After savoring the cocktail Iris had prepared, I broached the main subject with Anima over a few light snacks.
"Anima, I have a favor to ask. It's about Fate and my parents. They both seem to want to bridge the gap between them, but things haven't been going very well. I've been trying to think of a way to help."
"I see. That is a difficult problem, indeed. I have some experience with such things myself."
"You do?"
"Yes. As you know, Master, I was once a Black Bear—a monster. Even after I took human form, it took quite a while for me to adjust. Back then, my common sense dictated that any problem I faced should be solved with brute force."
Hearing her say that brought back memories of Anima when we first met. In those early days, she really had been like a bared blade, always ready for a fight.
It was only natural, considering that was how she had lived as a Black Bear. Over time, however, she had softened. She eventually stopped treating everyone around her with such constant intimidation. Now, she had gained an education and a sense of propriety; she was someone I could rely on for almost anything.
"Fate-dono is a Goddess. Even if she looks like us, her values are bound to differ from those of humankind. I only lived for twenty years as a monster, yet even I struggled to adapt. For someone who has lived as long as Fate-dono, changing her perspective must be an even greater challenge."
"I see. By the way, was there a specific turning point for you? Something that made you change your way of thinking?"
"Let me see... Thinking back on it now, it was seeing Alice-dono that changed everything for me. Until that point, I looked down on everyone around me. Perhaps because I was stronger than others of my kind, deep down, I saw everyone except you and Shallow Vernal-sama as beneath me."
Anima tilted her glass slightly, a nostalgic expression crossing her face.
"Duchess Lilia was already far stronger than me back then, but since I had never truly seen her fight, I think I harbored a vague belief that I would eventually surpass her."
"And that changed when you saw Alice?"
"It did. At first, I believed Alice-dono was a mere human. But seeing her battle Sigma-dono made my blood run cold. Bacchus-dono, who appeared afterward, also possessed immense power, but I felt something from Alice-dono that was far more profound—something bottomless."
I understood what she meant. Perhaps because Anima had lived as a monster for so long, she possessed an instinctive sense for identifying true predators. During that fight with Sigma, she had sensed a fraction of Alice's true power—the power of one of the strongest beings in the world—and it had terrified her.
"I realized then just how small I was. I wondered how I could have been so arrogant from such a lowly position. You know the rest, Master. I struggled with a sense of inferiority, but your words helped me find my footing again. It was from that point, I think, that my values began to change. I stopped viewing those around me as lesser beings."
"I see. A change in perspective... a catalyst."
"Yes. While a major catalyst would be ideal, such things do not happen easily. Therefore, while it may be a cliché method, perhaps the best thing to do is simply provide them with more opportunities to talk."
Anima’s suggestion felt right. Whether Fate’s values changed on their own or a specific catalyst appeared, they needed the opportunity for it to happen. As a practical matter, no amount of outside advice would change things instantly. However, providing a place for them to interact was something even I could do.
"Thank you, Anima. I think I know what I need to do now."
"If I could be of service to you, Master, then nothing could make me happier."
I could act as the mediator. I would organize tea parties and other gatherings to increase the chances for Fate and my parents to meet. Even if they had to talk through me at first, that was fine. I could bring up topics to make things easier for them. If they had enough conversations, they might eventually find that spark for change. And if they didn't, I would just think of something else.
Feeling as though my path had cleared slightly, I reached for my glass. As I did, Iris held out a small plate with a dish resembling carpaccio and spoke.
"In that case, let me gift you these words. There was once an idiot—a mediocre talent who was a jack-of-all-trades but second-rate at everything—who nevertheless spent long years honing every one of those skills until they were all world-class. That person used to say: 'In my dictionary, the word "impossible" is written in big, bold red letters, but the word "quit" isn't in there at all.'"
"Those are good words."
"Aye... They also said, 'When you're facing a giant wall, there's no point wondering if you can get over it or not. You should be thinking about how to get over it, right?' Well, I happen to have such a positive... and appallingly foolish best friend."
Don't quit, even if it's impossible. If you have time to worry, spend it thinking about how to make the impossible possible. Those were the words of someone who had been hailed as a hero in another world.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a certain someone clutching her beet-red face in both hands and rolling around on the floor in embarrassment, but I decided to ignore her. Thanks to Anima and Iris, I knew what I had to do. Now, it was just a matter of putting it into practice.
Serious-senpai: "What is with these posts on the Zero-Dimensional Net?! They're saying the only reason I'm so well-versed in booze is because I'm a stress-drinker! I only have cocoa here! I'd love to escape into a bottle, but there isn't any! Just piles and piles of books about food and drink!"
Me-o: "Um... actually... those are mine..."