Mushoku Tensei

Volume 16 Chapter 4 - Nanahoshi's Hypothesis

Part 1

Be suspicious of the Human God’s words, but don’t show any hostility.

My future self said so.

Certainly the Human God has told me several questionable things.

The Dragon God plans to destroy the world, or if the Human God dies, the world will end.

Where do the lies end, and the truth begins?

There is definitely a lie somewhere.

However, I shouldn’t start thinking that certain parts are lies while others are truth.

If I do so, I might end up in a contradictory situation of falling for his lies.

Honestly, I don’t think his displeasure is an act.

The future me certainly dealt an unpredictable blow to him.

Even so.

On that point, the attitude he has taken of [Are you going to turn into my enemy?], has left me no choice.

I don’t want to show the Human God any opposition.

Being able to attack the people around me from a place that I can’t reach, I don’t have the power to protect them.

Then, I can only choose to show my allegiance.

The Human God is detestable, and probably won’t honor his promises.

But for the time being, if I try and do as he wishes, if I manage to settle things, there is a possibility that he might overlook me.

The Human God told me to kill Orsted.

Leaving out other parts, the fact that my descendants will join forces with Orsted and kill the Human God in the future seems credible for the time being.

Whether it’s me or Orsted.

If just one of us needs to die for the Human God to win, then it's fine if it’s me who survives.

I will protect my family.

The one aiming at my family is the Human God but, the Human God is in a place I can’t reach.

Since I can’t reach him, he will keep aiming at my family.

However, Orsted is in this world.

He’s not an opponent I feel I can win against. Frankly, I have no desire to fight him.

However, compared to the Human God, if it’s against him there is at least a possibility.

In the end, I want to avoid having someone die because I chose wrongly.

Part 2

On the next day after I met the Human God in a dream, I went with Sylphy to the adventurer’s guild and mailed a letter.

Afterwards, together with Sylphy, I returned to the Sky Fortress.

I separated with Sylphy at the entrance, and turned towards Nanahoshi’s location.

Having been told to kill Orsted, I wondered who I should consult with and I remembered her.

Probably because of the words my future self left me; consult with Nanahoshi.

Besides, if it’s Nanahoshi, she probably has an idea where Orsted currently is.

First, I need to go to her.

Sooner or later, I’ll need to discuss this with Sylphy and Roxy as well but…

I’m worried that they’ll start blaming themselves once they hear the story.

Whether it’s Sylphy or Roxy or the children, neither of them have any fault in this.

That’s why I should choose my words carefully.

As for the correct words to say, I have completely no idea however.

“Hey.”

“Oh. You’ve surprisingly returned quickly, haven’t you?”

A few days have already passed but, it looks like Nanahoshi still hasn’t completely recovered and is still in bed.

Still, her complexion has improved somewhat.

"Nanahoshi, I've brought some get well presents."

"Sorry for troubling you."

I put the assortment of fruits I bought from the marketplace on the table.

In this season they were a bit expensive but, if you want to ask a favor of someone, there are certain rules of etiquette that need to be followed.

Even if we are in a give and take relationship.

“You’re making a scary face. Did something happen?”

Nanahoshi asked with an uneasy look.

I wonder if I’m making such a scary face.

I probably am.

Surely, the face that I have right now is worse than Nanahoshi.

“It’s a bit sudden but, I want you to return the favor now.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“First I need you to listen, it might sound unbelievable at first though.”

“I understand.”

I slowly talked about how my future self came back to the present.

What we talked about, the events that will happen, what was written in the diary, and how, as if to support them, the Human God appeared in a dream with an irritated face. My descendants that, supposedly, will cooperate with Orsted to kill the Human God. Finally, about the Human God telling me to kill Orsted.

I told her everything.

“……”

After listening, Nanahoshi seemed as if she was brooding; putting her finger on her forehead.

“… sorry. Let me confirm… Time slip?”

“Right. He said he came from the future.”

“Any proof?”

“The diary had Japanese comments in it, and my true name from my previous life.”

“Your real name, what was it?”

“I don’t want to say.”

“If you don’t want to… But, can you really believe that person?”

