Hmm.

How did it come to this?

I’d been wandering around the market with Asti, intending to grab a bite to eat before heading to the library. We’d just spotted a cozy-looking restaurant with a delicious aroma when we ran into Hunter.

Or rather, she found us, perhaps intentionally. Her presence was much different from before, and she was eating as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

But something about it didn’t sit right with me. I knew Hunter wasn’t ashamed of her identity, but this sudden, conspicuous change was... baffling. All the times she’d been meticulously covered up—were those just for show?

"Are you not cold, Hunter?" Asti asked nonchalantly. "The market’s exterior isn’t heated, and such… revealing attire isn’t suited for the chilly air."

Nice one, Asti.

I shot her a look of gratitude. The way Hunter dressed now was undeniably… deliberate.

Hunter paused mid-bite, swallowing slowly before glancing at Asti. "Silence, half-Entity. A traitor who chose a man over her mother has no right to criticize."

Crack.

I could practically hear Asti’s patience cracking.

Hunter's blunt dismissal was as sharp as always, cutting straight to the heart of things.

"Hey, Hunter, that’s a bit much…," I tried to interject, but Asti responded, her tone icy.

"Quite true. But still better than living in delusion, forcing yourself on others without their consent."

Whoa, Asti… where was this coming from? Her words were somehow even sharper than Hunter’s.

Hunter stopped eating, her expression as cold as steel. "Are you looking for a fight?"

"You started it."

Both were as calm as could be, yet the tension between them was so thick it practically cut through the air.

Why were they quarreling over a meal?

"L-Let’s calm down, please…," I stammered, hoping to diffuse the situation.

Their gazes turned to me briefly, and after a moment, they both settled back into their meals, though I could tell by their eyes that their quiet standoff had only entered a new phase.

…Ugh, this meal was going to give me indigestion.

After the tense meal, we finally made our way to the library. Hunter, true to her word, immediately started browsing the shelves alone.

“Sir Tanton,” called the librarian as I approached.

“Yes?”

The librarian gestured toward Hunter, his brows furrowed. “Could you ask her to dress more appropriately? She’ll catch a cold.”

“…Of course.”

I had plenty to say, but it was reasonable enough to worry about her attire. Clearly, even the open-minded librarian thought she was pushing it.

Asti, meanwhile, seemed to be taking in the sight of all the books, her eyes curious. She had always kept her head down as my maid, but now her gaze was filled with wonder.

“If there’s anything you want to read, go ahead and check it out.”

“…Oh, thank you.”

“You’re half-Entity, so none of these Entity-written books will hurt you. Feel free to go wild.”

She laughed softly at my joke. It was nice to see her relaxed.

Once Asti wandered off in search of a book, I made my way over to where the Saint was, seated as usual amidst a small mountain of books. He looked up, recognizing my footsteps.

“Sir Tanton!” he greeted warmly, starting to stand.

I waved for him to stay seated, quickly taking a seat across from him.

“How have you been?” he asked.

“Surviving, somehow. Almost got branded a fugitive, but managed to get through it.”

“Oh, that business with the rebels? I heard about that and was furious. To think those fools would slander you… Hunter, of all people!”

“Shh!” I quickly hushed him, fearing Hunter’s nearby presence.

The Saint seemed unbothered, his voice growing even louder with indignation.

“Isn’t it true, though? Sir Tanton is working with the Entities for humanity’s sake! To stop the Giant of the Frozen Peaks and save us all, yes? And yet, they dare label you a traitor? I can’t forgive that!”

I nervously glanced around, but sure enough, I caught sight of Hunter’s calm figure approaching.

“Raydan Tanton.”

I turned to see Hunter standing close, looking down at me with her usual calm demeanor.

I almost let out a “Hiiik!” but managed to stifle it.

“Y-Yes?! Do you need something?”

“Where can I find historical texts?”

“Oh, over that way, by the history section.”

“Understood.”

With that, she walked off, leaving the two of us at the table. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sir Tanton?” the Saint whispered. “Who was that woman?”

“Shh!”

Today of all days, he was completely oblivious!

“Oh, by the way.”

Gulp.

Hunter, who had walked a bit further, paused to glance back at us.

