The Impossible Fate That Leads To A God Of A New World Volume 1 – Chapter 3.6

The forest. In an unfamiliar terrain. “Huff… Huff…” I’m running. I don’t know why, but I’m running instinctively forward. I went past a tree, and there I saw a little girl with pink hair and cat ears and tail, and— “HISS!!!” “K-KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA……!!!?” —a gigantic white snake. “RUBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” BAM! When I came to, my body reflexively sat upright— where my forehead rams straight onto a steel pipe that was sticking out from the wall. “Owww…….!” Right… I dozed off when I was fixing the broken pipe. My head was fine, but that head-butt crushed the pipe. “Haa— Haa—” That dream… felt so surreal— too surreal. I was there, but I couldn’t stop it… No, I don’t want that to happen…! “E-EEEEEEK…!!? N-NO— STAY AWAY…!!!” The scream that came from outside the house, the front yard— pulled me back to reality. ……Restia…? “GRRRRRRROOOOOWWWWLLLLL…!!!” “BIG— BIG BROTHERRRRRRRRRRR…!!!!!!!!!! SAVE ME…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I quickly got on my feet, and rushed straight out to the front yard, without even bothering to wear my shoes. When I saw Restia, she was sitting on the ground with her shoulders shrugged lifelessly, while looking at the silver Fenrir wolf that was glaring down at her. “Restia……!” Without another excessive word, I hurriedly ran to Restia and hugged her like it was the last, where she was surprised by it. “Big brother—” She managed to get her composure back. “R-Run— RUN…!!!” Though I couldn’t tell Restia’s expression, from her breathing and shivering body… I could tell she was extremely terrified. “It’s alright Restia… She’s here to protect us.” “Huff…Huff…” After catching her breath and swallowing her saliva, Restia made a pause, as if she’s trying to access the situation. Then it’s as if she got the answer, she then carefully lifts her shivering hands in return, hugging me back. “Big… Big brother… I thought—” She then cries out. “I thought I would never see you again……!” Restia buries her head onto my shoulder and bursts to tears while trembling. “… I’m here, Restia. I’m here.” I quietly replied. …………………………… It took a while for Restia to calm down completely. But I’m glad she’s able to. We settled down and sat on the grass, face-to-face, while Fenrir’s daughter decided to lay down near us. Restia, which sat at my opposite— immediately made a serious look while looking straight at me. “… Where’s Ruby…?” “……………………………” Watching as I went silent, Restia frowned at her brows. “Big brother…?” Her tone isn’t exactly angry or anything. She’s just a bit annoyed that I was keeping quiet. …I knew this was coming. “Before that… tell me what happened after I left,” I said. “Ru… Ruby struggled as hard as she could… I don’t have any strength to keep her in bay… I… I don’t have a choice— I have to knock her out…!” Restia’s expression tensed-up, clearly tells me that she felt guilty about it. “You did the right thing, Restia,” I told her. “That beast wasn’t just an ordinary beast— it was a Cithaeron lion.” “A… magical beast…?” “If Ruby came out… I definitely can’t protect her.” “After… after everything seems to calm down… I left Ruby inside the garage and headed to the power station… B-But…! I brought mama’s scythe with me…!” Restia knew I would be angry if she just ran alone without anything on her. That’s why she told me she brought a weapon with her. No one knows what kind of beast is still lurking out there in the forest. But… I was kind of surprised. “Did you… head to the power station to fix the barrier…?” “Even though I was like that… but I… I remember the lessons papa taught us…!” “I knew I could rely on you.” I gave my reliable little sister a hug. “Then…? When did you tell Ruby the truth…?” “I…” Restia’s voice eventually became quieter. “I was scared… I was scared that big brother would never return like papa and mama— I was so scared that I don’t want Ruby to leave so I told her…!” “It’s not wrong!” I immediately yelled to calm Restia. “Papa said it’s natural to pull others down when you are drowning— you did nothing wrong…!” Those words aren’t meant for Restia… it was meant for me instead. “I… I’m the horrible one.” I uttered. “I… shot her with the rifle and told her to leave this house.” PAK! “H-How… HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!!?” I was slapped on the face. “RUBY IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD…!!! NO MATTER HOW WRONG SHE IS— YOU COULD SCOLD HER ALL YOU WANT, YOU COULD PUNISH HER— NEVER SHOOT HER WITH A GUN AND TELL HER TO LEAVE…!!!!!!” “I KNOW…!” I uttered to Restia. “I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW— AND I REGRET IT…!” I buried my head into my knees while refusing to raise my head. “…Big brother………!” Restia knows that I clearly regret it. She gently pats me on my back while