“… what are you trying to say?”

“It’s possible that he’s another person who tripped into this world. He’s probably pretending to be you from the future.”

“That diary was similar to the same diary I made. It also had similar contents to mine.”

“Even with that, it’s possible it was duplicated while you were sleeping.”

If you keep throwing out skepticism then there would be no end to it.

“… But I believe he’s not a fake.”

“That’s fine but, the Human God probably sent him with that in mind.”

“Then you are saying he fabricated the diary, and our entire conversation in my dream was nothing more than an act?”

“I won’t say that but… is the Human God trustworthy?”

“No. he isn’t.”

“But you’re listening to what he says?”

“But… there’s nothing I can do about it…”

Nanahoshi sighed.

And then, as if resolving herself, said:

“To be honest, about the Human God, I also heard about him from Orsted by chance.”

“… Something like that happened?”

“Yes. Immediately after he almost killed you, he talked about him a little.”

“……”

“He didn’t talk about it in detail but, he said he would definitely kill him. However, he said it was currently impossible for him…”

Orsted moved in order to kill the Human God.

Right now it was impossible. However, it will become possible in the future.

The reason it becomes possible, is it because of my descendants?

Or is it because of the revival of the last Dragon general?

Whichever it is, the Human God wants to prevent it from happening.

For the time being, should I go along with his plans?

The more I think about it, the more I feel there is some credibility to his words.

With that timing and his attitude, would he tell lies?

Did he also foresee that conversation between us?

I have no intention to see through his lies.

No, right now, his objectives don’t matter.

“Well? Why did you talk about this to me? There are other people more suitable, right? Even if you told me, there’s nothing I can do…”

“… My future self told me to discuss it with you.”

“The future you… to me, did he?”

Hearing that, I was too embarrassed to reply.

Should I say it?

There was nothing written about it in the diary but; failing to the very end, the Nanahoshi whose fate I didn’t know about.

No. I feel it’s better to say it.

If she knew she would fail, she can prepare herself. And she can think about methods to avoid that.

“It seems that, until the very end, you failed to return.”

When I said that, Nanahoshi’s eyes opened wide.

However she closed her lips tightly and shook her head.

“Not that. The future you… why did he tell you to discuss it with me?”

“mmmm… about that… He didn’t tell me you died but, perhaps because you know about Orsted’s location, and then, you would be more knowledgeable about this type of thing than me, and would probably be able to think up a plan.”

“This type of thing?”

“Probably, something like what the Human God’s objective is or……”

If you think about it, the Human God’s objective can be identified.

He’d probably say its world peace but, in short, it’s all for the sake of avoiding his death in the future.

Well, it’s probably a lie but…

“… Hey… can you show me your diary?”

“Sure.”

I handed over my diary and, Nanahoshi opened it from the first page and started flipping through it.

She soon made a frown.

“This, is going to take some time. Your hand writing is dirty too…”

“It took me two days to read it all.”

“Is that so, then, mind giving me a day?”

“You’re going to read it in one day?”

“Reading is my strong point after all. I’ll finish it by tonight”

I wanted to tell her to scan through it and just concentrate on the important parts but, if she reads everything properly, she might be able to understand something.

On that point, I’ll just rely on her.

“Then I’ll rest for awhile. Lately, I haven’t been able to sleep much.”

“I understand. Come back after you’ve rested.”

“I’m relying on you.”

Having said that, I left Nanahoshi’s room.

In that moment, a load was lifted off my shoulders.

I felt relieved.

That’s strange. Did I have that much faith in Nanahoshi?

No. It’s different.

Nanahoshi is someone I confide in on things that I can’t tell to even Sylphy or Roxy.

If I had to say it, it’s because she’s not as important to me that I can rely on her for this.

For me to think that, I’m a cold-hearted person, aren’t I?

"…"

By coincidence I looked outside the window and saw Ariel, Zanoba, Cliff, Sylphy, and Perugius discussing something in the garden.

Luke is standing attentively at the back.

Acting as Ariel’s intermediary, Sylphy talked with Perugius. Surprisingly, she has changed a lot from the withdrawn, bullied, Sylphy I knew.

