“I’m sorry to summon you so suddenly. There is something I wish to ask.”
“I shall answer to the best of my ability,” the Great Spirit replied readily.
I had worried I might be imposing, but she didn’t seem to mind. I decided it would be best to take advantage of her goodwill.
With that thought, I explained the situation regarding the Savior. I recounted only the essential points in chronological order. Even so, there wasn't much to tell; the explanation was brief.
“Countless small, unrelated good deeds are being collectively hailed as the work of a single ‘Savior.’ Do you believe the Will of the World will capitalize on this?”
“It is a very likely outcome. While the exact timing is uncertain, a Savior will surely manifest,” the Great Spirit stated with certainty.
I held the same view. Unfortunately, I had a premonition that this would not end as a groundless fear.
Fundamentally, one cannot prevent the activation of the Will of the World. One’s response is always forced to be reactive.
“Is there any way to stop it?”
“Stopping it at this stage would be extremely difficult. The Savior's existence is predicated on the rumors and the collective worship of the people.”
“In other words, I would have to eliminate everyone who could attest to its existence.”
“Precisely. However, it is likely already too late. Regardless of the impression it left, the riot made the Savior’s existence known to the public. It is impossible to kill every single person involved.”
The Great Spirit’s assessment was correct. It was impossible to identify everyone who had learned of the Savior. Furthermore, I, the local spies, and Luciana had also become aware of it. Rumors were likely still spreading in that city even now. Silencing them would be nowhere near fast enough.
If I were to attempt a forced solution, I would have to destroy the city entirely. Yet even then, it was unclear if that would truly prevent the Savior’s appearance. It would certainly invite unnecessary chaos within the occupied territory, making it an impractical plan.
I turned back to the Great Spirit to confirm my options. “Is there any other method that might be effective?”
“You could use Oblivion Magic to scrub the Savior from the memories of the populace. It will likely only buy us time, but it should have some effect.”
“I understand. I shall carry it out this very day.”
Wiping the memories of the people was a heavy-handed approach, to say the least. However, it was far more peaceful than a massacre. While some confusion would naturally arise from the memory loss, it would only last for a few days. Once they realized there were no major consequences, they would likely accept it.
As I organized my countermeasures, I glanced at the Great Spirit. After a moment's thought, I made a request.
“Depending on the scale of the situation, I would like to borrow your strength. Is that possible?”
“Of course. It is my duty to protect the world, after all.”
“My apologies for the trouble. It would be a great help.”
When the Will of the World is involved, there is no telling what might happen. In that regard, having the Great Spirit as an ally was reassuring. Since she was under no obligation to assist, I thought she might refuse, but she seemed quite willing. I suppose she takes her duties as a Defense Mechanism seriously.
“For the time being, I shall monitor the situation through Yura. Please speak to me if anything occurs.”
“Understood.”
When I nodded, the Great Spirit vanished. It seemed she had relocated to another point at high speed. If I had further business with her, I intended to reach out via telepathy.
I had my doubts about treating a Defense Mechanism like a common assistant, but this problem had too many unknowns. Until I could grasp the full picture, I had to prepare for every possibility.
I entered the ravaged audience chamber, losing myself in thought as I tidied the room with magic.
(I wonder what form this Savior will take when they appear.)
Most likely, an individual would awaken as a Hero. A scenario where they gained supernatural power to challenge me—the Demon King—would be the most conventional outcome.
However, given the incident with the Beasts of the Outside World, I couldn't be certain of anything. No matter what kind of entity appeared, I could only pray that the peace of the world would remain undisturbed.