Chapter 544: Epilogue: Returner from the Tannhäuser Gate
Author's Preface
I originally planned to summarize this in one chapter, but I crammed in the GH:C arc, so it's a two-parter.
Yaguruma-san, did you use the Stone Mask or something? [*1]
"Hmm........."
The Professor sighs, rubbing the wrinkles between his brows after finishing reading the Tome of Truth placed before him.
Though he has a youthful appearance, on the inside he's at an age where his retirement will soon outlast his working years. Even if he isn't actually straining his eyes, his daily habits cause him to massage them reflexively.
"First, allow me to congratulate you on clearing Orchestra of the Reverberating Nether, Mirei-kun."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Hehe... You don't seem very happy."
It wasn't just Mirei or The Professor. Everyone who read the Tome of Truth brought back by the triumphant Mirei following the server announcement wore similarly complicated expressions.
If you defeat a Unique Monster and clear their Unique Scenario EX, the World Story progresses, and a Tome of Truth detailing that Unique Monster drops.
The three Tomes of Truth revealed so far were "The Tombguard", "The Abyss", and "The Heavenly Sovereign"... And now, with Mirei clearing the Final Movement, the fourth Tome of Truth, "The Reverberating Nether," was acquired...
But that "Reverberating Nether" edition was the problem.
"The Tome of Truth: 'The Reverberating Nether'......... To think it would be an Apocrypha."
"Well〜, I kind of saw it coming, but to think it would branch off this clearly."
Yes, the Tome of Truth Mirei brought back was neither a complete strategy guide nor a comprehensive lore book... It was explicitly designated as an "Apocrypha".
Apocrypha doesn't necessarily mean it's fake. From what Mirei read, it didn't deviate from the Orchestra battle she experienced, and it even touched upon Orchestra's "true identity".
Indeed, if one were to read it without any prior knowledge, even The Professor might have taken it at face value. However, because the members of Library knew the contents of the other Tomes of Truth through their alliance with Wolfgang and their own investigations... they correctly understood the true meaning behind the label "Apocrypha."
"Whoever wrote this must have a really nasty personality."
"It's insidious because it looks completely fine at first glance."
"Doesn't this totally mean Sunraku-shi is on the Canon route!!"
"As expected, ShanFro's Tsuchinoko isn't just for show, huh..."
"Did they really think lore-freaks would be satisfied with this level of world-building?"
"It's an hors d'oeuvre at best."
"But is there anything left to investigate regarding Orchestra? Even if we assume this is just Mirei's route, could there be more gimmicks hidden inside the theater?"
"No no, that's exactly what Leviathan is for."
"Back to playing a dating sim with mini Isana-chan, huh..."
"It's rough because she looks friendly but her affection rating is basically locked."
"It says a lot when even the gal game veterans are about to throw in the towel..."
"Maybe the Conquista Dolls are hiding something?"
"Naah, I don't think that's it... In short, they're operating to prevent primitives from obtaining nukes, right? It feels more like the Protocol was set up to ensure Orchestra stays where she is."
"...Does the music player grow legs or something?"
"I'd actually find it more believable if it transformed into a small robot."
The Apocrypha did state Orchestra's "true identity," but to those who found purpose in dissecting lore, it was a highly superficial explanation. Above all else...
"The true identity is vague, and neither its origins nor its processes are written... It's as sloppy as a rushed strategy guide prioritizing speed over substance〜."
"Isn't that reference from way before your generation... Or rather, closer to my generation's material?"
"What is the good Professor who digs up ancient studies talking about〜?"
The fact that Orchestra's true identity was a music player was something they knew even without reading the Tome of Truth. And the moment the explanation stopped there, the policy for the players of Library was decided.
"The purpose of our Library is not to lead the charge. It is to push forward those who pioneer the way, and to exhaustively investigate the paths they open."