However, according to my future self, in the end Ariel returned to her country without receiving Perugius’s cooperation.

And then she lost.

Sylphy had joined her… and died.

Should I lend them a hand?

…No. I have other priorities.

Right now, I need to think about the Human God.

If I can resolve this, the incident where Sylphy dies will probably not happen.

While thinking that, I arrived at my room.

For now, I’ll go to sleep.

Part 3

When I awakened, Sylphy was already sleeping next to me.

A close-up of her usual cute, sleeping face filled my vision.

I didn’t remember sleeping with her.

That means she probably snuck in sometime after I fell asleep.

If I move, I’ll probably wake her.

She probably wanted to talk to me about the discussion with Perugius.

If that’s the case, I’m sorry.

I unfastened Sylphy’s arms that were wrapped around my waist. After caressing her hair, I left the bed.

“nn… Rudi… let’s kiss…”

With her adorable sleep-talking, and looking at her defenseless sleeping face, this is the part where I would usually get horny.

Unfortunately, I don’t have time to think about erotic things.

Fixing my bed hair with my hands, in order not to wake Sylphy, I quietly left the room.

Outside the window, the sky was already filled with stars.

It has already become night time.

Since stars also exist in this world, does that mean space as well?

Thinking about such things, I walked along the hallway.

“Where are you going this late at night?”

“Waa?”

At the corner of the hallway, a man with a yellow mask suddenly called out to me.

“……Arumanfi.”

“This is the time when humans sleep. Where are you going at this late hour?”

“To Nanahoshi’s room. Has she already gone to sleep?”

“She just asked me for some pen and paper. She’s still awake.”

“Thank you.”

With my heart beating a little fast, I left that place.

I wonder if spirits don’t go to sleep.

Well, he’s not human for sure.

A 24-hour security guard that gives peace of mind.

“If I remember correctly, the conversations inside the castle can pass through the walls, I think…”

That means, the conversation I had with Nanahoshi has also entered Perugius’s ears.

That they aren’t saying anything, means that they are just monitoring the situation?

And then not just Perugius’s ears, but the Human God’s as well…

While thinking that, I silently walked inside the castle and headed towards her room.

Outside her room, light was leaking out from the door’s crevice.

It seems she’s still awake.

For now, I’ll knock.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Rudeus.”

“Coming this late at night, won’t your wife misunderstand?”

“Should I come back tomorrow?”

“It doesn’t really matter to me. Come in, please.”

Being told to do so, I went inside.

Nanahoshi was still in bed, however, a large number of paper stacks were scattered around her.

“It’s a bit disorderly isn’t it?”

“It’s a result of considering a lot of things.”

“Did you manage to find anything?”

I asked while picking up pieces of paper and sat down on a chair.

“For the time being, thanks to your story and diary I have a hypothesis.”

“Oh? A hypothesis?”

“I've thought about it for a long time, the reason why I came to this world, this place, this era.”

Did that have any relationship with our conversation just now, I wonder?

No. It’s fine.

For now, I’ll listen.

“In the beginning, I thought it wasn’t just me, but my friends as well, who were transferred to this world.”

“……”

I wonder if it’s fine for me to ask why.

Though I already knew why she wanted to say that.

In the corner of my mind--- remained memories of my final moments in my previous world. A somewhat inexplicable phenomenon.

I tried to save three people who were going to be run over by a truck.

However, there was one person I could not save.

In the end, I ended up being run over by that truck.

And so, I was the only one who ended up getting run over by a truck.

Without being run into, Nanahoshi was transported to this world.

It would not be strange for someone else to be transported to this world other than her.

“But, no matter where I searched in this world, I couldn’t find them.”

“What’s the possibility of them dying as soon as they were transferred here?”

“I thought about it but, even though I safely came here, they died?”

And so, roaming the world together with Orsted, she searched for her friends, did she?

No. That shouldn’t be the only reason she traveled around the world.

“There wasn’t anything special that happened to me as well.”

“Truly? Nothing at all?”

“……?”

I wonder what she’s trying to say.

Certainly, there shouldn’t be anything.

