The first meeting between the King of Ruin and the Hero of Verbal Blunder was, contrary to what their subordinates had imagined, an unexpectedly calm and cordial affair.
The location was the throne room of the Mynoghra royal palace.
Surrounding them were their respective attendants and, in Takuto's case, the guards designated as "Outcasts," all observing the unfolding proceedings.
Vittorio, in a move peculiar for him, had brought along a deputy who appeared to be a young girl.
"Hero Vittorioooo! I humbly present myself before Your Majesty!"
The hero performed a respectful oath of fealty, apologizing for his tardiness while pledging his loyalty.
The king responded to this with a voice that was magnanimous and casual, yet brimming with majesty and an air of awe-inspiring fear.
On the surface, it was an unremarkable encounter between lord and vassal.
A scene of no particular consequence, worthy perhaps of a single line in a history book, if that.
However, anyone perceptive could easily imagine that this place had already transformed into a battlefield of words.
King Takuto was scrutinizing every gesture and nuance of his subordinate's speech to discern the true intent beneath.
And Vittorio, as the vassal, was meticulously explaining his actions to the king, seeking to prove that his loyalty was unblemished.
"Oh, you've come well, Vittorio."
They were still sizing each other up.
None of the onlookers present could yet gauge what King Takuto was truly feeling toward Vittorio.
To all appearances, it was a harmonious discussion. But they had spent ample time decrying the hero's arrogant presumption. No one had predicted it would proceed safely and without incident.
"It seems you've been working energetically while I was unable to act. Thank you. It's been a while, but I've finally managed to secure some time for us."
"What is it you speak of! It is only natural for a national hero to exert themselves body and soul for their leader! The king merely exists, and the vassal offers unwavering devotion! That is the natural order!"
"...Is that so. Then, once more, I am Takuto Ira. Do you remember me?"
"Of course I remember! The brilliant intellect that has mastered 'Eternal Nations'! The heavenly genius who bends all hardships and difficulties to their will with unmatched wisdom, leaving no foe undefeated! Takuto Ira is the name of one who stands at the apex of all existence! You are the only player to whom I, your humble servant, bow my head!"
"Oh, I feel embarrassed no matter how many times you say it. Still, I'm happy you shared those days with me."
"As if I could forget! Would I, of all people, forget? Oh, Divine One! O Great Lord! I have never forgotten a single moment spent in your company!"
Takuto cast a brief glance around, noting the Dark Elves present wore expressions of confusion.
The fact that Mynoghra was a nation existing within the game "Eternal Nations" was one of the details Takuto had kept secret.
Vittorio, knowing this, had still spoken so freely.
Was it an attempt to seize the conversational initiative by provoking unease? Or did he simply wish to observe the bewildered Dark Elves for amusement?
Or perhaps he had simply forgotten to maintain composure in his excitement?
Either way, a slip of this magnitude could be easily glossed over, and the Dark Elves wouldn't understand the true reference. Being accepted as merely speaking the language of his divine realm made that part easier.
Takuto couldn't entirely hide a slight smile that escaped him, betraying his inner excitement.
How long had it been since he'd engaged in this kind of exchange, one that constantly demanded reading the other's intentions?
This situation, where he had to be on his guard during conversation, was personally desirable.
Conflict could, at times, be welcome.
Takuto was, by nature, rather the hot-blooded type.
However... he now had his own position to consider. If this were an actual game, or if the other party were someone of no consequence, acting on his own desires would be perfectly acceptable.
But now he was the master of a nation. That responsibility undeniably shaped his options differently.
(First, I should address this willful conduct... Come to think of it, this is the first time I've had to formally reprimand a subordinate for problematic behavior. Everyone has been quite obedient so far, and the worst I've had to do was give a warning. Still... perhaps this kind of thing will be necessary in the future.)
Well now, what to do?
In front of his subordinates, he had to draw a clear line regarding Vittorio's conduct.
On that point, Takuto had no grounds for complaint.
Fair rewards and strict punishments were the fundamental creed of any organization.
But in Vittorio’s case, it might carry a different weight.
"I have already received reports of your actions. Your merit is great, but your independent actions have been somewhat excessive. Knowing your nature, it may be unavoidable, but causing trouble for others is still unacceptable."
"If my actions are the issue, then I will accept any punishment! If that is what is needed now, then please, give me your worst! I have both the preparation and resolve! Yes! Here and now, that is what is required! Come, let the King himself deliver a stimulating and radical punishment to me!"
"Hmm. You are quite enthusiastic. A punishment befitting you... I am undecided."
