PROLOGUE

P/N let me know if there's any mistakes and I will try to fix them

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 Hörn, 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 Hörn 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.

Hörn'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 Hörn handle all the duties required of a goddess.

Hörn 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.