My life in Buina village, together with Paul, Zenith and Lilia was peaceful.

“I, hearing that your future self came here to the past, hearing that your future self didn’t have any internal organs, wondered if I also came from the future.”

“Ha? What do you mean? Are you saying that in truth, this world’s timeline extends into our previous world?”

“Not that. If I had to say, I wonder if I can explain it. We still don’t know the reason for the teleportation incident, do we?”

“Didn’t that disaster happen because you were transferred here?”

“Yes but, beyond that theory, normally that disaster wouldn’t happen.”

But, that should have been expected since you were transferred from another world.

“However, unlike your case, there was no disaster when my future self came here.”

“Didn’t it happen?”

“What? Where?”

“Didn’t his internal organs disappear somewhere?”

“No…… that’s……”

Is this what Nanahoshi wanted to say?

That there were similarities in the vanished organs and people being transferred in the teleport disaster?

“After time-travelling fifty years, your magical power dried up.”

“…No, even if you say it dried up, he was still able to use magic.”

“However, at the time he used magic, he also started weakening right? Even though he became a powerful magician, he gave up on healing his injuries.”

Nanahoshi tapped on the front cover of the diary.

“Supposing I came from a hundred years into the future, I would need two persons worth of your magical power, right?”

I realized that Nanahoshi was trying to confirm something.

She probably learned something I still didn’t know.

“Your future self fifty years from now, traveled through fifty years and lost his internal organs.

Where did those internal organs disappear to?

Did they remain in the world fifty years from now?

If the time he traveled was a hundred years, would it just end with his internal organs?

In that situation, would his entire body remain in the future?”

“……”

“It’s different, right? The entire body would be sent to the same place the organs disappeared to.”

“Where would that be?”

“I don’t know. It’s just, until a balance is reached, everything would be tweaked. This world’s magical power should also be following the law of conservation of energy.”

The law of conservation of energy.

“I haven’t researched it in detail but… In that incident, humans probably disappeared by the thousands, or tens of thousands.”

“……”

“You, after that incident, did you feel nothing wrong with your body? Like your magical power suddenly being drained very low for example?”

After that disaster.

At that time, together with Eris, we encountered Ruijerd and became adventurers at the town of Rikarisu.

I don’t think anything happened but…

No, now that you mentioned it, I got easily tired while we were moving towards the town of Rikarisu.

A sluggish feeling, isn’t that the same as when my magical power is almost dried up?

“There was but… then what’s the difference between people who disappeared because of teleportation and those who didn’t?”

“As the Human God said, there is probably a relation to how strong their fate is? It looks like those who had strong fates didn’t disappear.”

“… Is that your guess?”

“That and everything else. All of it was conjecture. Didn’t I say it was a hypothesis?”

It looks like I have a strong fate.

And it seems the same could be said for the beautiful females around me; Both Sylphy and Eris survived.

In hindsight, my family also had strong fates.

“In short, you’re telling me you also time-traveled from the future?”

“No, I’m just wondering if it’s fine to think of it like that.”

Nanahoshi scratched her head and groaned as if she couldn’t explain it clearly.

“For sure, in the future, a situation in which the Human God is defeated will occur.”

“…Would it?”

“Yes. That’s why the Human God, in order to avoid that, made contact with you. Hey, when did you meet the Human God for the first time? Do you still remember?”

The first time I met the Human God was, right… immediately after the teleport disaster.

No, but, I feel he said something like watching me even before then.

Was that also a lie?

He said he saw me at the teleport disaster.

From which part did he start lying? And where does it end?

“Before the teleport disaster, didn’t you see anything that bothered you?”

Something that bothered me……

Nothing.

Wait… No, there was something.

In the Fedoa region, inside the room that grandfather Sauros used for sex, from that tower I saw a red sphere.

“That’s a clue, right? Do you still remember when it first appeared?”

When……?

There’s no reason I would know that…

No, wait… I feel like grandfather Sauros said something about it.

Remember.

Remember.

This body has a good memory. I should be able to remember it.

Mmm… it should be… ????????nr????????d. ????????????

“It was discovered just three years before.”

“Around the time I was five years old, I think.”

