Chapter 51

The truth about the original protagonist is finally revealed...!

I want you to save Kazaoka Tsubasa──After being meaningfully told of this, En and the others were guided to Tsubasa's location by Zaphkiel-san under the instructions of Binah-sama.

Apparently, Tsubasa was in a place far from the holy city, but riding on Chesed's back would make the journey a breeze.

Since his movement wouldn’t be hindered by my temporary absence, I was able to comply with the request that Binah-sama made right after that.

『Ahh, you said you were Eight, right? I'd like to have a one-on-one conversation with you. Would you mind staying behind for a bit?』

It was a direct request from Binah herself for a two person interview.

It felt very suggestive and suspicious. Her outfit itself was dark, so it seemed even more suspicious. I like it, though.

En and the others looked wary of her offer, but I just waved my hand and said,

"…That's how it is, so you guys go on ahead."

"Ah, aah."

"Take care of Tsubasa."

"Eight…"

After all the friendly behavior she has shown us, it’s unlikely Binah-sama intends to do anything bad.

Even if something happens, I’m a cheat original protagonist, so I can handle it.

As we parted, Mea-chan gave me a worried look, but I reassured her, saying, "There's no need to worry," and saw them off.

Personally, I’ve been wanting have an in-depth conversation with Binah, one of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, who didn’t appear in the original anime Fairy Savers.

Though I’m concerned about Tsubasa, her offer came at just the right time.

『Now then…』

After the savers party exited under Zaphkiel’s guidance, the presence of others disappeared from around the room. Binah stood from her throne and, raising her hand to a certain spot, began using a sacred art.

I know what the sacred art was because I have a similar ability.

It was a power to retrieve items from another dimension──Item Box.

What she pulled out was a modest six-tatami-sized rug and a tea table. She even set down a cushion on either side for seating.

What’s this, you’re telling me to sit here? No problem.

"My, I never thought I’d see this in this world."

『Not bad, right? I find human design sense—especially the gracefulness of the Japanese—very fascinating. Well, you must know more about their culture than I do, though.』

In a distinctly Western-style palace, right in the throne room, she summoned the common Japanese man’s tea table and cushions.

Somehow, I felt as though I was unconsciously trampling over the worldview of Fairy World, but maybe because I had first seen this town's unique architecture, I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable. Perhaps my IQ had pleasantly bugged.

Rather, as a Japanese person, I felt happy that she was showing respect for Japanese culture.

She took off her pumps, stepped onto the Japanese-style carpet, and sat down on a cushion in a comfortable position, as she lightly tapped on top of the tea table to get my attention.

『This is going take a bit long, so let’s sit down and talk.』

Roger.

Following her lead, I removed my boots, sat on the cushion opposite her, and took a moment to settle down.

Then, Kabbalah-chan, who had been perched on Binah’s shoulder, leaped out gracefully and settled on the tea table and curled her tail around herself, occupying a large space.

Oh right, you're here too. This isn't a private conversation between two people; it's a meeting for two people and one creature.

"I have Japanese tea and sweets as well. Would you like some?"

『Really?! I’d love that.』

Sure thing. It felt wrong for the tea table to hold only Kabbalah-chan, after all. If it were winter, I would have prepared a kotatsu and some mandarin oranges.

I took out a basket of assorted Japanese snacks from Item Box and placed it on the table. Please help yourself.

『Ohh! So, this is what’s called dagashi on Earth!』(tl note: dagashi refers to cheap candy and snack foods.)

As she gazed at the familiar 10-yen and 20-yen snacks from Japan, it was clear, even through the veil, that Binah-sama’s eyes sparkled with keen interest.

There’s something nice about seeing a cool, elusive beauty like her have her eyes sparkle like a child. Even though I can’t see her face, her behavior is very heartwarming.

I wanted some too, so I hadn’t brought them out solely to pique her interest, but if it could spark conversation, so much the better. And I feel like I’m gaining the upper hand through my knowledge of Japan, so hooray.

I also poured green tea from a plastic bottle into the cups I’d brought out and placed one next to her.

Ah, Kabbalah-chan, you’re giving me a look like, “What about mine?” Alright, alright. I’ll give you one of those tulle-like treats I got from a harpy auntie in Gedulah.

To Binah-sama!

『Oh, oh... Ohhh!』

When Binah-sama timidly held out the tulle, Kabbalah-chan grabbed the bag with both paws and began munching on it like a baby sucking on a bottle. So cute.

Kabbalah-chan looked very satisfied. Binah-sama, too, was moved by the adorable sight and smiled with innocent joy.

What’s with you, Binah-sama? Earlier, you spoke about Kabbalah-chan like you’d known each other for years, but giving her a single tulle feels like you’re embarking on an unknown challenge.