"For your information, I can transform pain and suffering into pleasure! So, bring it on!"
This was the problem.
Even if some punishment were to be given to Vittorio, this hero possessed such unique circumstances that a general punishment would not function as one.
Inflicting pain or suffering was third-rate. Stripping status or duties was second-rate.
Only by delivering the humiliation he would find most unforgivable would one approach a passing grade. But did such a thing even exist for this hero who mocked and laughed at all creation?
Takuto revised several points of his future policy in his mind, assessing the choices he should make.
"A half-hearted punishment might actually disappoint him... Ah, well. We will address that in due course, in a way everyone can agree upon. That works for everyone, right?"
"YES, SIR!!"
The dark elves wore somewhat discontented expressions.
That Vittorio would not be sentenced to punishment here was infuriating, but if punishment would eventually be delivered, they could accept it. It was one of those hard-to-describe expressions.
Catering to the morale of one’s subordinates while issuing judgments might seem like a slight failing for a ruler, but this current state was precisely what was desirable. The proper time for action was not now.
With that judgment made, Takuto continued his questioning of Vittorio.
"Now then, next. Vittorio, you created... let me see, what was it called again? Ah, it doesn’t matter. Everyone calls it that, so let’s call it the Church of Ira. Tell me the purpose behind creating it."
"That is, of course, for the sake of Lord Takuto Ira, the god, and for the sake of my dream!"
Hmm, as Takuto considered.
He had no knowledge regarding Vittorio’s dream.
In other words, this meant that such an item did not exist within the settings of “Eternal Nations.”
Vittorio was a hero of gaffes and ridicule.
A man who viewed everything solely as his plaything, holding a certain resignation toward the world—for him to harbor a wish he wanted fulfilled was an entirely unforeseen statement, even for Takuto.
What on earth could it be? Before he could voice the question, the answer was abruptly delivered.
“To become a lovely girl and stand by the side of the great god Takuto Ira! I am a Hapian fundamentalist! As long as I have myself and the god, that is sufficient! That is my dream!”
“Ugh, my head is starting to hurt…”
“Incidentally, I also have a rough sketch of my beautiful girl self. Would you like to see it?”
Instantly, a slackness named exhaustion slipped into the previously tense atmosphere.
His retainers sighed, believing their lord had started rambling nonsense again, while the aide who had accompanied him showed overt shock and agitation at this sudden outburst in such a solemn setting.
Everyone... was taking Vittorio’s words as just another jest, as usual.
But the reason Takuto’s head ached was different from the others.
Takuto’s concern lay in the fact that Vittorio’s outburst possessed the potential to be both a joke and entirely sincere.
Vittorio was known to sometimes do things utterly out of left field.
That was true in the settings of “Eternal Nations,” and as an actual AI, he also frequently exhibited such behavior.
But only Takuto knew.
That amidst Vittorio’s bizarre actions within the game, there often existed intentions cleverly hidden within.
It was precisely because Takuto could, however tenuously, discern those aims that he had reigned as Vittorio’s master.
He had been on the receiving end of praise and astonishment from many, along with a fair amount of exhaustion.
So to dismiss these words as a joke left one feeling rather unsettled.
"Illustrations are fine, by the way. And isn't that dream of yours a bit difficult to achieve? At the very least, I definitely wouldn't say yes..."
"Dreams shine brightest precisely because they are foolish! That is why one yearns for them so strongly one cannot look away! That is a dream! A dream! A dream come true! I shall do it! I will become that cute, cute, clumsy, lonely, furry-eared beautiful girl, and I will definitely cross over to the other side of divine bliss!!!"
"If you could do such a thing, sure. Can you?"
"I can, of course! I, for one, can!"
"I see... You're full of confidence. My head is starting to hurt more and more."
Into this pointless exchange, words of uncertain truth were being slathered on.
For Takuto, unraveling the riddles Vittorio brought was not particularly arduous.
Being subtly challenged like this even managed to stir a bit of motivation...
The key to measuring his true intentions, the hint, was likely the girl he had brought along.
Takuto's gaze shifted to the goat-beastgirl who had been frozen stiff like a borrowed cat until now—Yonayona.
"Come to think of it, I missed the timing, but that girl over there is new, isn't she?"
"O-oh, o-oh, o-oh, it is an honor to meet you! God!"
Yonayona looked startled by the sudden address.
She must have heard beforehand—this was the acting high priest of the Ira faith, someone Vittorio had his eye on. It was probably a formal meeting, but Takuto muttered to himself that it was yet another unusual selection.
