Chapter 105: Oracle

The event where a certain "existence" had tried to wipe out Aclyris and their kind was something Aclyris had known about for a very long time.

The information they carried wasn’t limited to just the present, they could actually draw information from both the past and the future.

It was within one of those future glimpses that Aclyris and their kind had come to understand that they would never be able to maintain their neutrality forever.

And whatever lay behind all this knowledge originated from an acquaintance of the leader guiding Aclyris.

That figure called themselves the Oracle.

A being capable of seeing the past, present, and future.

With the Oracle’s guidance, Aclyris and their kind, realizing they stood in a genuinely dire situation, had finally decided to carry out their current plan.

That being, to search for potential within worlds struggling against invasion.

Of course, the potential they were actually searching for was merely supplementary assistance. What they truly sought was something else entirely.

—You must find "Him," because he is the sole salvation, and only through "Her" will you find the solution.

Two figures were being sought within that statement. The first referred to a man, while the second referred to a woman.

There was no further clue regarding the man, but at least one clue existed concerning the woman.

—"She" will hold no memory of any of this, but "she" will know what needs to be done, because "she" is the same as I am.

What exactly did "the same as I am" mean?

That wasn’t a difficult question for them to unravel. Because, throughout the universe’s long history, where life had flowed on ceaselessly without end.

Oracle wasn’t a name, it was a title.

And throughout that long history, records showed that only one Oracle could exist at any given time.

Meaning, once the Oracle Aclyris had known had long since passed, the figure referred to as "the same as I am" had to be the next Oracle.

Aclyris and their kind’s purpose became far clearer now. It was to find the next Oracle.

So, why had Aclyris suddenly found themselves thinking about this now?

’Is it just my imagination?’

The blind girl standing before them carried an aura far too similar to the previous Oracle’s.

Aclyris had likely already considered themselves borderline insane over this. They hadn’t just visited one planet, they’d visited far too many for them to reasonably believe they’d stumble upon the next Oracle within such a short span of time.

Yet, they only felt increasingly unsettled. No matter how strongly they tried to deny that familiar feeling, the Oracle’s aura the girl radiated only grew stronger and clearer.

Something exclusive to an Oracle alone, their distinctive charisma. A calm presence, like a gentle river current flowing smoothly without a single stone to disturb it.

A sensation that, standing before them, you felt completely bare, entirely exposed.

Aclyris and their kind were beings blessed with unique eyes. They could always sense something unusual purely through a gaze alone, and much of what they sensed, Aclyris had already been able to guess.

Only rarely did they feel genuinely confused, like when they’d first encountered the man named Julian, and now, this.

’This can’t be. That aura is, without question, something exclusive only to an Oracle.’

Had they really found it here?

Just like that?

Aclyris couldn’t suppress the surging wave of excitement rising within them. Their hands clenched tight without realizing it, and the moment the blind girl finally parted her lips, Aclyris lost every last shred of doubt.

***

"Hm... aren’t they done yet?"

Julian felt genuinely bored. He could clearly see Ilunia’s lips moving as though speaking, but strangely, no sound came through at all.

It felt exactly like they were standing in a separate room entirely.

’So, this is an artifact, then?’

Julian was reasonably familiar with artifacts. But only to that extent. Because artifacts weren’t something common enough for him to encounter casually.

Seeing an artifact right in front of his own eyes for the first time made Julian think that, someday, he’d need to acquire one for himself too.

’Anything that could significantly improve my odds of survival is always welcome.’

Not just for himself, he could actually pass it along to those closest to him too.

Julian coughed.

"...Guess that’s not something I need to worry about right now."

The future still stretched far ahead of him. First and foremost, he needed to focus on staying alive long enough to reach that point.

Letting out a small sigh, Julian’s gaze flickered slightly as he noticed whatever barrier had been blocking the sound between Ilunia and Aclyris had finally dissolved.

That meant their trade had wrapped up. It was finally time for Julian to receive what he needed, which left him fairly excited, but...

"Hm?"

Was something wrong?

Aclyris appeared stiff, like some malfunctioning robot. The creature moved as though their consciousness had gotten trapped somewhere else entirely.

’What did he even discuss with Ilunia to leave him looking like that?’

Without realizing it, Julian shifted his gaze, staring at Ilunia with a twitch in his expression.

’This girl...’

Julian couldn’t say anything. Even without knowing what they’d discussed, seeing Aclyris’s state made it painfully obvious the girl had probably done something again.

Julian started feeling genuinely concerned that whatever Ilunia was up to might carry serious risks. If that turned out to be true, Julian had no idea what he’d even do about it.

All he could do was hope it all remained within something he could still manage.

"Lord Julian..."

Aclyris’s voice, still that odd blend of male and female tones, rang out once more. Something Julian still couldn’t quite get used to.

Which was exactly why he simply tried to brush it aside, looking at Aclyris with genuine anticipation.

Julian didn’t get the chance to say anything, since Aclyris suddenly reached up, brushing aside the night-blue, star-scattered veil covering their face.

After that, a dark compartment opened up. Not large, but apparently big enough to reveal a sword being drawn out.

It was a sword with a blade so dark it resembled obsidian. Its surface was slightly rough, uneven in places.

Then, running along its edge, a sleek blue line gleamed, sharp and polished. Its hilt was crowned with a beautiful ruby gemstone.

Seeing that sword, Julian found himself captivated for several seconds.

It was a genuinely impressive-looking sword. But after hearing Aclyris’s further explanation, Julian felt his excitement grow even more.

"This is a sword possessing extraordinary durability. You need not worry, even when unleashing an S-Grade skill. In accordance with our principle, this is an equivalent exchange, and I will personally offer you an additional gift as well."

Wasn’t that a little too generous?

Why was that?

Julian had only given a single B-Grade skill, yet he was receiving something durable enough to withstand an S-Grade skill, along with an additional gift on top of that?

’Ilunia didn’t do something, did she?’

Julian’s lips twitched slightly, recalling Aclyris’s reaction after speaking with Ilunia. Julian also found himself thinking back to everything Ilunia had done up until now.

’She definitely did something.’

Aclyris handed Julian the sword along with the additional gift, bowed their head to both Julian and Ilunia, then...

Turned around and walked away far too quickly, disappearing into the Breach.

’Are they fleeing?’

Julian blinked, glancing at Ilunia beside him.

’What exactly did this girl do?’