Library never releases information immediately. As human beings, they cannot completely discard the pleasure of savoring exclusive information before anyone else... However, when it's time to reveal it, they move swiftly.
"We have already conferred with the leader of Wolfgang! We will announce the conditions for triggering Orchestra's scenario! PR Representative, I leave it to you."
"Roger that, Professor!!"
"And we will also provide support to the player Sunraku, our provisional 'Canon Candidate'! Any objections?"
Silence was their indication of consent. Scanning the quiet faces of his members, The Professor nodded in satisfaction, and with that signal, the investigation clan Library began to move in earnest.
...
.........
...............
One week later—or ten days after Sunraku's last logout.
"Yo, pseudo-loli......... I'm back, straight from a space odyssey...!!"
"My, quite the............ Come again?"
"Don't worry about it. Have you ever seen the Tannhäuser Gate? Cosmic Power sees the past from the future."
"............?"
"The past is a line, the present is a point, and the future is a plane. The past is memory, the present is will, and the future is perception..."
"Is this philosophy?"
While The Professor made a bewildered face at Sunraku's strangely intense, manic words, Mirei, noticing his login, approached.
"Yes, which means space is vast."
"You said a whole lot of deep-sounding stuff only to reach the conclusion of an elementary schooler〜."
"Yo Mirei, heard the news. Congrats on clearing Orchestra."
"Oh my, you knew〜? I totally thought you'd come back with some sarcastic remark."
"You've already realized it, haven't you? That you and I are on different routes."
At the very least, since none of the Library members currently using the area in front of Orchestra as a temporary base had confirmed Sunraku's login, barring a miraculous coincidence, Sunraku shouldn't have logged into ShanFro at all.
However, Library had already released a certain amount of strategy info regarding Orchestra, so it wouldn't be strange if he had learned about it through external means.
"Hmm, if that's the case, this will be quic───"
"Hold it right there. Sorry, but I'm taking the initiative here. In-ship combat honors speed over perfection, after all."
"???"
It was as if their conversation was connecting but not engaging at all, almost like talking to a resident of another world. Yet, as the highly hyperactive Sunraku pulled an item from his inventory, the gazes of everyone present, including The Professor, locked onto the picture displayed by the screenshot item—something Library was deeply familiar with.
"This is........."
"...Huh? This......... wait, seriously〜?"
Because The Professor was looking at the image from the left side, he was slightly delayed in noticing it. That's precisely why Mirei, viewing it from the right side, noticed it first.
With a smirk and an air of having finally blown past his limits, Sunraku looked down on the members of Library.
Seeing that posture, The Professor suddenly recalled the words of a certain female player—a rather troublesome VIP client of theirs.
She had said that the relationship between herself and the other two could not be decided simply. They would snatch the initiative from each other, even if it meant coming to blows, and the loser gets stuck playing the boss.
"For the reward, how about the complete picture of this world and... a Fast Pass to participate in a festival one week from now? In exchange, you will provide full cooperation until I clear that bastard."
To put it bluntly, the man who had suffered countless defeats at the hands of Orchestra had returned to Shangri-La Frontier, carrying a grand declaration and mouth-watering information.
Author's Afterword
The Apocrypha Tome of Truth is like an SCP article without the addendums. It explains the outline, but the mysteries remain mysteries.
If I were to spit out a bit of lore:
Orchestra is a Unique Monster driven by a composite existential purpose consisting of three distinct wills.
One: Elise Jitterdoll's will, "I want people to hear my song."
Two: Andrew Jitterdoll's will, "I want people to know the culture of the Divine Age."
Three: And that is───
Translator's Notes
- [1] A joke about actor Tokuyama Hidenori, who played Yaguruma Sou in Kamen Rider Kabuto. When he reprised the role 13 years later in Kamen Rider Zi-O, he hadn't aged a day, prompting the Japanese fandom to joke that he used a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "Stone Mask" (which stops aging/turns the wearer into a vampire)
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