Prologue: Super Orario RPG

Do you know about role playing?

It's performing a certain role, sometimes even immersing yourself in it to the point of

becoming that role.

Using imagination, dreams, to simulate being someone other than yourself.

However, in our case, it's nothing so simplistic as a mere simulation.

It was just a game at first.

Dying of boredom, I descended to the mortal realm just like so many other deities.

I created a familia. Traveled the world. Became bound to Orario. Explored the Dungeon.

And after having enjoyed all the various pleasures of the mortal realm, in an entirely

unsurprising development, I grew bored again.

The unknown that excites us so is not something that is always just around the corner.

Indeed, as more and more layers of mystery are peeled back, my excitement fades and

the days become uninteresting and bland. It's pleasing to see my followers grow, and

cherishing them is truly fulfilling. That isn't a lie. But somewhere along the line, I

ended up with just as much time on my hands as I had in the heavens.

That was why the game that Zeus and the others were playing happened to catch my

interest one day.

That's how you get role playing.

A certain number of deities are capable of suppressing their divinity. Once they've

hidden all evidence of their heavenly origin, they become residents of the mortal

realm, assimilating into society, living life as a mortal. Each assumes a role and

immerses themselves to forget their divinity and enjoy this world anew.

Looking down at the board upon which the children are arrayed, they adjust their

personality and voice and become one of the pieces on the board.

It was simple enough to laugh it off as a curious pastime, but in the end, I couldn't

endure the ever-growing boredom and amused myself with that same game.

The role that I chose for my entertainment was that of a city girl.

I had the true name and history I received from Ho rn, so it seemed a perfect choice.

That child's magic—Vana Seiðr—had an interesting side effect.

By using my ichor as a medium, a connection was established that allowed her to share

in my divinity, which also made it possible to reproduce the girl's face.

Back in the heavens, Zeus was famed for his transformations. A bull, a swan, even a

shower of rain. That insufferable Odin could transform, too. Most deities have a variety

of masks they can don at will.

My girl had been the same. In order to slip away from the other deities who pestered

me in the heavens, I would often cease to be Freya in order to sneak out of the temple.

When I found that I could take the form of that girl without running afoul of the rules

that normally bound arcanum, I laughed. My covenant with Ho rn gave her a taste of

divinity, and it turned out to be quite the bounty for me as well.

The mysteries of the mortal realm are truly without compare.

Ho rn's wish to become a goddess is the one area where her will and desire surpass

Ottar and all my other children.

The strength of that will is what allowed her to succeed in summoning—in

becoming—a goddess. Perhaps it also included Syr because her wish was not just to

be Freya but ultimately to be a blessed and happy girl.

Of course, the exchange of true names bore a crucial meaning.

A name is a manifestation of a body.

Perhaps that explains why I was able to take on that child's appearance from the

moment I received the name Syr.

In any case, I gained a convenient mask for my role playing.

This was the birth of my Syr.

In exchange for allowing Mia to half retire, I started working at her tavern. She made

no effort to hide her distaste for the situation, naturally.

During the periods I erased my divine power and immersed myself in my role, I let

Ho rn handle all the duties required of a goddess.

Ho rn could become both Freya or Syr using her magic, though the number of times I

gave her permission for the latter could be counted on one hand.

She ecstatically threw herself into performing the role of Freya, taking care of even

bothersome tasks with an energetic verve, as if it were an honor to carry them out. I

can't say I don't understand where she was coming from, but part of me wanted to

point out how that eagerness was rather out of character for me.

And even if her appearance and divine presence were identical, no matter how well

she tried to mirror my speech and gestures, Loki would've seen right through the

illusion, so I always made sure to personally attend Denatus and the banquets of the

gods and those sorts of assemblies. Even then, though, I hardly ever really showed my

face.

The protection provided by Allen and the others was a compromise. I really would

have preferred being entirely alone. But it wasn't as if I didn't understand their love,

so I gave a little ground on that point.

It was just a stopgap to forestall the boredom. Nothing more than a sideshow.

That's what I thought at first, but this little charade completely betrayed my

expectations in the most delightful of ways.

All the children visiting the tavern. All those different, radiant points of light. All the

scuffles I experienced firsthand.

There wasn't any time to feel bored.

And I found out I wasn't nearly adroit enough to perfectly play the role I had chosen

for myself, either.

I discovered that I was helpless with cooking or cleaning.

And then there was that unmistakable look of exasperation that always crossed Mia's

face whenever I made a shocking number of mistakes.

There's no counting the number of times I tossed and turned in bed, dying of

embarrassment.

But, yes, it was fun.

Connecting with children on their terms, working together, gaining their friendship

and trust…

Children are incomprehensibly incomplete and insecure. Worried, unsure, and

burdened by the most trivial of things, they still always climb back to their feet, driven

by a will of steel. They possess a radiance that simply doesn't exist among timeless,

unchanging deities. I respect and adore that brilliance.

Above all, I love beautiful things.

I love those who strive to be beautiful for the sake of others.

A lost kitten, a lonely black cat, a girl looking for a place to belong, an elf doing

everything she can to stay true to herself even when she finds herself far beyond her

comfort zone. They are all favorites of mine.

With so many children, there were so many things to learn, and my eyes shone with

excitement.

Interacting with children I didn't know quickly became a hobby, and my heart began

to ache.

As I fell deeper into my role. I found myself immensely enjoying my life as Syr.

And then I found him.

No, I met him.

That boy whose soul is so white and translucent.

The that would drive me mad.

That's the reason why.

Etiquette and respect.

Pride and appearance.

Even emptiness—I cast it all aside.

That is why I killed Syr