer. It never breaks and is always on the bearer’s side."

"If you could interfere with the soul, wouldn’t it be possible? For example... erasing it from this world along with the soul."

As soon as Frodil heard my statement, he pulled back sharply, looking horrified. The fact that he didn’t rewind time means... he was simply taken aback by my statement?

"You really have an abnormal sense."

"Well... should I be angry?"

"Erasing the soul... you say it so easily, but that’s a statement that threatens even the peace after death. Your way of thinking is... too cruel."

"Is it? The afterlife isn’t all that great, you know."

Source: My own experience.

I can still live normally because I have inherent magical talent and acquired swordsmanship skills, but this world isn’t a place where you can enjoy life if you lack either. There’s hardly any basic human rights. Even though slavery doesn’t exist, some people are used like slaves and die, and there can be unreasonable deaths from monster attacks. This world doesn’t seem very good to me.

"Your words sound like you’ve experienced the afterlife, but... let’s set that aside for now. However, erasing the soul is nothing less than erasing the very fact that person existed in this world. I think that’s even heavier than taking a life."

"Whether dying or disappearing, it’s the same. Either way, it doesn’t concern those who are alive."

"…I’m curious where your view of life and death comes from."

Well? Maybe you should try dying once. You might realize that life and death are more trivial than you think.

Even when I threw a surprise magical slash from Ursragna, it was immediately avoided. The magical power of [Yaldabaoth]... isn’t accumulating. He probably has figured out the magical slashes coming from the left hand. Then, I can hardly use it.

Maybe it’s time for me to consider using my trump card as well. However, the condition for using it is... it can only be used in situations where it can’t be rewound. Because if it’s discovered, I’ll really lose.

"Hmm?"

While I was hesitating, the heat energy stored in the false book increased. In other words... time has rewound. But, I wasn’t actually doing anything, and frankly, it felt like a stalemate.

When I was a little puzzled, Frodil casually deployed his shield and deflected the sword of Jeremiah that had appeared from behind him.

"Ugh!?"

"Too bad."

Jeremiah, who probably didn’t expect to be avoided without even seeing the ambush, was moving as Frodil tried to act before he could recover his posture in mid-air, so I sent a slash from Ursragna to push him back.

"Sorry, Theodore, I thought I could finish him with that..."

"No, it was finished."

Jeremiah is holding [Michael]. Normally, it should have the power to kill with just one surprise attack, but... does it still have enough energy to rewind time?

"Two against one, huh?"

"Please don’t call it unfair, Minister Frodil. You’re the one who’s doing that much."

"I won’t, but... isn’t inciting foreign aggression a crime for you?"

"It is. That’s why I’m holding the sword."

Hmm... I should tell Jeremiah quickly.

"His Grimoire is a special type without a form, [Sandalphon]. It can reverse time for up to 2 minutes by consuming a large amount of magical power. Your ambush was hit the first time."

"…How do you prevent time reversal?"

"If it’s my Grimoire... I can somehow figure out the timing."

That’s to be expected. Ordinary people wouldn’t stand a chance.

"...What if you kill him before it activates?"

"Is it alright to kill him? I can’t think of anyone else who could handle the position of Minister."

"If I had to choose between your death and Minister Frodil’s, I would kill Minister Frodil."

If I joked about whether he really likes me, I might get hit.

I see... well, it might be unavoidable. It’s impossible to hold back and let someone with such immense power live... Was the lack of resolve on my part?