“If you can’t forgive me, then challenge me. I’ll accept whenever you’re ready.”

With a mischievous smile, she continued on her way, leaving me slightly dumbfounded.

There was something captivating about her, even as she uttered those harsh words.

But the Saint’s expression was quite different from mine.

“S-Sir Tanton,” he stammered, his face pale.

“Yes?”

“I may be mistaken, but… Is she Hunter’s younger sister or…?”

“Actually… that was Hunter herself.”

“What?!”

And there it was—a stark reminder of what happens when a person’s deeply held beliefs come crashing down, and they realize they’d been overheard by none other than the person they’d just insulted.

The Saint slumped, trembling, reduced to a nearly feral crouch.

“Please keep quiet in the library,” the librarian murmured from his desk, unperturbed by the bizarre scene.

After I calmed the Saint down and assured him that Hunter’s earlier remark had likely been in jest, I moved on to my original inquiry.

"So, I was wondering… is it possible for an Entity to appear as a regular human?"

The Saint looked at me for a moment before nodding slowly.

“…Yes, Sir Tanton. It seems you’ve reached that level of awareness at last.”

"What... exactly do you mean by that?"

"The stage where an Entity appears as a human, Sir Tanton," the Saint replied, sounding a bit too thrilled.

I had merely been speculating about the possibility, but it seemed I had stumbled upon an actual theory—one that the Saint was all too eager to discuss.

Right… but how did he know about it?

"Not that I'm saying I’ve experienced it," I quickly added.

"Yet you saw it, even briefly, didn’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have asked such a question," he said, looking at me with a confidence that allowed no room for denial.

It was as if he’d already decided what I’d seen, regardless of any objections I might have raised.

Maybe I should’ve been more roundabout in my questioning. I was already regretting it when the Saint, with a deep breath, gave me a serious look.

“That stage is one I have yet to reach myself. I've made endless efforts to do so, but even with all my studies, it seems to lie beyond my grasp. Yet considering that you could look upon the Record Keeper’s text and remain stable, it’s rather remarkable that you haven’t yet crossed into that realm, Sir Tanton.”

Well… to be fair, all that was a necessity for advancing my plans.

I couldn’t help but marvel internally at how much I owed to my Super Coward Mode.

“When an Entity appears as human…” he continued, “such a possibility isn’t written about in any conventional books. For that reason, most people perceive Entities as little more than evil monsters. Yes, I’m speaking of the typical literature.”

With that, the Saint retrieved a book, its cover thick and substantial. What stood out were the faint, flower-like motes drifting away as if dissolving into the air.

Given the Super Coward Mode’s tendency to censor anything related to Entities, the aura of this book was disconcerting.

"Is that book…?" I asked, curious.

"Indeed."

The Saint set the book down on the table, then removed the protective gloves he’d been wearing.

“This book was written by an Entity. I came across it when I was still a beginner in metaphysics, studying at the library. It’s one of my most prized findings.”

"...Its aura is certainly… unique."

Placed on the table, the book seemed to exude an even more beautiful, almost intoxicating aura.

To be able to read an Entity text of this magnitude early in his studies… The Saint was, without a doubt, gifted in metaphysics.

“This book’s contents are so revolutionary they completely overturn what most people know. And it reveals the extent to which much of our history has been altered.”

History, huh?

With everything else going on, I’d never really given much thought to history. I’d only ever picked up bits and pieces from things Hunter or the Princess mentioned.

As I looked at him with an utterly clueless expression, the Saint’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

"It seems history isn't one of your strengths, Sir Tanton," he remarked.

There was once an Emperor.

The Emperor’s rule was extraordinary.

Despite overseeing a vast empire, he managed to prevent civil unrest and maintain peace. Considering how difficult it is to gauge public opinion in such a sprawling realm, the Emperor seemed nearly superhuman.

The Emperor was young, attractive, and notably virtuous, so much so that many noblewomen lined up in hopes of marrying him.

But the Emperor had one fault.

He craved the extreme and found little appeal in conventional human relationships.

Only one thing could push him to his limits—an intense, loathsome thrill that only came from mingling with Entities.

And so, he took a High Entity as his wife.

Though she was dangerous enough to shatter his sanity simply by existing, the Emperor seemed to thrive in her presence.