"Have you never fed her before?"

『No. Carbuncles usually eat fruit. I had no idea she’d like cat treats. Isn’t that right, Kabbalah-chan?』

“Kyuu!”

I see. I thought, "Carbuncles and cats are pretty similar, right?" and gave it a try, but maybe that idea came from my Earthling sensibilities.

…Hmm? Could it be that, I’ve been rude to this child all along?

...Oh well, Kabbalah-chan always looks happy when she’s eating a tulle.

Humans love bananas, which are a favorite of monkeys, after all. Thinking of it that way, giving her tulle shouldn’t be considered disrespectful to a holy beast with a lofty mission.

『I may bear the name of 'Understanding,' but as you can see, I don’t know everything.』

Binah said as I basked in the warmth of watching Kabbalah-chan eat.

Just when I thought I got the upper hand by realizing Binah-sama didn’t understand Kabbalah-chan’s preferences even though she was the Archangel of Understanding, her calm demeanor showed she wasn’t prideful about it.

Unlike Malkuth-sama-chan, she seemed mature, just as her appearance suggests. No, it feels strange to comment that to a great person who’s lived an order of magnitude longer than humans.

『Yes, the things I truly understand amount to only a handful. Watching you makes me feel it deeply and sincerely in my heart.』

"Me? What do you mean by that?"

After Kabbalah-chan finished all the tulle in her possession, she placed the empty packet on the tea table, turned to me, and spoke.

When it comes to "understanding," it seemed she was more curious about my existence and everything surrounding it than about Kabbalah-chan's favorite foods. That’s why she requested this conversation with just the two of us.

Thanks to Kabbalah-chan, the mood lightened, and Binah got to the point.

『T.P. Eight Olishua──species unknown. Age unknown. About a year after the destruction of the illegal paranormal research organization PSYence, she began operating on Earth as a supernatural ability phantom thief. However, no prior history has been identified.』

It’s full of unknowns about me. Man, I’m stumped.

I’m sorry for being such a enigmatic beautiful girl. Is it that my conduct was so perfect that even the Archangel of “Understanding” herself can’t understand? This, is, my, win.

I have never felt more glad that I stuck to playing the mysterious original protagonist than I did at this moment.

Yes, yes, this is exactly how I wanted it to be. I’ve always wanted to become the kind of person who the major characters in the story would look at and go, “Who is this guy!?”

Lately, this character setting has often become a hindrance, but this rewards far outweighs that.

Ahh, It feels good to get this kind of stare from a bigwig. While inwardly grinning with satisfaction, I outwardly accepted her words with a dignified attitude.

“You’ve done quite a bit of research, haven’t you? Did you hear that from Tsubasa?”

『Just roughly. ‘Understanding (わかる) what you don’t understand’ is the first step to understanding (理解), after all. In that sense, I’m glad we managed to secure him. I also got to know about Japanese culture.』(tl note: sorry if it’s confusing, but the last ‘understand (理解)’ is actually more like comprehension, and it’s also how her title is spelled as the angel of understanding (理解).)

“So, copying Earth’s buildings was also for understanding humans?”

『That’s what it amounts to.』

“You’re so hard-working, Binah.”

『Fufu, you’re making me blush.』

If you don’t recognize what you don’t know, you can’t understand anything is what she means. It’s a reasonable way of thinking, unlike pretending to know everything, which is the worst.

Well, if it were me, I’d pretend to know and get through the situation, then look it up later to fill in the gaps and confidently claim, “I knew that all along.” That looks cooler, after all.

Of course, her way of thinking is more mature in society, and I think that’s important, but original protagonist-wise, I think that by “not recognizing what I don’t know”, I can maintain the knowledgeable character image. Naturally, if someone realizes, “This guy’s just pretending to be smart but knows nothing,” the dignity would plummet. That’s where Eight-chan’s skill comes in.

『Eight, I want to understand you.』

Oh, is this a love confession?

…Just kidding, of course. I gave a troubled smile to her words and popped a piece of dagashi into my mouth.

As expected, salami flavor is delicious. It makes you thirsty, but that’s just par for the course with 10-yen snacks, so it doesn’t bother me.

『Your companions seem to have been considerate of you and avoided prying too much while traveling with you… but since this is my first meeting with you, I won’t hold back. May I ask about you?』

“Sure, I’ll tell you as much as I can.”

Of course, I have no intention of revealing the various original protagonist meta details, but I had prepared some plausible cover stories to use for this kind of situation.

She went to the trouble of arranging this one-on-one interview with me, after all.

I maintained a calm expression and faced her with a dignified demeanor.

That’s when I felt Binah’s intense gaze on me, as if piercing through the veil.

“…What’s wrong? You have a scary look on you, you know?”