Perhaps due to the teachings of the Ira faith, or simply from the words of the God Takuto Ira himself, she was so overwhelmed with emotion and tension that she had been showing a quite amusing degree of composure loss up until now.
"Hmm. What do you think?"
With a wry smile at her attitude, Takuto looked lightly toward the ceiling and posed the question.
In response to that query, landing silently in the spot was his guard, the "Imperfect."
He, or she—or that aberration which could be described as neither—stared fixedly at Yonayona at Takuto's will, then with a cherubic voice made a bright "Mmpha!" sound.
"Nothing special, really. Just a perfectly ordinary girl, huh."
"What a 'Useless' appraisal indeed! For one so noble as the great Takuto Ira, such vigilance is quite remarkable!"
With a voice full of surprise, as if to say "unexpected," Vittorio provocatively questioned the true intent behind the previous action.
It was certainly cautious, but Takuto had no reason to omit that, given how his attempts to appear nonchalant had already backfired painfully.
"A lot has happened lately. Someone I thought was an ally turned out to be an enemy mimic. You should watch out too, Vittorio. The unexpected always arrives suddenly, and quietly."
"Mmmm! Words of enlightenment from the great Takuto Ira! Truly, I am most grateful!"
Considering Vittorio's personality, this girl named Yonayona was almost certainly someone prepared for some specific purpose.
He intended to discern what that purpose might be from here on out, but at least there were no signs of any abilities like mimicry being used, which was somewhat reassuring.
He hadn't expected her to be easily seen through from the start, of course.
"Oh, I got sidetracked again. So, what kind of job has our Vittorio over there assigned to you?"
He posed the question as his natural right.
But with just that question, Yonayona seemed to reach her limit. Her face turned bright red, and she opened and closed her mouth like a gasping carp, unable to speak.
The tension seemed to rob her even of her voice.
The inhabitants of Mynoghra generally felt awe toward their king, Takuto, and almost always tensed up when directly addressed.
It was a scene that had become commonplace before. While close subordinates might handle it, the common citizens would invariably become flustered whenever Takuto spoke to them.
Even so, her reaction was unusual, and it succinctly illustrated Takuto's position as a god within the Ira faith.
"You don't need to be so nervous. Look, now I'm starting to get nervous too."
Due to his own social awkwardness, the tension was infectious, and Takuto began to fidget quite seriously.
As if understanding their respective attitudes, Vittorio threw them a lifeline.
"Her name is Yonayona! She is my backup plan for when I fail, you seeee, so I have had her learn a variety of tasksss!"
"Second Plan?"
Takuto glanced briefly toward Yonayona, a skeptical expression forming.
The Dark Elf was visibly shaken by his gaze, shrinking back repeatedly. Yet the unease Takuto felt stemmed from something else entirely.
It was an uncharacteristic move for Vittorio. This hero should harbor no notion of trusting others. He would want to handle everything himself. Cooking up contingency plans like a "Second Plan" or backup strategies simply wasn't his style.
Hence the feeling of dissonance.
"Yes. Every eventuality demands a Second Plan! Even a divine being such as Takuto Ira must have one, in case those Dark Elves fail, no? Especially if they're the useless sort, a replacement should be simple!"
"Wh—?!"
A blatant insult.
The Dark Elves addressed bristled with indignation.
Just as shouts seemed ready to fly, Takuto raised his hand to stop them—how many times had he done this now?
So, that was why Vittorio had proclaimed right here that he needed a Second Plan.
If that was the case, it also explained why Vittorio had acted so frivolously toward the Dark Elves and Atou when he first came to this world.
"Understood. So you mean everyone living in this Great Cursed Realm is replaceable."
"Indeed I do!!"
It made sense. This hero trusted no one from the very start.
Neither the Dark Elves, nor Atou.
That was precisely why he had assembled his own forces to manage personally.
A fitting stratagem for him, truly. No doubt this so-called Second Plan had its own hidden layers.
That posture of his—shrouding everything in shadow, playing the fool while marching steadfast toward his own goals—was almost refreshingly candid. A schemer ought to be exactly like this.
Takuto, seemingly having gained some insight of his own, promptly moved to address the next point. Not Vittorio, but the girl sitting stiffly beside him, utterly rigid with nerves.
"Well, I'm sure everyone has their thoughts on the matter, but let's all bear with it for now. Uh, it's Yonayona, right? You're the acting Pope, but it must be tough, isn't it? Vittorio is just... like this. You must be constantly burdened by him."
"N-no, that's not true at all! For the sake of the God, I will endure any trial!"
"That's practically calling me a nuisance by implication, isn't it~?"
