How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 95

“Hmm, then please explain it as simply and clearly as possible.”

 

[Choose one of the two. If I explain it briefly, it’ll be hard to understand, and if I explain it in detail, it’ll take a long time.]

 

“How long would it take if you explained it in detail?”

 

[I’d have to start from the creation of the world.]

 

“…”  

 

Even though I love behind-the-scenes stories and hidden lore, I couldn’t even begin to guess how long it would take if we started from the creation of the universe.  

 

‘Honestly, I’m a bit tempted…’  

 

In this world where there’s a lack of dopamine-inducing entertainment, the only thing that piques my interest is uncovering fragments of truth that didn’t even appear in the game.  

 

That’s why my conversation with Huluppu was so enjoyable, and why I almost forgot my daily routine this morning while talking to Fenrir.  

 

So, even now, I was leaning toward wanting to hear Fenrir’s explanation, but there was one problem that suddenly came to mind.  

 

It was the punishment for skipping morning prayers.  

 

‘The book ‘The Mindset of a Priest’ isn’t very thick, but the font is so small that it takes a surprisingly long time to transcribe…’  

 

When I remembered that I had to transcribe it using a quill and ink instead of a pen or pencil, my impulsive curiosity gradually faded.  

 

‘It was nice when I met Huluppu because Atrahasis was there too.’  

 

Technically, I was the only one who met Huluppu, but still.  

 

Since the meeting was arranged under Pope Atrahaxis’s supervision, it was fine to skip classes or prayers.  

 

It was practically the Pope’s implicit approval.  

 

But now, this was just a personal action, so if my schedule got disrupted, I’d have to take full responsibility.  

 

Like what happened this morning.  

 

After staying silent for a while, deep in thought, I slowly opened my mouth.  

 

“…You don’t have to explain further. I’ll just let it go.”  

 

After weighing my personal curiosity against tomorrow’s responsibilities, I finally decided to give up on the immediate pleasure.  

 

Fenrir responded, sounding surprised.  

 

[Oh? I thought you’d jump at the chance with sparkling eyes, but you’re giving up easier than I expected.]  

 

From Fenrir’s perspective, I must seem like a wide-eyed lunatic.  

 

‘Wait, so does Fenrir see me as a combination of Selene and Xenon?’  

 

The thought that Fenrir might see me as a mix of the two personalities I found hard to handle made me feel strange.  

 

I’ve always considered those two as people I’d rather avoid in social situations, but now I realize that others might see me as no different from them. It made me wonder if my aversion to Selene and Xenon was a kind of self-loathing.  

 

‘Is this why they say you need to periodically step back and self-reflect?’  

 

After this realization, I was about to reflect on my past actions when Fenrir’s voice cut through my thoughts.  

 

[Well, whatever. Since the conversation is mostly wrapped up, let’s get going.]  

 

“Take care on your way back.”  

 

I was about to happily send Fenrir off since I still had things to do, but Fenrir suddenly raised his voice.  

 

[You’re coming with me!]  

 

“Huh? Where to?”  

 

[I told you earlier. To meet Huluppu.]  

 

“You mean we’re going right now?”  

 

[The whole reason I came here was to take you with me.]  

 

“I thought you came to ask about Huluppu’s preferences.”  

 

That was understandable, since the majority of our conversation had been about Huluppu’s gift, so it was easy to misunderstand the main point.  

 

“Besides, you never said we were going today.”  

 

At the same time, Fenrir’s voice, which had been echoing in my head, suddenly disappeared.  

 

‘He must feel guilty too.’  

 

Even if I looked back, he hadn’t given me any hint about it.  

 

Fenrir seemed embarrassed and suddenly cleared his throat.  

 

[Ahem, well, it’s fine as long as you know now. Let’s go.]  

 

It was obvious he was trying to brush it off hastily.  

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can go today. I still have a lot of work to do.”  

 

[Don’t worry about that.]  

 

“Are you going to do it for me?”  

 

[What nonsense… Oh, no. I almost got caught up in your weird talk again.]  

