Right after the mad wizard was split into thirty pieces and scattered across the world.

In the Holy City, the remaining Jatabju and Yuri Lanster had finished assessing the situation from the “Promise” module.

As his horse flew, he noted that his life was not in danger, and while it was bothersome to pick up the scattered data, recovery was entirely possible.

“Huuh…”

That was enough. A mad wizard could thrive anywhere, a healthy child who would turn every hardship into gain, no matter the incidents that arose.

Yuna and Yuri relaxed their shoulders a bit. Though still worried, there was no urgent need to act as if a fire was burning at their feet.

Yuri Lanster asked.

“Is there a way to track them?”

“Yes. I can detect the locations of the scattered fragments. I also know where the main body is. It’s near the Red Tower.”

“The Red Tower?!”

Yuna straightened her back like a cat that had just encountered a cucumber, letting out a sharp sound. Yuri Lanster tilted his head slightly in confusion.

“Yuna, is it really that dangerous to fall into the Red Tower? I’ve heard that the Red Tower Lord, Vermilion, is eccentric but loyal to the Empire.”

“…That guy, he’s targeting him! Magically! He might confine him in a luxurious chamber, feeding him only the best for life while making him create magic…”

“Is that so? Should we destroy it then?”

If that was the case, it was time to execute the plan to blow up the Red Tower.

The two women, capable of smashing any mercenary group with one hand, steeled their resolve. Only we can can the Mima and raise it!

As Yuna set a large “Subtraction” on the upper floors, and while chaos ensued, a specific plan was being formed where Yuri would infiltrate and retrieve him.

The “Promise,” taking the form of a young boy, spoke softly.

“Hey, can’t we resolve this through conversation?”

“No, the Red Tower Lord Vermilion has been watching him with an incredibly persistent gaze since the moment we first met… like, staring at a Dragonheart, all gleaming!”

“And thinking about it… there’s also the possibility that Mima could create another man or woman in that short time. Even if it’s not the Red Tower Lord, he could be confined by a wizard of the Red Tower.”

“Hmm… for now, leave it to me. I’ll try talking.”

With Yuna’s help, the Promise contacted the Red Tower.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Vermilion.”

-So it’s just the two of you?

“Due to circumstances. The main body that went over there has no memories of the past. So, please refrain from old stories. I’m counting on you. Got it?”

-Of course. I thought it was a bit unfortunate to hear about the memory loss, but now we can finally share some laughs over old tales. So, have you still not regained your name?

Through a negotiation for research cooperation laced with nostalgia, the conversation progressed in a way that wouldn’t disturb the main body.

If the mad wizard stayed in the Red Tower, his safety would be ensured. Therefore, rather than rushing to retrieve him, they decided to prioritize stabilizing the Holy City.

The Holy City was in great turmoil due to a series of events. Tara was mechanically handling things to some extent, but it was clear that the disappearances of Benet and Niore were causing distress.

If the key forces, Yuna and Yuri, were to leave, there was a possibility that things could spiral into the worst-case scenario once again.

—

The mad wizard has barely managed to stave off the “Divine Punishment.” It’s time to tie up loose ends for good, isn’t it?

The two of them swiftly pushed the work forward.

“First of all… we need to start with the ‘Reformists’ taking the lead. We’ll seize the vacuum left by the Cardinals and exert influence over the Pope.”

“And, I think we also need to reorganize the system. If Tara is alright with it, we can make her a ‘Saint’ again… What about the ‘Hero’? All the candidates have vanished.”

“Ah, about that. There is one candidate who hasn’t been chased away.”

“…Ah, I see. I think that could work. Should we temporarily assign it to them?”

So it was.

Finn, who was packing his bags to return to his hometown, was caught by Yuri Lanster. He was bewildered by the ‘Temporary Hero’ title thrust upon him.

“Me, a hero? Why?”

“Should I be honest, or should I provide a public justification?”

“Th-That doesn’t make sense! I’m not suited to be a hero! I don’t even want to…!”

“The reason you must listen to me and become a hero is that you are weaker than I am. Do it.”

“…!!”

How could a weak mercenary defy the orders of a former imperial agent who had reached such heights! Finn nodded with a face full of injustice and sorrow.

“Waaah──!! Hero Finn! Hero Finn!”

“I-I’m not qualified to be a hero! I’m just a temporary…!”

“A true hero of this age, Finn, who even possesses humility, huzzah!!”

“I said I’m a temporary hero──!!”

He became a hero, reluctantly and tearfully.

——–

After settling the most pressing issue of the mad wizard, Yuna and Yuri had a moment to meet with the “Promise.” They sat around a round table, laid out with warm refreshments, observing the boy Mima.

He is young. A young boy.

His chubby face still retains the softness of childhood. If you look closely, you can see Mima’s features, but the more you look, the more he feels like a different person.

His expression.

That unique warm expression had completely transformed his demeanor.

Could that body really make such an expression? Should I remember this and ask Mima to try it later? Pingvalez suppressed his sinister thoughts and asked seriously.

“So… what are you?”

“I’m a module.”

“I know about modules. But I’ve neither seen nor heard of you. I’ll ask again. What are you?”

“Umm….”

—

The boy rested his chin on his hand, pondering for a moment, before deciding it would be alright to tell them. Yuna and Yuri loved the original self. There was no wavering in that feeling.

In that case, it might even be helpful. The boy reflected.

The events in Sanjevi Village, the malevolent being that roamed the village, the choice made to escape a forced destiny. To confine ‘it’ within his own body.