taking my hand with hers. “Those things I did to Ruby… I know I could never fix it with an apology…” I muttered. I find myself grabbing Restia’s hand while biting my lips. I had no idea why I did that, but at the very least… It feels like an atonement to forgive myself. Then I raise my head and look at Restia in the eye. “I even got Ruby into great danger…” I told her. Hearing this, Restia visibly widens her eyes out of shock. “Big brother… what did you just say……?” “Listen carefully to what I’m going to tell you now, Restia,” I murmured. “Promise me you will stay calm and listen till the end.” Restia immediately nods her head. “After I……… Urk…!” Words can’t come out. My voice eventually went quiet as my stomach rumbled. Because remembering that moment made me feel extremely nauseous. Seeing my reaction, Restia gently stroked my back, trying to make me relax. “… I’m fine.” I raise my hand, telling her it’s okay as I swallow the stomach acid that was on my throat. “…After I… shot Ruby… she ran into the forest.” While pressing my hand on my chest, I carefully speak while trying to prevent myself from vomiting. “…Where did the bullet pierce through…? Her stomach or her shoulders…?” Restia was able to tell because of the hole and blood that was on the ground, and the injuries that weren’t on her legs because Ruby could still run. “…Her right shoulder,” I replied. “Are you scared that her blood would attract wild beasts to attack Ruby…?” Good… the conversation made me relaxed a little. “If they are just some normal wild animal then I’m not scared at all… but know this, Restia. There are many different kinds of magical beasts inside this forest…” “Like… the Cithaeron lion, and her… the Fenrir wolf…?” “Way more than that, Restia,” I told her, which she immediately looked shocked. “The Cithaeron lion is just a weakling among the magical beasts… look what it did to me.” Restia then points at alpha Fenrir’s daughter. “Then… her…?” Restia is asking why there is a Fenrir wolf here protecting us. “They saved me when I went into their territory by accident.” I decided not to tell Restia that I fell into the sea, not to make her worry. “Eight of them easily slaughtered eight grown Cithaeron lions, plus two cubs.” “You mean— what Ruby is about to face is a magical beast even more powerful than a pack of Fenrir wolves…?” “Much, much, more powerful than the Fenrir wolves,” I warned Restia. “…I know I can’t leave you here alone and you definitely won’t stay even if I told you to… But I will ask you just in case… Do you—” “Of course I want to go with you…!!!” Restia responded without the slightest hesitation. I’ve long expected this answer. “…Even if you die…?” “Yes.” “…Even if I die…?” “Yes.” “…Even if we would probably fail… or in the worst case… watching Ruby die in front of us…?” “It was better than doing nothing… At least I got to see how Ruby died… Do you have any idea how it feels when you weren’t here with me, big brother…? I don’t even know if you could make it back…! I don’t know if you were eaten alive by the Cithaeron lion— or you were killed and left rotting in the forest…! Do you know my frustration in not being able to do anything……!?” Restia pounces with tears on her and hugs me, resting her head on my chest. She’s scared… however still determined to go together with me. “I’m sorry for returning so late…” I murmured. “I promise I won’t leave you alone ever again, Restia.” “……N.” Looks like I really had no choice but to bring along Restia with me if I really were to save Ruby. There’s no way we should charge into the forest without any preparations. “Restia… I will tell you what I currently know.” “N.” She nods her head. “This forest… had a name— called ‘Black and White’. It is a forest with two powerful magical beasts continually going against each other long ago… one is black, and one is white.” “Eh…? Papa told us this story before… The Black Cat and The White Snake.” “That’s right… Before we lived here… The Black Cat and The White Snake had already fought against each other for several years, and one day… a certain someone shipwrecked and drifted on this island by mistake.” “Hehe… It was papa.” “Because this forest was filled with many extraordinary resources and was well hidden from the world… He decided to live here and make it a home. Of course, living here would certainly invite different kinds of magical beasts for a visit.” “However, papa is a beast tamer.” “Yup. Dad understands magical beast language. That’s why he could listen to their troubles. After knowing those two have been going against each other and caused so many problems around, thus he solved the conflict between those two powerful beasts. He then signed a pact between these two magical beasts, living here while agreeing not to interfere with each other’s life.” “Why are you reminding me of this story…? Do you mean… we will be going against them…?” “To be