“When you were five years old, did anything happen? Did you encounter anyone?”

“If it’s when I was five years old, that was the time I met Sylphy, after that, someone else who’s special…”

Suddenly, something in my head connected.

I met with Sylphy and became close to her.

As a result, Paul pulled us apart, and I met with Eris.

And then on my tenth birthday.

I almost did it with Eris.

The teleport incident happened the next day.

And then, immediately after the teleport disaster, I started to have contact with the Human God.

In short, the future where the Human God dies was born because of that?

“Originally, you’re not someone who should have existed in this world, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you think is the reason you transferred to this world?”

“I don’t know.”

“I believe that holds some significance.”

“Significance? Like what?

“Someone, in order to the change the future, sent you and me into this era.”

“Someone? Who?”

“Surely, someone from the future. Someone who wants the Human God to die.”

I don’t understand this.

Then, is she telling me that I’m being manipulated by someone?

“I don’t understand. In the end, what are you trying to tell me?”

“I’m saying that in order for the world where the Human God dies in the future to exist, the two of us are necessary.”

This has become complicated.

“I was probably summoned to this world in order to create a method for your descendants to kill the Human God in the future.”

“……”

“That’s why, as long as I don’t create that method, I won’t be able to return to my original world. My return magic will fail.”

“Why would that happen?”

“Because that’s the reason I was called to this world. In short, my existence is a time paradox.”

Hypothesis.

The reason the Human God dies, is because my descendants and Orsted will kill him.

In order for that to happen, I need to make children.

The moment I met with Sylphy, it was established that I would make children with her.

Looking at the time that the Human God was fixated on Roxy, probably with Roxy too.

The teleport incident happened during a time where I could have done erotic things with Eris. She’s probably connected as well.

After that, it seems the Human God can’t be killed with just my descendants and Orsted alone.

In order for that to happen, there is something important that Nanahoshi needs to do.

And so, Nanahoshi was summoned.

That’s why she said [I came from the future].

Was this done because someone intended it to happen? Or was it some prank of causality?

We don’t know.

Nanahoshi’s hypothesis is that, as a result of what someone did in the future, we were created in the past.

Did the future come first?

Or was it the past?

Did the egg come first? Or the chicken?

“I understand your hypothesis.”

“I’m sorry for being bad at explaining but, I’m glad that you understood.”

It was an interesting conversation.

What comes after is an uninteresting one.

“In short; my descendants, together with Orsted, will kill the Human God. That extent is believable.”

“Well, it seems that way.”

“Then, let’s return to our original issue.”

“Original?”

“About killing Orsted.”

“That’s……”

Nanahoshi knitted her eyebrows.

"Even if your hypothesis was correct, the Human God is aiming to avoid that future. Practically, he's already done that once. Even if our fates are fixed, the future can still be changed."

"……I think it's better if you stop. More than that you should consult with Orsted. Perhaps ----"

"Please stop. The Human God is probably watching our movements at this very moment."

"……"

Hearing that, Nanahoshi looked at the ceiling.

Unfortunately, the void world lies below.

“Something like fate isn’t certain. Even if you say that my and Sylphy’s fate is strong, my father died, and my mother became an invalid. I don’t think the Human God can do anything immediately, but he can see the future. Once he sees me trying to rebel, by the time I return home, there’s a possibility Aisha and everyone else would be dead. One year after, two years after, I would continue into a path of misfortune.”

“…But, the Human God shouldn’t be able to just lay his hands on whoever he wants, right?”

“I wonder about that. If you think that way, then it’s also possible he should be able to. It wouldn’t be strange for him to hide how powerful he is.”

“I can’t deny that.”

“Besides, in the end, Orsted can’t win, right? If you can believe the Human God’s word, that is. If my descendants don’t help him, he’ll lose, right?”

“Well, if we based it on what we know, then yes.”

“I will protect my family. The one aiming at my family is the Human God but, the Human God is in a place I can’t reach. However, Orsted is in this world. I don’t know where he is but, if it’s him it shouldn’t be impossible.”

“But, you can’t trust the Human God to keep his word.”