Surprisingly, they got along well. Their love was strong, and from this union, a half-Entity was born.

But soon after, a sudden rebellion arose from the High Entity. The Emperor died in the ensuing chaos, and the empire fell into a decline.

A magnificent empire fell due to the Emperor’s fatal mistake.

"This is where the standard history books end," the Saint explained, summarizing the story for me. As I listened, certain parts struck me as odd.

I already knew from the Princess’s stories that she was a half-Entity, and that the Emperor had had children with an Entity. But a sudden rebellion from the Entity? And why was the story of the Giant of the Frozen Peaks missing?

As I furrowed my brow, the Saint gave a knowing nod.

“Exactly, Sir Tanton. There’s much about this tale that doesn’t add up. And that’s where this book comes in.”

Yes, this is the history most people in Londan know, and it’s largely accurate.

But ‘largely accurate’ can also mean certain details are omitted or presented in ways that alter the reality.

This is what I dispute about Londan’s history books.

First, there was nothing unusual about the Emperor’s inclinations.

After all, at that time…

Entities appeared as humans to everyone.

“Wait… Hold on a second,” I interrupted, stunned.

The Saint merely nodded, as if he’d expected my reaction.

I mean, I’d seen hints of this idea myself. When Asti had been switching between the Inquisitor’s body and her true form, I’d noticed that others saw her in a way similar to how I did.

But that everyone could once see Entities as humans?

"Perhaps you have more questions, but bear with me," he said, resuming his story.

And that High Entity never staged a rebellion.

No, her actions were entirely justified.

Why? Because the Emperor had secretly taken a mistress to satisfy his lust for power.

The High Entity only discovered his infidelity later.

This High Entity, a being of life, was as powerful as the Record Keeper. The Emperor didn’t stand a chance—he died instantly.

Perhaps we should be grateful the world didn’t end then and there.

The Emperor and the High Entity had two daughters. The first, born from their passionate love, gained the power to heal. The second, born when the Emperor’s love had waned, gained the power to drain life.

This… is the true story of our world.

Fortunately, the remainder of the story closely matched what I already knew.

“In any case, this story shows that you’re on the path to uncovering deeper truths, Sir Tanton,” the Saint said with a warm smile, though I only felt more unsettled.

The story’s ending left me uneasy. Sure, I could accept that people once saw Entities as humans.

But there was no explanation for how that perception had shifted, nor for why people now see Entities as monstrous beings. And what about the Observer—a figure Entities are silent about, and that humanity has seemingly forgotten?

"Saint, have you ever come across any information on the Observer?"

“Not at all, I’m afraid. I’ve never seen that name in any book.”

A being shrouded in secrecy among Entities, forgotten by humans, yet powerful enough to avoid disrupting the world order…

The Observer might just be the missing key to this patchy story.

And the fleeting image of a woman that had been haunting my thoughts recently…

I still had much to learn. And if I intended to face such powerful Entities, I, too, would need to grow stronger.

"Thank you, Saint."

“Anytime, Sir Tanton.”

“Oh, and do you have any books on the principles of how Entities grow stronger?”

“Ah, yes. Over there on the far shelf.”

I headed in the direction he pointed.

The details I’d learned today were enough to spur me on. Perhaps it was time to consult that old hermit who kept going on about the Observer.

The visit to the library had yielded valuable information, and for the first time, I felt as though I was finally nearing the truth.

The people of Londan had suffered long enough. It was time they found some measure of peace. And I would be the one to secure it for them.

As I resolved this in my heart, I felt someone link their arm through mine.

"...?"

It was Hunter, casually locking arms with me and trying to lead me somewhere.

"H-Hunter? What exactly are you doing?"

“I overheard that conversation with the Saint. You humans are far too influenced by Entities.”

Wha-What?

This has nothing to do with that!

I struggled, but Hunter just held on, her grip firm. Thankfully, Asti came over, tugging my other arm to free me.

“This is abduction.”

“Not if he agrees to it.”

“Clearly, he doesn’t.”

“If I get his consent later, it’ll count.”

Where was she getting this confidence?

Despite Hunter’s absurdity, Asti finally managed to pull me free.