Ignoring Vittorio's interjection, Takuto turned a warm gaze towards Yonayona. He spoke as gently as he could to the deeply nervous girl, trying to soothe her heart.
"I see. It's tough, but I'm counting on you. I have high expectations. Ah, is there anything you'd like? An autograph, maybe? It's the standard thing when meeting a famous person, right?"
"G-gratuitous idol worship is forbidden!"
At her answer, Takuto laughed heartily, then instantly fell silent. A moment later, he spoke in a low voice that sent chills down the spine.
"...Is that because it would disperse the prayers?"
It was a quiet question, but one that carried perfect clarity.
"Eh?! Well, that is..."
"I can understand the underlying principle. When Vittorio mentioned 'Second Plant,' I saw the look of comprehension on your face, so I thought it might be possible. But... Yonayona, you really have been taught quite a lot of things, haven't you?"
His gaze remained gentle, and soft, as he continued to look at Yonayona. Yet, the interrogation from the very existence she worshipped as God was more than enough to bind her soul with terror.
She had said something wrong.
Without knowing it, she had just stepped into extremely dangerous territory. The primal, beastman instincts within her screamed to flee this very instant, while the rational part of her mind argued that doing so would be the worst possible choice. Either way, the options available to this poor girl were painfully few.
"Oh, forgive me, forgive me. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. You have your own free will. Especially the secret of that heretical scripture, the teachings of 'Iraism'. It's only natural you can't speak of it. That wasn't even my question."
"Yonayona, answer. The words of the divine are absolute."
Without a moment's pause, Vittorio cut in.
It was close to a command. A clash of wills was undoubtedly underway.
Most likely—a battle of obtaining verbal concessions, though no one besides the master and servant understood this.
"That's a harsh way to speak to a young lady, Vittorio. I want to respect her will. You called me a god, but that's a bit of an exaggeration. Everyone has free will. Right?"
"That will not do."
"Why not?"
"..."
"My mind's changed... go ahead and answer. Apparently, my words are absolute."
"Y-Yes. As per the divine word, preparing idols is the greatest taboo... in Iraism, prayer itself is what matters, and guiding it astray is something you must never do... that is what is taught."
Yonayona managed to squeeze out those words and fell silent.
Her voice was weak and hoarse, not like her at all, perhaps from the dryness in her throat due to the tension, but it reached Takuto's ears without fail.
"That's why you went through the trouble of creating such a ridiculous religious name like 'The Super Amazing Religion of the Great God Takuto Who Is Supposedly Incredibly Awesome', right? If the name is accurately recognized and spreads among the faithful, prayers gather there. The name 'Iraism' is merely an alias. A false name cannot serve as an idol. All prayers lead to but one source... correct?"
Takuto continued.
He had explained this once before to Atou and the Dark Elves, but there was additional information layered upon it.
These insights pierced through Vittorio's objective and brushed against the surface of his true intent.
"If you make my power source dependent on the outside, you can prevent the kind of exhaustion that happened during the Holy War of the Renea God-Light Kingdom. Strengthening my power as the 'Nameless Evil God' would certainly be of benefit to me and not a harm. Rather, considering what comes next, it becomes imperative to desire power with even greater greed."
Vittorio's face twisted in ecstasy.
Pure as a child, yet simultaneously bottomless. An evil smile of utter satisfaction.
"—And then, you seize control of the Ira faith, the source of my power. At that point, I am inevitably forced to rely on your strength. It is an ambitious, inescapable, and truly well-constructed plan."
The answer was presented.
Takuto's gaze, naturally, turned to the hero of the verbal gaffe. The correctness of the answer would be judged immediately.
"I am most grateful you see through it! But please, do not misunderstand! This is not betrayal, but purely, utterly selfless devotion! It is a subordinate's duty—nay, obligation!—to strive for their god to become more powerful and more magnificent! To neglect that is, of course, a grave sin! The result of such stupidity can only be ruin! Needless to say, it disqualifies one as a subordinate! Therefore—"
The establishment of a complete theocratic state, with Takuto Ira as its god, directing all national resources toward a single purpose.
The expression of ambition to cast aside the Dark Elves and other heroes, and ascend to their position themselves.
A grand ritual to sublimate Mynoghra's leader from a king into a god through prayer.
The monopolization of Takuto Ira.
This was... the dream Vittorio had painted in his mind.
"For the supreme, ultimate player of 'Eternal Nations,' Lord Takuto Ira, these incompetents are entirely unworthy! I shall provide true, loyal subordinates, so for the time being, I humbly request that you simply observe!"
This was one solution toward that realization.