“Orsted is the Dragon God. If the diary can be believed, then he probably knows a technique to go to the void world. If I kill him, if the method to travel to the void world disappears, then in reality, the Human God should lose his reason to target my children.”

“But, even if you kill Orsted, another method to go to the void world would probably be…”

“Then what should I do!?”

I, myself, was surprised that I shouted at Nanahoshi.

While wincing, once again, Nanahoshi repeated what she said.

“Like I said, you should discuss this with Orsted. Perhaps he can think of something.”

“I’ve already thought about becoming allies with Orsted! However, once that happens the Human God will become my enemy. Going against the Human God by myself would only result in repeating what was written in the diary. If it’s just me then I can’t win. Then what about Orsted? He’ll lose, right!? Since he can’t win alone, he trespassed into my life and threw it into disorder to get a chance at victory; and so, in order to avoid a future where he is defeated, the Human God interfered with my life! Do you think someone like that would truly have the flexibility to protect my family!? Would he even have enough power to do that!? Since I don’t know that, why should I make the Human God my enemy!? Taking on a losing battle and losing everything, it’s too late for that!”

“But! Even then, Orsted is more trustworthy than the Human God.”

“I wonder about that. I’ve been told that Orsted would destroy this world. Well, even I wouldn’t believe in that entirely but… The Human God deceived me. He guided me into misfortune with his advice. Are you sure Orsted isn’t deceiving you as well?”

“That… isn’t something I can say for sure.”

Once again, I looked at Nanahoshi’s face.

Fear has been mixed into her facial expression.

“I, whether it’s the Human God or Orsted, I don’t believe in either of them.”

All I know is how powerless I am.

Even if I go against the Human God, I won’t win; I believe those words that my future self left me.

I can clearly imagine a future, similar to that old man, where I lose everything and die miserably.

If I fight with Orsted, I can’t imagine a future other than becoming a tattered rag.

However the Human God told me my fate was strong.

Possibly, he saw a future where I defeated Orsted.

I’ll place everything on that one strand of hope.

“Nanahoshi, since you told me to discuss this with Orsted, then you know a method to contact him, correct?”

“…… Yes. That’s right.”

“Then cooperate with me on killing Orsted.”

“I, also received help from Orsted, you know?”

Nanahoshi became flustered and turned her gaze away.

When Nanahoshi came to this world, the first person she met was Orsted.

And from there, she was probably saved by Orsted numerous times.

In a manner similar to how Ruijerd saved me when I fell into the magic continent.

She doesn’t want to betray him.

I also feel the same way about Ruijerd.

Even if she dies, she wouldn’t betray him.

Even I can understand to that extent.

If it was the usual me, thinking about what would happen to our current relationship, I would pull back.

However, right now, I have no intention of holding back.

"Hey, Nanahoshi. (previous world name)Nanahoshi Shizuka”

“……”

“Did you know that, before I came to this world, I was nothing more than garbage? I don’t know what you think of me right now but… If you saw my previous self, you would clearly look down on him as trash.”

“……”

“But you know what? When I came to this world, I decided to start from scratch. I’ve had my share of failure and loss but, I’ve learned various things, and now I have something important to me."

“…”

“That is something I want to protect.”

I got off my seat.

When you’re asking from someone a favor, you shouldn’t be sitting on something.

There is a proper way to ask for help.

Go down on both hands and knees.

And beg for help.

Bow down as low as possible.

“I beg you. Please help me.”

The floor of the Sky Fortress was cold and hard.

“There’s a possibility that the Human God would abruptly change his mind. I don’t want to see a day where I discover that my entire family has been massacred because we hesitated…”

“Wait, what are you doing!? Stop that!”

“I don’t want to lose anyone. Please help me.”

Nanahoshi got off the bed.

Seizing my shoulder, she forced me to raise my face.

“I understand… I’ll help, so please don’t stay in that pose anymore.”

Seeing Nanahoshi’s tired face, I apologized to her in my head.

At the same time, [It went well], I thought.

Inside my heart, I was assuming a triumphant pose.

“I’m in your debt.”

I was probably in the wrong.

However, I no longer had any other option……