The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

The wayside shrine of the Title-erasing Shamanesses in Eddo — Here, once upon a time, Asley handed a vial of Pochibitan D to Kaoru, one of the Shamanesses, and had her erase some of his titles.

Kaoru now sat formally in front of the hearth, and on the other side of the hearth sat another man.

His name was Eigul. He was a descendant of Guile, who led the Kugg Boars during the previous war. 

Even now, Eigul led their successors, the Eddo Boars, and guarded both the interior and exterior of Kaoru’s shrine.

“Are you sure you don’t need some rest?”

Eigul asked Kaoru.

“On a night like this, anyone who can sleep must be out of their mind. Would that be your answer if I asked you, too?”

“Yes, it might very well be.”

Eigul, casting his eyes down at Kaoru, offered a faint smile and asked, as if something had just crossed his mind,

“My sister? She’s in a safe place. In the end, she never got to meet Asley. She used to be so eager to see him not too long ago, but now she doesn’t even have the energy to show that.”

“Could it be… the influence of the Foresight Evil Eyes?”

“She was never particularly healthy to begin with. After the war, she refrained from relying on the Foresight Evil Eyes, but when a new threat approached, she couldn’t avoid using them. And of course, the frequency increased each time the final night drew near. But even before this, she already almost wrecked her body once from overusing  them, so…”

Kaoru spoke of her sister Jun’ko with a hint of exasperation, yet her face did not betray any annoyance.

Sensing this, Eigul smiled and looked at Kaoru.

“Lady Jun’ko has an admirable younger sister, it seems.”

“Flatter won’t get you anything.”

“Still, Lady Jun’ko used it to the point of compromising her health… Whose future could she have been looking it?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Oh-ho… I suppose I should simply assume that it’s ‘someone important,’ then.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Kaoru immediately refuted Eigul’s words. Then, while looking at the hearth, she spoke with a grumpy tone,

“You know, the mood kind of sucks around here, doesn’t it. Would be nice if we got a fire going, but it’s summer, so there’s no need for that…”

“Hahaha… whether the Devil King aimed for it or not, designating the last day of summer as the decisive battle… It seems whether the next season comes for us or not depends on Sir Poer… Well, Asley.”

“…Yup.”

“So, what did you mean by ‘not that simple’?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Huh?”

In response to Kaoru’s words, Eigul tilted his thick neck.

“I said I don’t know. The person she was using her Evil Eyes to check the future of.”

“Even you, her little sister, don’t know…?”

“Yeah, she never told me… That’s the best answer you’ll get. I thought for sure it might have been… that bird, you know.”

“You mean your friend… Chappie?”

Kaoru nodded quietly.

“But it might not be Chappie, either…?”

“Well, it might be him or it might not be. There’s no way to know for sure.”

“It’s quite vague, yes…”

“Nothing we can do about it. Whenever I asked her, she’d just smile at me. I swear, she’s such a troublesome sister…”

“I see… You seem genuinely exasperated this time.”

“That’s what I intended to convey, yeah.”

“And you were finally successful in conveying the right emotion for it.”

“Not like there’s all that much time left, so yeah…”

At Kaoru’s words, Eigul crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling.

“Whether this ends in tears or laughter…”

“Whether we celebrate or cry in fear…”

“Everything depends on…”

“…Asley…”

After such a conclusion, both Eigul and Kaoru… showed somber expressions.

“This is making me feel quite helpless.”

“For Asley… for someone as immature as him, it’s really too big of a burden.”

“Too much even for Miss Pochi…”

“Yeah, he has to overcome it on his own. All we can say to him is… ‘We’ll follow you in death,’ you know.”

Kaoru said that with a bashful smile, and Eigul chuckled.

“This might be the first time I’ve seen you like this, Lady Kaoru.”

For a moment, Kaoru seemed embarrassed by Eigul’s words.

However, she quickly regained her composure and turned her face away from Eigul as she spoke,

“Just so you know, that was not an act.”

“Yes, I understand.”

While smiling, Eigul looked at Kaoru. However, Kaoru could not bring herself to meet Eigul’s gaze for a while.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Late at night in T’oued, deep within the city, a seemingly young girl stumbled along the path leading to the Shamaness’ temple.

“Seriously, that Jennifer… she’s too heavy of a drinker. If she messes up tomorrow, I swear I won’t let her hear the end of it…”

The one walking the path, who had just participated in a drinking party with Warren, Dallas, Trace, and Jennifer, was Irene, the namesake of the wine — the Invincible Sprout.

There were several paths leading to the temple, which naturally meant there were other ways that intersected with Irene’s chosen path.

Two figures approached from another path, individuals well known to Irene.

“I knew you’d be here.”

“Oh, Miss Irene. Good evening.”

Arriving from that branching path were Lylia, the former Holy Warrior, and the Silver Princess Haruhana. Haruhana greeted Irene with narrowed eyes, and Irene, noticing Haruhana’s gaze, instinctively averted her eyes.

“W-what a coincidence…”

“You do know that I can sense arcane energy, right? Surely you can do that as well.”

Lylia’s words left Irene momentarily speechless.

Lylia, one of the few individuals Irene could counter with her position, employed a unique sarcasm.

Yet, beyond that sarcasm, Haruhana looked toward the temple with a concerned expression.

“No, perhaps everyone in Eddo has sensed it. The waves of this arcane energy are so fleeting… so fragile…”

Haruhana tightly gripped the hand resting on her chest.

Naturally, Irene was also following this path after having sensed the unstable arcane energy.

As Lylia and Haruhana, who had just left the Adventurers’ Guild with light footsteps, approached the source of the arcane energy, their anxiety intensified.

“…Let’s go. Looks like someone else up ahead had the same idea as we do.”

“Right.”