honest, I hope not. But… from what the alpha Fenrir wolf told me… if Ruby went into the White Snake’s territory… her rich mana makes her become a favourite food for The White Snake… and the smell of her blood could easily let The White Snake find her.” Restia immediately looks worried. “You are telling me this now…!? How long has it been…!!? What about The Black Cat…!?” “Yesterday by chance I was saved by the Fenrir wolves and The Black Cat. For some reason, The Black Cat seems to favour me… She ordered the wolves to protect us, but after I requested, they were sent out to search for Ruby.” “Search…? Ruby could change into any mammal she wants—” “But she’s pink, isn’t it…? Do you still remember the Fortune Rabbits…?” “You mean— Ruby is probably hiding among them…?” “…That is just a prediction. So that’s why the search team is separated into 3 pairs— one to look at the Fortune Rabbit’s territory, one at the White Snake’s territory, and one to search for the Black Cat.” “Why do we need to look for The Black Cat…?” “Because she’s the only one capable enough to fight on par against The White Snake, at worst case. Remember— our only goal is to rescue Ruby out from that forest.” Restia then looks around, then seems to be calculating with her fingers. “One… two… three pairs…? You said there are eight Fenrir wolves… where is the last one…?” “He’s currently searching and collecting magical herbs nearby this forest… The alpha of the Fenrir wolves, Restia. You need to treat him with respect.” “…I will.” “After he returns, I will try to make whatever I can with the herbs… Later we will go and look for Ruby, you need to be patient until then… okay…?” “…N.” Though Restia nods her head, she seems a little despondent. I reached my hand out to the back of her head, placing her head to stick on my chest as I cradled her with both of my arms. “I know you are worried about Ruby,” I told her. “But going in there just like that is just the same as wishing for death— Ruby is way tougher than us, I know she could handle it somehow.” “But… what can I do, big brother…?” “Lots,” I replied while looking at her. “I’m not talented like you, Restia, nor I could cast any magic spells… I really need to rely on your magic… would you learn it for my sake and for Ruby’s sake…?” I find Restia’s fingers to be gripping on my hunting suit. “I will… I will do anything to bring Ruby back… even if it’s my life—” Before my little sister could finish her sentence, my hands reflexively grabbed her cheeks. “No!!!” I immediately interjected. “Don’t even think about it— we are all going to return alive, you hear me…!? Not a single one of us is allowed to die!!!” Obviously, Restia was surprised. She’s merely nine years old yet that determination of an adult… It’s as if those possibilities of everyone returning alive had never ever entered her mind. Her determination has already prepared her for the worst— but it was because of this determination… I know that she won’t hesitate and die for either Ruby or me… That’s why… I will cut that line of thought off from her. “…N. Big brother… I promise.” “That’s my little sister…” After we went silent, we hugged each other for a long, long, time. Around a minute or so, the silence was broken with my rumbling stomach. “Hehehe…” Ever since she knows her parents left… Restia finally laughed for once. “I will cook for now, Restia. If you are feeling okay… try to train your mana control first. I will teach you the magic spells which are extremely crucial for the search later.” “…N.” With that, I stood up, heading towards the fish that was left on the front door. … It’s still alive. I was going to pull out the katana that was stabbed on its body, however… I don’t have the strength to do so after I tried. My hands— no, my body— is shaking like crazy. Seems like it’s almost hitting its limit. Thankfully I still have the dagger which is even sharper than the katana… Eh…? It’s gone…? The dagger pocket that was hanging on my waist was left open with lots of sand filled inside. And I didn’t realize it. Crap. When is it gone…? Did I drop it in the forest, the sea or the beach…? I need to get it back. That was dad’s favourite one and only dismantling tool that he spent all night forging himself— I can’t afford to lose it. I should start looking at the beach… But, if that’s the case… should I take Restia with me? Even if the Fenrir wolf is here… I can’t afford to let her expose herself to more danger… …but I promised to never leave her alone, ever. “Restia.” Without bothering to hesitate anymore, I called out to my little sis. She was closing her eyes, but then she opened them after a second or so. “Big brother……?” In response, Restia tilted her head slightly to the right. Fenrir’s daughter didn’t react to Restia… I guess this means she did well in her mana control. “I think I might’ve lost dad’s dagger at the beach… do you want to come with me…?” “…N!”