Chương 90: No Matter What, This World Needs To End. (17.4)

…

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice can be seen in many ways. Some might say that Orpheus was only human and couldn't manage to fulfill his end of the bargain after conquering every challenge. Others would say that gods are unfair and would never have allowed Orpheus to win in the first place. It was a parable saying that if something was impossible then it would stay impossible. It was a lesson told to children by their grandparents. A story about how even the most talented or experienced individual could never overcome fate. That, in the end, everything was already written in stone and irreversible.

A story that I disliked as a child and one that I completely and utterly couldn't stand now.

The offer was a disgrace. I needed to go through hell and back, facing every challenge I had in my way, and even then there was no guarantee of success. How did I know that? Simply put, if Dia Orpheus worked and properly resurrected the dead, then it would be everywhere. Literally every Mage would be brought back by the very first person who managed to get it, just so that the gods didn't have to fear losing their game. It was the sort of Skill that would be needed by everyone, something that no one was willing to be without, and couldn't just be hidden. Even if it took a ludicrous amount of Mind to cast, it would be the Spell which every magic-user would strive for and solely exist to gain.

Because I didn't know about it, since it wasn't being used, then it could only mean that whoever was in front of me was luring me with a fake promise and trying to manipulate me with the people who I'd lost.

I didn't exactly react well to it.

…

"…I suggest thinking very carefully on your next action, Hikigaya-san." Whoever, whatever he was, the being in front of me blocked my rapier from his neck with an armored finger. The farce of a grimoire he'd tried to shove down my throat, to use those who I'd lost against me, was nothing more than paper scraps and chains scattered across the room. I was very aware of more armored fingers pressing against my stomach. There was threat there, but I was very close to not paying it any mind. "Should we battle, you and I will both be incapable of limiting casualties. Neither you nor would wish for that, especially when you are not my enemy and neither am I yours."

"I don't think you understand your situation. You've come into my home unannounced. You offer me something impossible to try and manipulate me." I didn't budge and neither did the thing whose neck I had on my enchanted rapier. I intended to take the Rapier past Floor 40. I could cut through just about anything with it. His armor was able to resist it, but I knew that if I attacked I could kill the being in front of me. Naturally, given how his fingers felt like weights against my stomach, I was sure he could kill me as well. Not that I cared. "And, before all of that, you give me a speech all about how you've been investigating me, my business, and how you intend to make it all part of your grand scheme." I shook. I didn't know if it was out of fear or anger, but I shook. "So, please, explain exactly why you and I aren't enemies, especially when you know my name and everything I can do while I have no clue what the hell you are."

"I see. In your eyes, there is no reason for you to trust me in the slightest." Whatever he was, he didn't consider me a threat. He made that more apparent by withdrawing his hand from my stomach. Do you think that you're faster than me? Well, that might be true given how you're able to make useless Spells like Dia Orpheus, but you can't exactly react quickly enough to stop me from taking your head. No. Control yourself. Calm down. Too angry. Unnatural. "I would like to change that, Hikigaya-san, but I cannot if you do not give me a chance."

"You get two minutes with my rapier at your throat." I didn't trust whoever this man was. What mattered was that he tried to manipulate me. No. Stop that. No killing. Dammit, was I weaker to my own Skill after being brought out of it? I needed to distract myself. I wasn't going to lose to myself again. Once was okay, the second time was nigh-unbearable, but I had a feeling a third time would be stretching it. I wasn't the type to get angry. Well, not angry enough to want to kill someone. That was probably the only reason why I was reigning myself in now. Enough parts of "me" disagreed with my current state enough to work against it. "Then we'll see."

This stank of Zaimokuza abusing flashbacks to attempt to give his story some depth, but my damned Skill was making it very, very difficult to be funny.

"I am Fels of the Ouranos Familia, the only one in fact, and my mission from my god is to keep Orario functional and ensure that it does not fall. We took note of you during the last War Game and determined that you could aid us greatly due to your projects in Orario." I instantly regretted the time limit I imposed on "Fels." Oddly enough, despite being dressed like a Final Boss, he seemed to be the talkative type. I had to focus just to catch his rapid-fire words coming from his mask. How was the sound not muffled anyway? Was his helmet really an artifact enchanted to not interfere with his ability to speak? What a waste of Valis. "The subjugation of the Dungeon and the continued existence of Orario is my only goal. Given your recent actions, my god has told me to bring you into the fold. You will bring into Orario what you've brought into this district, further increase the quality of those who enter the Dungeon, and you will receive the resources necessary to do so."