“Agreed.”

With Irene’s words, the three resumed their journey towards the remnants of the temple.

As they approached, the cobblestone path leading to the temple became increasingly soiled, cracked, and shattered with each step. Eventually, they traversed an area where the cobblestones seemed to have completely disappeared, crossing numerous large craters. Beyond them were the temple ruins where Asley and the Devil King Lucifer had clashed just a few days ago.

“…So this is the aftermath of that clash…”

Haruhana held her breath at each trace left by the Devil King.

Lylia and Irene, while silent, struggled to fully comprehend the scale of the clash between beings that surpassed their own understanding. Furthermore, the fact that Asley, who had been playing the fool until yesterday, had survived such a confrontation added to their bewildered reactions.

“…There they are.”

Irene stopped in her tracks, her gaze fixed on the familiar silhouette of the Fool’s familiar — and the Fool’s first student beside her.

“…Are they… hiding?”

Lylia narrowed her eyes, surveying the location where those two were.

As one was expected, indeed, they were hiding in one of the pits created by the battle.

In the distance, the silhouette of someone who appeared to be Asley was visible, yet those two figures showed no inclination to approach.

They simply watch over him.

“And he’s… over there…”

Haruhana blurted out, though no one could blame her for it — After all, even Pochi, the one closest to Asley, could not get any closer to him. Haruhana, Irene, and Lylia headed toward the pit where Pochi and Lina were, keeping their approach as discreet as they could. 

Indeed, they were trying not to be noticed by Asley. Even if their footsteps were hushed, it was inevitable that they would be noticed once they got too close. Lina turned around, welcoming the three with a glance.

“It’s hard not to feel concerned, isn’t it…”

As soon as Lina catches sight of the three, she lowers her gaze, revealing a somber expression.

“With this much unstable arcane energy scattered around, anyone would be worried.”

Though Irene’s voice is soft, her words carry a certain strength — and deep beneath them all was her concern for Asley. The three new arrivals took a seat beside Lina and Pochi, casting worried glances at Asley in the distance.

“How long has he been like this…?”

In response to Haruhana’s question, Lina shook her head. It was a fact even Lina herself was unaware of.

“…I think it’s been three whole hours now…”

Finally, Pochi opened her mouth.

It turned out that Pochi had been keeping a watchful eye on Asley from the beginning.

While each of them had chosen to spend their last night separately, Asley and Pochi opted to spend it alone. Arriving after Pochi were Lina, Irene, Lylia, and Haruhana.

However, no one could approach Asley — not even Pochi.

“Should we… go and say a few words to him…?”

Hearing Haruhana’s worried words, Pochi silently shook her head.

“My Master… Asley… he’s over there because he wants to be alone. So please let him be…”

Given Pochi’s words, the other four had nothing to say.

However, their concern for Asley’s actions remained unchanged.

Irene and the others proceeded to keep an eye on Asley — and then Lylia was the first to notice what those subtle movements of his meant.

“He’s shaking…? No…”

It was not mere movement, but an involuntary response — or rather, not even that, but an expression of Asley’s soul.

“…He’s trembling.”

As Irene put it, Asley was casting his eyes down, trembling.

Soon, Asley embraced his own shoulders and shrunk himself as if hiding from something.

Lina and Haruhana covered their mouths with both hands, restraining their voices that were about to leak out.

Irene’s mouth naturally opened slightly, as if questioning the reality of the events earlier this evening. It was as if she was looking at a totally different person than the one she met just a while ago. 

Lylia looked on at Asley in this state, clenched her teeth, and closed her eyes tightly.

“He must be so terrified…”

Lylia forced words out of her mouth, targeting the core of Asley’s emotions.

It was something everyone in this place had noticed.

Lylia had fought against Devil King Lucifer in the past, defeating him with the cooperation of everyone. However, Lucifer was an opponent Lylia alone could never have defeated. Asley, Pochi, Giorno, and Lylia — all of them faced and overcame the strongest entity they had ever fought against.

And now, the same Lucifer was back, his power far surpassing the Devil King they had fought before. 

Lylia, understanding Asley’s emotions, recalled the terror of Lucifer, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Everyone sensed Lylia’s feelings and, in turn, understood Asley’s state of mind.

Immediately after, Pochi’s ears twitched.

It was evidence that she had heard something from Asley.

Realizing this, everyone approached the edge of the pit, focusing their ears.

What reached them from Asley was a small, faint tremor — a sound like the buzzing of a mosquito, a sob.

“…No… No… No… I don’t wanna die… But… But… If not me… then who else…? No… No… I don’t wanna die…”

Hugging his own shoulders, trembling, crying, overwhelmed by fear, shaking his head — everyone who witnessed Asley in such a state found themselves at a loss for words. 

Lina and Haruhana had tears welling in their eyes, while Irene and Lylia bit their lips to suppress their overflowing emotions. Even Irene, the leader of the Resistance, and Lylia, the former Holy Warrior, could not keep themselves in control. 

Each shed their tears, cursing their own powerlessness, unable to share it with Asley.

Pochi looked straight at Asley’s trembling silhouette — a silhouette tainted with fear. She, too, could not keep herself from crying.

“No one can replace my Master… No one. There was never anyone who could stand beside him… My Master… Asley… He’s the only one who can face Lucifer… No one can take his place…”

Pochi repeated her words again and again, keeping her eyes on Asley as she cried.

“God… please. I’ll eat less. I’ll listen to anything Asley says. I’ll get my act together… So please… please save Asley…!”

Pochi’s vision was so distorted that it could no longer fully capture Asley.

Her head bowed down, she prayed to God… but His power over this world had all but vanished.

Understanding this painful fact all too well, the tears of everyone present in this place never ceased until the break of dawn — The dawn of the final battle.

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