Chapter 367. The Truth of History
「Hikigaya Hachiman first repeatedly confirmed with the trio—Ram, Crusch, and Anastasia—ensuring that his pre-amnesia self had no connection to Shaula. Only then, through further questioning, did he learn the reason why Shaula called him "Master."」
「Under his interrogation, Shaula answered every question without fail.」
「First, she was indeed the legendary Shaula. She had lived for over four hundred years, standing guard alone at the Sage's Tower to this day. However, the world-famous achievement of sealing the Witch of Envy was actually the work of her Master, "Flugel."」
「Flugel was the one who had planted the giant tree on the plains—the same one used during the earlier White Whale subjugation.」
「In other words, Flugel planted the tree, sealed the Witch of Envy, took Shaula as his disciple, and ordered her to guard the Sage's Tower. After completing all this, he pushed all the credit for his deeds onto Shaula.」
「The logic behind this was baffling, but since it was a firsthand account from Shaula herself, it was highly credible.」
「What confused Hikigaya Hachiman was why Shaula assumed he was her Master for no apparent reason... Shaula's answer was "scent," claiming he had a unique "stench" on him.」
「"Anyone who has that stench and can still live perfectly fine is obviously only Master!"」
「Hachiman remained neutral and skeptical toward this answer—because even Anastasia, who had the keenest sense of smell, shook her head and said he didn't smell like anything at all.」
「During this time, Anastasia asked a few questions as well, but Shaula acted as if she hadn't heard a word, largely ignoring her. Left with no choice, Hachiman asked the same questions on Anastasia's behalf, and Shaula immediately answered with high spirits.」
「The gap in treatment between the two parties was obvious. The only reason Shaula was so enthusiastic was because of "Master."」
「It was impossible to tell what would happen if Shaula ever "woke up" from this delusion... even so, Hikigaya Hachiman insisted she look closely at his face and told her his name, trying to shed this unearned identity of "Master."」
「Without Shaula's help, navigating the Sage's Tower might be impossible.」
「But Hikigaya Hachiman was absolutely unwilling to deceive a pitiful person who had waited so long just to regain his own memories.」
「Shaula had waited four hundred years... He couldn't truly empathize; the number "four hundred years" was so long it felt entirely surreal to him.」
「However, he could fully understand Shaula's yearning for her "Master," that desperate sense of waiting. That "Master" who had been missing for four hundred years and was likely long dead was the "Genuine" thing Shaula craved.」
「As someone also pursuing the Genuine, how could Hikigaya Hachiman let his inexplicable self usurp that position?」
「If he were to accept the title of "Master" now, then both he and Shaula would become a joke—two ultimate "Fakes."」
「"—No way! You can't wiggle out of it, Master! Master is Master! You finally came back after four hundred years, why won't you recognize Shaula? I'm your star pupil, Master!"」
「Regrettably, Shaula seemed dead-set on embracing this "Fake" reality.」
「Judging by the fact that she didn't choose any of the other three, Hachiman felt that he must truly share something in common with that "Master," which was why Shaula had mistaken him.」
「"I really am not your Master!"」
「Hachiman had a look of pure frustration on his face. However, having grown used to his denials, Shaula simply ignored his words. She didn't even bother to argue, simply hugging him and calling out "Master, Master, Master!" with extreme intimacy.」
「It was so intimate that Crusch and Ram were secretly grinding their teeth, their fists clenched with the urge to hit someone. Even Anastasia couldn't maintain the smile on her face.」
「...Their thoughts of violence were quickly quelled.」
「As Shaula dragged them toward the Sage's Tower, they encountered a vast number of mabeasts along the way. None of those beasts lasted even a second before Shaula; they were instantly killed by laser needles heated by air friction.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman made a final assessment: "So you're the one who attacked us earlier?"」
「"Ehehe~ I was just following Master's old orders to kill anyone who approached the tower. I hadn't recognized Master back then... Wuu wuu, forgive me, Master? Anyway, Master definitely wouldn't die."」
「Shaula acted cute to beg for forgiveness. She didn't care about anyone other than Master, but she knew that if she killed people Master valued, it would surely affect her relationship with him.」
「"...What do you mean by saying I 'won't die'?" Hachiman's heart skipped a beat. He found it hard to act nonchalant.」
「"Does Master care about that?" Shaula tilted her head. "It doesn't mean anything special. It's just because Master simply won't die. Because you won't die, you're Master. Uh, or should I say, because you're Master, you won't die?"」
「As Shaula spoke, she fell into her own confusion.」
「Her phrasing suggested she knew something, but it wasn't specific; she just knew "Master" wouldn't die.」
「Her Master wouldn't die, and he wouldn't die... This common bridge left Hikigaya Hachiman in a state of distress. Could the secret of his "Return by Death" be related to Flugel?」
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While these doubts loomed over the future Hikigaya Hachiman, the people of the present were filled with pure astonishment.
The legendary Great Sage Shaula was actually a "fake," and the real Great Sage was Flugel.
This fact was earth-shattering, like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone in the other world who thought "I've seen so many secrets, nothing can surprise me anymore" completely slack-jawed.
The previous secrets—Echidna, Pandora, the Archbishops—were all parts hidden beneath the surface of the world, unknown to the public.
But this secret revealed by Shaula directly overturned the history learned by people all over the world; it shattered their most basic understanding.
If the secrets of Echidna were like telling someone who knew nothing of math, "Did you know ten plus ten equals twenty?", then the Flugel secret was like saying, "Actually, one plus one doesn't equal two; it equals three."
These were two different levels of impact. Even after suffering so many shocks, people today still felt stunned by the truth about Flugel.
And why was Hikigaya Hachiman linked to the Sage again?
"His 'Return by Death' was stated clearly in the Sanctuary to be an Authority granted by the Witch of Envy, so it shouldn't be Flugel's trump card... but based on the current situation, Hikigaya Hachiman very likely has a connection to Flugel."
In Advanced Nurturing High School, Class D, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka rubbed his chin, engaging in brain-burning deduction.
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