W-what is it…? Did I do something wrong?

Was bringing cheap candy and treats into this serious conversation a mistake? No, I thought the atmosphere just now made it okay. That couldn’t be helped, Binah-sama was the one who set the scene with a tea table and cushions.

I’m a little scared of the pressure she was emitting, but I made sure not to let my feelings show, maintaining an easygoing attitude. Of course, I’m also using a mind-shield ability as a counter to mind-reading.

As the silence lingered for a while, Binah placed a hand to her mouth as if impressed by something I’d said and muttered,

『A scary look…? Fufu, I see… As expected, in front of you, you can tell even when I’m hiding it.』

No, you understand, right? If you exude that kind of sensation that’s one breath away from becoming murderous intent.

If I were a distrustful original protagonist, I might have suspected this whole meeting was a trap to assassinate me. That’s how sharp her gaze was.

Well, it would be too suspicious to start something now, and based on her earlier, that possibility seems unlikely.

Rather, looking at her now, somehow──it felt like she was feeling guilty toward me for some reason.

As she touched the jet-black veiled tiara on her head, she said,

『Ever since Keter told me, ‘Never show that face again,’ I’ve kept it hidden as instructed, but… with you, something like this won’t be necessary anymore.』

With that, she carefully removed her tiara, and at the same time, the veil that had been covering her eyes was also removed.

And so, Binah revealed her true face to me.

“…I see… So that’s how it is…”

The moment I caught sight of her countenance, I muttered without thinking.

This, right here, is the knowledgeable move I mentioned earlier──pretending to know technique.

No really, are you serious…?

『That’s how it is, T.P. Eight Olishua.』

What does this mean, goddess-like person!?

The thing I’d been dreading ever since meeting her had become a reality.

The true face Binah revealed was, shockingly, the spitting image of Eight-chan.

While her eye color isn’t green but rather, a silvery white like lead, and her hair is slightly longer than mine, giving her an overall more mature appearance, our facial features are so alike we could’ve been twins.

…You seriously came to crush me (with character overlap), huh.

But I won’t lose. So what if she’s Binah-sama? She’s just a slightly mysterious older sister type who’s taller, more mature, has bigger boobs than me, and a transcendental beauty who sides with humanity!

Fuh… isn’t she just the superior version of me?

Awawawa, what do I do, what do I do…!?

Is this that, I have no choice but to use the fact that “we’re similar” as a defining trait for my character?

But, you see. Because I’m an aloof original protagonist─

I like concepts like being a clone or having a long-lost sister, but I don’t want to do that. Those kinds of bluff would just be lies that hurt her feelings, so they’re a no-go for me.

Besides, whether I can fool this archangel of understanding brimming with curiosity with such moves would be very questionable.

I spent eight seconds yelling internally like that.

Then, Binah, who had been staring at my face with her unveiled silvery-white eyes, let out a sigh and spoke:

『Stop deceiving us already, Eight──no, primordial archangel ‘Daat.’』

…?

Who!?

Who the heck is Daat…? What is she talking about? I have no clue!

Eh, maybe it’s about me?

Are you talking about me, the perfect cheat original protagonist sent by the goddess-like person?!

Eight-chan is in chaos.

For some reason, the mysterious proper noun seems to refer to me.

Since it’s about me, so I’m more shaken than when the original boss, Adishut, appeared.

Lately, I’ve been freaking out nonstop. Seriously, what’s with you, goddess-like person… Do you enjoy bullying me?

Are you someone who like to make original characters have gloomy expressions? Are you an original sadistic tyrant? How disgusting.

...Calm down, stay composed.

It might have been a different story right after reincarnation, but I’ve overcome all kinds of difficulties to get to this point.

I’ll be fine. As long as I don’t give up, I can get through this one too. Eight-chan won’t lose! I definitely won’t lose to the goddess-like person’s enigmatic setting!

“...Now then, what do you mean, I wonder.”

For now, I decide to keep the situation going by responding with a standard question to gauge the other party’s intentions.

The key is to say it with a meaningful smile, so that they don’t sense my inner turmoil.

Suddenly craving sugar, I grab a 20-yen chocolate from the basket. Yep, the milk flavor is the best. When I get back to Earth, I’ll stop by a convenience store.

『...Still not willing to reveal it, huh... Well, I suppose it’s not unreasonable coming from the archangel with the most noble heart, but… are we really that untrustworthy?』

Oh, oh... Why is she looking so dejected? Dejected Binah-sama is cute. She has a different charm from Malkuth-sama-chan, and it’s opening a strange door for me.

...No, this is no time for such carefree thoughts. I honestly have no idea what’s going on. Who the heck is “Daat”?

Earlier, she mentioned something earlier about a primordial archangel.

