“I’ll explain how this came to be. I want your opinion once you’ve heard the details.”
“Oh my, is this your affectionate phase? Very well, I’ll give you a special discount on the answer!”
Gwen thrust both hands into the air in delight.
I felt a sense of discordance at her reaction.
“...You’re remarkably eager.”
“Well, of course! It’s all for my beloved Harvelt, after all.”
Gwen gave me a sultry look and a wink.
I felt a chill and instinctively stepped back. Gwen’s brow furrowed with mock concern.
“Oh dear, such a cold reaction. Do you dislike girls like me?”
“Enough with the jokes. I’m starting.”
I laid out the entire situation regarding the Savior. I held nothing back, disclosing every detail. Gwen was likely not the mastermind behind this; while she had toyed with me through cryptic behavior, it was simply her brand of mischief. She had explicitly denied any involvement, and I saw no reason to keep her in the dark.
When I finished, Gwen sat back on the sofa and crossed her arms. She let out a thoughtful groan, her expression turning uncharacteristically solemn.
“A Savior this time, huh? Honestly, it’s just one crisis after another with you. Isn’t the Will of the World trying a bit too hard?”
“Don’t tell me. I’m the one forced to deal with it.”
Ideally, I wanted no trouble at all. Unforeseen events only bred chaos, and as someone who wished to maintain peace, this was an immense nuisance.
“So, Harvelt, you want to either prevent this rumored Savior from appearing or find a way to counter them.”
“Correct. The Great Spirit said prevention was unlikely, but I thought you might have a different perspective.”
Gwen was a Beast of the Outside World—a singular entity from Outer Space. She had destroyed numerous worlds and clashed with the Will of the World many times in the process. Her experience was vast, and I suspected she might have a unique insight.
Gwen pondered for a moment. Eventually, she offered her opinion, punctuating her words with animated gestures.
“To be blunt, preventing the Savior’s birth is impossible. People with Heroic Aptitude are everywhere; they’ll awaken regardless of the circumstances.”
“So it is as I feared.”
“The Compelling Force of the Will of the World isn’t something you can just ignore... Honestly, it’s practically a cheat code.”
Gwen sighed. However, her expression shifted in the blink of an eye. She held up a single finger and wagged it boastfully.
“But I can give you a few tips—or rather, some advice on how to manipulate the Will of the World.”
“There is such a way?”
“It’s a trick. Remember the Beast who was our leader? The one you called the False God? This is an application of the method she used.”
Gwen trailed off, a faint, unsettling smile playing on her lips as she studied my reaction. It was an expression that thoroughly rubbed me the wrong way.
“Stop being coy. Get to the point.”
“My, aren’t we the impatient one.”
Gwen chuckled and clapped her hands together. After a deliberate pause, she finally addressed the heart of the matter.
“Simple! It’s the Push-Pull Theory! You take the mechanics of the world’s laws and use them against themselves. The more Hardline Measures you’ve taken, the more the Will of the World has pushed back, leading to even greater disasters. You’ve noticed that pattern, haven't you?”
“I have. But if I don't take action, problems will arise. I can't simply look the other way.”
“I understand the feeling, but you have to show some restraint. Instead of trying to stop it, you should intentionally create an environment where the Will of the World can easily manifest.”
Gwen proposed this with a perfectly calm face. It was a strategy far removed from anything I had imagined. In fact, it barely seemed like a strategy at all. I couldn't wrap my head around it.
“And what would that accomplish?”
“If it works, the phenomenon will occur exactly as you intended. If the problem is one you’ve already predicted, then dealing with the aftermath is easy. Think of it as luring your prey into a trap.”
“A trap...”
I found her logic compelling. The False God had obtained immense power through the same principle. By making herself an object of hope and worship, she had successfully used the Will of the World to amplify her own strength. Gwen’s suggestion followed a similar logic: choose where the power would accumulate.
“Since deterring the Will of the World in advance is nearly impossible, you should plan around the premise that it will activate. The Great Spirit’s advice isn’t bad, but it’s really only a stalling tactic.”
“I see...”
“And don’t worry if things don’t go exactly as planned. As long as you can manipulate the general situation, a trap is still effective even if it's set after the fact.”
Gwen’s proposal was more astute than I had expected. She had formulated a strategy based on hard-earned experience—the same experience she had used to lead countless worlds to their doom. Her expertise was undeniable.
Finished with her explanation, Gwen sprawled out on the sofa. She rested her chin on her hand and spoke.
“That’s about all I can tell you for now. If anything else comes up, don’t be a stranger. I’ll give you more advice... for the right price, of course.”
“I appreciate it. This was helpful.”
I offered my thanks. Just as I was about to cast Teleportation Magic, Gwen sat up as if she’d suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, Harvelt!”
“What is it?” I asked, halting the spell.
Gwen gave me a thumbs-up, her expression filled with renewed vigor.
“I’m waiting for my starring role, okay? I’m ready whenever you are!”
“...Right.”
Leaving the inexplicably confident girl behind, I departed the room via Teleportation.