He withdrew his hand from my rapier and held them out to his sides. I was reminded way too much of a certain priest. If his next sentence started with "rejoice," I wouldn't be sure of my ability to stop myself from accidentally taking a swing. I wasn't stupidly overpowered enough to deal with the shit that came from the particular series. Still, for the life of me, I couldn't exactly tell if "Fels" was lying. My gut instinct was to not trust him, or anyone else who introduced themselves as the "good guy," but he wasn't asking for me to go kill someone, fetch something, or destroy a certain monster. No, he was definitely talking more akin to the lines of a corporate merger than anything else. He didn't want me for me, he wanted what I had made in my madness. The facilities, the techniques, and the training methods which I'd made to make progress in my efforts to reach the end of the Dungeon.

"My god is a generous one. He is willing to offer you magics, artifacts, and wealth in exchange for—"

I thought about the situation some more, about what "Fels" wanted, and what I wanted. From the perspective of many, I supposed it seemed like I was about to be bought out. That I was about to lose everything I worked for. That I was being made an offer I couldn't refuse by someone who could kill me in a heartbeat. That was probably what he thought as well, so he was now taking steps to avoid that, but that didn't matter. That was from everyone else's point of view. When it came to my business and what I'd happened to make while batshit insane, the only person whose point of view mattered was mine.

"You can have all of it for free."

Naturally, I didn't want any of it.

"…Excuse me?"

"I said you can have all of it. The facilities, the employees, and all its assets save for mine, too." Well, if they wanted Corporation Orario, then they can have it. I lowered my rapier and checked my pocket. Yep, Dreamless Sleep was still there. I went over to the desk which my other "self" had practically lived in and rummaged through it. I looked through the various deeds and wills which were meticulously organized and slapped them on top of the desk one by one. Then, I walked towards the bookshelf full of ledgers and used them to weigh down the stack. "Here it all is. Enjoy."

"…You're simply giving this all away? The innovations to employment, the training methods, and modifications to the city's very infrastructure?" Wow, someone thought highly of basic civilization. Perhaps, if you weren't such a mysterious stranger of mystery, I would've appreciated the praise. However, Fels, you've made the mistake of assuming that I cared about all this shit. The audience expected me to pull my weight now that I've had too damn many episodes and light novels dedicated to me. I can't exactly do that while I'm stuck behind a desk being a corporate slave. I moved the painting on the left wall, opened the safe behind it, and proceeded to loot my own office. The amount of money I had on hand and in my accounts was obscene, but it was trifling in comparison to what could be made. I was sure Fels wouldn't mind fronting a month or two of the costs of operations, especially when he'd offered me so much and I gave him everything for free. Anyway, is it embezzlement if you're technically stealing from yourself? "You're changing history, altering the course of Orario for all the days to come, and you're simply going to walk away from it all?"

"Yep." I moved the coffee table away from the door. It was weighted down with lead in order to act as cover. It took some effort to move it back on the carpet without scratching the floor. It won't be my problem in the future, but I'm sure it's common courtesy to leave a house in good condition when giving it away to someone else. Yep, Hikigaya Hachiman is the very epitome of common courtesy. There is no societal convention which I'm not the master at. Yep, I'm definitely the absolute best at being courteous. "Definitely."

Fels had more to say, but I left the room with bags of treasures in tow.

On a more serious note, though I would've liked to have a base of operations and immense amounts of money to use, managing a massive corporation everyday was just asking for trouble for someone with Skills like mine. Sure, I would've been able to get a large amount of work done safely, but being a paper-pusher surrounding by people whose names I didn't even know wouldn't have worked out. I had dozens of employees whose faces I didn't even know, too much of the same boring work to do every day, and a penchant for overworking myself for the smallest of increases. If that wasn't a recipe for going mad, I didn't know what was. My corporate slave parents, please know that your son knows better than to suffer the same fate as you, you have taught me well.

Anyway, since I was now homeless, it was natural that I was now going to be a useless shut-in at Cranel's place as expected.

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