"Every one of the Six Kings was once Kuro’s fledgling."
I stood in stunned silence as Alice spoke those words. Her expression remained grave as she continued.
"The war with the God Realm isn't really relevant right now, so let's set that aside. What matters is that we have all known Kuro-san for an eternity... and naturally, we know exactly what she has been searching for."
"……"
Back in the Spirit Forest, Kuro had once told me there was something she had always wanted but could never obtain. I still didn't know what it was. To be honest, I couldn't even fathom what could remain out of reach for someone as powerful as her.
Alice paused, her gaze dropping slightly. It wasn't just her; Isis-san, Liliwood-san, and Megiddo-san all looked frustrated. I couldn't see Magnawell-san’s face, but I could sense the same air of helplessness from him.
"……As you can tell from the fact that she’s still searching for it, none of us could ever become the existence Kuro-san seeks."
"The existence Kuro seeks?"
"Yes. And that is because we happen to possess power. From your perspective, Kaito-san, our strength probably seems overwhelming. But even so, we don't even come close to her level. I’ll be blunt: even if the five of us fought her with everything we had, we wouldn’t be able to land a single scratch on her. The gap in our power is simply that vast."
"!?"
I knew Kuro was strong. I’d gathered from Megiddo-san’s reactions that she was in a different league than the other Kings. But I’d never imagined the gap was so wide that the rest of the Six Kings—beings who defied all common sense—couldn’t even touch her if they banded together.
"Kuro-san is the only being in this world capable of killing the absolute god, Shallow Vernal-sama. She exists on a completely different dimension of power than we do."
She could kill Shiro-san? The strongest being in existence, who possessed nearly almighty power? Just how strong did that make Kuro? I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around it.
Alice turned her eyes away, staring into the empty void as she whispered in a sorrowful voice.
"But she is... far too kind. She loves the people of this world, and she cherishes the ever-changing landscape of this reality... She is impossibly, hopelessly kind. And ironically, that kindness is exactly what has caused her so much suffering."
"Kuro is suffering? What do you mean by that…?"
"I can’t tell you any more. If I did, you would stand before her with that knowledge weighing on you... and if you did that, it would be meaningless."
"Meaningless?"
"Yes. More than anything, I need you to tell her how you feel in your own straightforward way, just as you always are. I believe that is the only path to saving her."
I didn't understand. I had no idea what Alice was talking about or what it was that Kuro truly wanted. But Alice said she was suffering, and she asked me to save her. In that case, I didn't need to overthink it.
If Kuro was hurting, and if there was something I could do about it, then I would reach out to her with everything I had. There was no reason to hesitate.
"……Kaito-san. Just as I thought, you really are a wonderful person. Here, take this."
"What is it?"
As if sensing my resolve had hardened, Alice offered a small smile and held out a gold-shining fruit. I accepted it instinctively.
"Before you tell Kuro-san how you feel, please give her that. If you do, she will surely—no, she will definitely—reject you."
"……What?"
Wait, wait. If I’m trying to confess my feelings, isn't it a disaster if she definitely rejects me?
"She has been searching for that specific existence for far too long. For hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of years... to the point that she had given up, convinced it was impossible. That is why she won't be able to believe in a miracle that happens so suddenly. She will feel terror at being offered the very thing she could never reach, no matter how much she sought it."
"……"
"The real struggle begins after that. Kuro-san will reject you with everything she has. But look at it this way: it means the depths of her heart, the parts she usually keeps hidden, will finally be exposed. I’ll leave the rest to you, Kaito-san. Find her true feelings, and then give her your answer."
"……I understand."
The specifics were still a mystery to me, but my mind was made up. In short, Kuro was probably just like me. She was hiding her true self inside a shell she’d built long ago, and she could no longer break it from the inside.
The scale of time was vastly different, of course. The shell protecting Kuro’s heart was likely far thicker and harder than mine had ever been. But Kuro had saved me... so what I had to do was already decided.
Sensing my determination, Alice gave a firm nod.
"Now then, let's move on to the main reason I brought you here today."
"Wait, there’s more?"
"Yes. As I said, Kuro-san’s power is on another dimension. No matter how strong your spirit is, if she rejects you in earnest, your body simply won't hold up. You’ll be crushed by the weight of her magic power."
I remembered the time Kuro had briefly released a sliver of bloodlust to test my Sympathy Magic. Back then, I’d truly felt the shadow of death, and my heart had almost shattered. Her magic power, when backed by hostile intent, was that intense.
If she were to truly direct her killing intent at me, it would likely be even more overwhelming than Isis-san’s Magic Power of Death.
As I stood lost in thought, Alice reached out and manifested a glowing sphere between her hands.
"That’s why, Kaito-san, we are going to lend you our magic power."
"……Huh?"
"We’re going to use our combined power to place a powerful defense magic on you. Even with this, it probably won't last long against Kuro-san... but it should at least keep you from losing consciousness the moment you face her."
Alice stepped toward me and pressed the sphere of light against my chest.
An unimaginably vast amount of magic power surged into me, forming a protective membrane over my skin. As it settled, Alice removed her mask and looked me in the eye with her bright blue gaze.
"……Shaltier. In the language of my old world, it means 'A Fragment of Illusion.' I was nothing more than a hollow phantom, but you turned me into someone real—you made me Alice. Please, more than anything, I hope this leads to a happy ending for you……"
"……Alice."
She put her mask back on and stepped aside. Next, Megiddo-san approached, holding a similar sphere of light.
"Kaito... you’re a damn interesting guy. Don't you dare lose. I’ve still got a revenge match with your name on it, after all……"
"……Megiddo-san."
As his magic power was absorbed into the barrier, a majestic voice rumbled from beneath my feet.
"To challenge an unprecedented feat... a youth ought to be a little reckless. Miyama Kaito... young man from another world with whom I share a strange fate... go and be a pioneer."
"……Magnawell-san."
His power rose from the ground and flowed into me, reinforcing the membrane until it felt solid.
"……Kaito-san. Kuromueina... she who is like a mother to us... please, look after her."
"……Liliwood-san."
Along with her gentle plea, her magic power merged with the rest. When she stepped away, Isis-san slowly approached.
"……Kaito…… save…… Kuromueina…… She has been…… in pain…… for so much longer…… than I ever was."
"……Isis-san."
"……If it’s Kaito…… I know it will be okay…… because…… Kaito…… saved me……"
She gently pulled me into a hug, and a warm, comforting magic power flowed into me.
Dear Mother, Father——
In the end, I still didn't have a clear answer as to what Kuro was searching for. But I realized that what the Six Kings had entrusted to me wasn't just magic power. I felt it was their prayer.