He had known the side effects long ago.

“It was inevitable for the malice to seep into my heart. My personality gradually changed, and in the worst-case scenario… I thought I might become something like the Evil God.”

“……..”

“I made a ‘promise’ with myself to prepare for such a worst-case scenario. If, someday… I forget the vow made in the hillside village and become a being that spreads evil in the world. To kill myself.”

‘Self-destruction device.’

Thus, only the most perfect ‘goodness’ he had acted out was extracted and created. It would react sensitively to malice, and if the original self crossed a line, a decision would have to be made.

At this, Yuna and Yuri reacted simultaneously.

Yuna gathered ‘Subtraction’ in her grasp and glared at the boy. If that was the bomb collar around his neck, it might be safer to erase it now.

Yuri Lanster discreetly raised her magical power while restraining Yuna. If the ‘promise’ was a self-destruct mechanism for emergencies, there was no reason to reveal her identity.

“Why did you reveal it? I don’t understand your intentions. You must have already known how the Tower Master would act.”

“Yeah. But… even so, I wanted to express my gratitude. The ‘me’ back then, to be honest, was quite pessimistic. I thought I would be completely corrupted after being tossed around by malice.”

No matter which path he took, the probability of him enduring without falling into corruption was around a decimal percentage. Furthermore, the chance of reaching a ‘happy ending’ was even lower than that.

Before ‘it’ bound his computational power, the intelligence that seemed capable of calculating the entire world had derived that value.

But now.

“He still hasn’t fallen, and he continues to walk the tightrope between black and white. That’s… thanks to you. The love you conveyed to him held great significance.”

“……..”

“Thank you for loving ‘me.’ I look forward to your continued support!”

The promise beamed with a bright smile as he expressed his gratitude.

It was a strange feeling. The thought that his love… had saved the one he loved. Yuna flustered with a strangely reminiscent expression, while Yuri, though outwardly showing no signs, added twenty items to her to-do list for when Mima returned.

Yuna and Yuri faced each other, nodding with smiles. And then.

Thud.

“Huh.”

Click.

“Uh, wait…?”

At the same time, they restrained the promise module.

“Hey, guys…? What does this mean?”

The promise flailed its short limbs, looking up at the two, but Yuna and Yuri merely looked down at him with cold expressions.

“Although you said something touching, that doesn’t change the fact that you are Mima’s self-destruct button.”

“Now, we’re going to shower him with all our… love. Then, won’t you… not be needed anymore?”

“Of course, I’m not planning to completely eliminate you. I know that you serve as the seal for ‘that’.”

“But, I have to remove your ‘self-destruct’ function. No matter how much he created it himself, I can’t let him live with something like that attached to him…!”

The promise module muttered as if in trouble.

“It’ll only make things unnecessarily difficult…”

And it turned out just as he said.

If I were to actually use ‘removal’, it would have been impossible, as another important part, not just the promise module, could have been damaged.

So, just as Mima customized Akushin-chan, I had to modify the ‘promise’ with pure illusion magic skills.

The universe defense of ‘promise’, which had delegated most of its computational power, was so solid that there wasn’t even a corner to poke at. Rather.

“Oh, when bypassing the mental barrier… it’s better to control this part a bit more delicately. I’ll recreate it, so would you like to practice one more time?”

“Th-this is… so frustrating…!!”

“Yuna, take a deep breath. The opponent is Mima in near-perfect condition. Losing to a strong opponent is not something to be ashamed of.”

“I-I reached sublimation first, and I’m a great magician?! Why, why can’t I make it crackle…?!”

After five hours of attempts, the first bomb disposal operation ended in failure as Yuna collapsed first.

——–

A pair of eyes followed the short-legged boy Mima as he walked. Sharp pupils. It was Akushin-chan.

Having watched the commotion with indifference for several days, Akushin-chan thought again. Mima was indeed a mad magician.

“…he even stuck a ‘long horn’ in his own head.”

A self-destruct device.

Akushin-chan frowned deeply. It didn’t make sense.

What was it that he wanted to protect so badly? If he dies, it’s all over.

Even if he ends up enjoying somewhat malicious deeds… isn’t it much better to be alive and moving? How heavy could morals and beliefs possibly be?

And while everyone calls it ‘malicious’—people inherently harm others. They harm other lives. It’s a natural occurrence. Yet, being bound by that meaningless morality is frustrating and bothersome.

I learned through experience that the act of helping others and receiving praise brings considerable dopamine…

“……..”

Thinking about it, it’s the same situation.

Akushin-chan, filled with a long horn, and Mima, filled with promises.

Both ended up with something strange stuck in their heads after living well. Mima is the malicious one, and Akushin-chan is the virtuous one. Despite being so similar, the forms of the pictures that appeared are different.

The mad magician has determined his own path forward. He seems to know exactly what he needs to do, even while hesitating or making a fuss.

—

But what about myself?

I don’t know. I’ve been thinking all along about seducing Mima and awakening ‘it’, returning to my true self. But that’s just inertia; I haven’t truly resolved to do it.

That said, I have no intention of completely turning around. What part of Mima is beautiful enough to warrant doing something good for her? Imagining myself spreading good deeds throughout the world feels disgusting and unsettling.

If I want to escape from Mima, now is the chance. I’ve heard she’s in a tremendously weakened state, and her attention is relatively diverted from the Evil God-chan.

Yet, I still hesitate. I don’t know what I should do.

“…Damn it.”

Evil God-chan tangled her hair wildly.

She still hasn’t decided what she should become.