 

I was being serious, though.  

 

The thought had suddenly occurred to me that if there’s a spell to repair a broken wooden door, maybe there’s also a spell to move a quill and transcribe for me.  

 

But before I could argue further, Fenrir continued.  

 

[You’ve met him once, so you probably already know, but the place where Huluppu resides is closer to a realm of consciousness.]  

 

According to him, since Huluppu is a tree, he can’t exist in human form in the real world. Unless you can communicate through thoughts like Fenrir, you have to enter Huluppu’s inner space to meet him.

 

[And one of the conditions I mentioned earlier is the flow of time. Time flows differently there compared to the real world. Moreover, the flow isn’t consistent. One minute there could be a year in the real world, or vice versa.]  

 

For immortal beings like Fenrir, this isn’t a concern, but for humans with limited lifespans, they can only be summoned when the timing aligns somewhat with reality.  

 

‘Well, for short-lived creatures like humans, time is the biggest issue.’  

 

Perhaps before going to Dilbat, the timing didn’t align, which is why we couldn’t meet.  

 

It was something I could easily understand, so I nodded along, but Fenrir’s next words were quite shocking.  

 

[But the important thing is that Huluppu can’t control the flow of time.]  

 

“Huh? But it’s Huluppu’s inner space, right?”  

 

[It’s unavoidable. Huluppu is the sacred tree of Lady Astarte. He can only adapt to the flow, not control it.]  

 

“Ah…”  

 

It seemed that even divine beasts or sacred trees couldn’t defy time unless they wielded the power of Nanna, the goddess who governs time.  

 

“So, this time, the flow of time in reality and there aligned, which is why you came to get me.”  

 

[Actually, time flows slower in that space compared to reality. So, you’ll be able to stay longer than last time.]  

 

I listened quietly to his explanation and then cautiously spoke up.  

 

“Um, by the way… could I…”  

 

[What is it?]  

 

Seeing me hesitate, Fenrir looked at me with a puzzled expression.  

 

“If it’s not too much trouble… could I do my transcription work there?”  

 

The moment I heard that time flows slower in Huluppu’s space, a thought flashed through my mind.  

 

‘If I do my transcription there, wouldn’t I be able to sleep right away when I return to reality?’  

 

…That’s what crossed my mind.  

 

[What?]  

 

Fenrir couldn’t hide his bewilderment and shot back.  

 

His expression clearly said, “What nonsense is this now?”  

 

“As you know, Fenrir, I missed morning prayers today and have to transcribe a book, which takes quite a while. So, since we’re going to meet Huluppu anyway, I thought it’d be nice to get my assignment done while I’m there.”  

 

Once I said it out loud, it sounded like a selfish request, and I felt a pang of guilt, so I started rambling excuses.  

 

Fenrir responded with a tone mixed with pity.  

 

[It’s a realm of consciousness, so you can’t bring paper or a quill. Even if you write something there, you can’t bring it back to reality.]  

 

“Ah, so it’s like a dream.”  

 

[Exactly. So, be grateful that even after all that chatter, not much time has passed in reality.]  

 

“Understood.”  

 

[Are we finally ready now? Let’s go to Huluppu.]  

 

“Ah, will we be back within an hour? There’s a curfew here.”  

 

[Don’t worry. You won’t even leave this place to begin with.]  

 

“Huh? What do you mean…”  

 

[Enough, just hold onto me.]  

 

I was about to ask what he meant, but Fenrir cut me off and turned his back. I didn’t know what would happen, but I followed his instructions and gently placed my hand on his back.  

 

‘Wow, it’s softer than I expected.’  

 

I was enjoying the feel of his fluffy fur when suddenly everything around me darkened.  

 

At the same time, I remembered the day I first met Huluppu.  

 

‘Back then, I also felt like the space had suddenly disconnected.’  

 

When I placed my hand on the sacred tree, Yves and Atharaxis, who were beside me, disappeared, and then I heard Huluppu’s voice.  

 

But this time, both Fenrir and Yves were still with me.