Judging from that... could it be that? Like in those Japanese anime festivals where they go, “The eleventh sefirot is finally revealed!”

So, in the movie, they’ll probably defeat the big bad by teaming up with Chokmah-san’s group, who they have a common interest with, gallantly running and forming a united front while saying, “Kukuku... Saviors, just this once, we’ll cooperate with you.” I’ve seen it before. You tried to execute Tsubasa Kazaoka, you know?

──Maybe it's already begun...? That “original story in the style of Fairy Savers: The Movie,” designed by the goddess-like person. Is that the direction this time?

Well, if that’s the case, it’s fine.

Any problems I don’t understand can all be tossed over to the Abyss or the “Qlippoth of the abyss.”

That way, it’ll be like one of those misleading movie trailers that promise, “The truth about the Ten Archangels of Sefirot is finally revealed...!” only to end with nothing actually revealed in the main story. I could skate through to the end while keeping my true identity conveniently vague.

──But the worst-case scenario is if Binah-sama’s theory turns out to be true.

What’s going on, goddess-like person?! Don’t tell me this body you bestowed upon me has some kind of shady backstory!

Like, before my soul inhabited it, it was someone else’s body in this world, or it’s not a reincarnation story but a “possession takeover,” it’s not that kind of development, right?!

...I'm starting to get a little scared.

Stop doing that, it will lower my SAN value.

No way… I just want to have fun being an original protagonist… If there's that kind of hidden circumstance attached, what kind of face should I make as an original protagonist from now on?

『...I’m sorry… I said too much. Don’t make such a sad face, Eight.』

“...Binah…”

Please, don’t drive me insade with a serious development I don’t even want.

This time, I guess I couldn’t hide it well enough, and it must have shown on my face.

Following a dejected Binah-sama, we now have a dejected Eight-chan. Sigh…

“I’m not sad… I’m just confused. I don’t know how to explain this to you...”

If this body really belongs to some mysterious angel called “Daat,” then seriously, what am I supposed to say to her, someone who actually knows that person?

Depending on how she views “Daat,” it feels like no matter what I say, it’ll turn into a heavy conversation.

『I heard it through Kabbalah-chan’s memories. When you confronted Adishut, you said, ‘I was born for this.’ And also, ‘If this is the purpose of my reincarnation, then now is the time for me to fulfill my mission.’ Those words… mean that you, a primordial archangel, was also born again, don’t they? Just like us, the Ten Archangels of Sefirot.』

Hmm? Did I really say something that meta…? Yes, I did! What was I doing!?

At the time, I just got a bit too carried away. But still, having my lines recited back to me word-for-word is embarrassing.

This is bad.

Most of my lines could be fudged, but there’s no getting around “reincarnation.”

If you say something like that in this world, she, one of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, would misunderstand without a doubt.

『You’re… an archangel, aren’t you? Born in ancient times, the primordial archangel Daat, who, alongside the Holy Dragon and Keter, protected the Fairy World at the time of its creation. The one who severed ties with the World Tree… and even erased their own existence to seal away the Qlippoth of the abyss, the reincarnation of the Zeroth Sefirot──that’s who you are.』

Thanks for the explanation. The archangel of understanding is so good at being considerate.

Okay, so this “Daat” is someone like that.

As usual, I never heard of someone like that in Fairy Savers, but I guess in this world, there really was such an archangel. I’m used to this by now.

To sum up her story, there was a being called a “primordial archangel” that came before the Ten Archangels of Sefirot.

And for some reason, that primordial archangel made a sacrifice long ago during a battle with the Qlippoth of the abyss.

And, her reincarnation is me──hm, having the background of being born with unrivaled abilities is quite the orthodox setting for a cheat original protagonist.

Like "zeroth" or "primordial," those words alone sound strong.

Was I Daat...? No, no, that’s not it. I’m T.P. Eight Olishua. No matter what anyone says, I’m T.P. Eight Olishua...!

『...I've always wanted to see you… but you didn’t want to meet me, did you...?』

Uwah! Don’t get meek so quicklyl! It makes it sound like I’m being cold to an old friend I’ve reunited with after ages!

What do I do? What do I do about this!? What the heck is going on!?

The goddess-like person didn't tell me anything… If there was such an appealing setting for me as an original protagonist, she should have explained it properly. Since she didn’t, this nonsense about me being some archangel called Daat is probably just a misunderstanding on Binah-sama’s part.

But you see... this is crazy. Even in a fanfiction sense.

From her perspective, this is turning into a super serious development, like “I’ve reunited with a comrade I thought I’d never meet again,” and I get that, but… since I have no grasp of the situation myself, I’m completely left behind.

This difference in enthusiasm… It feels like what I thought was a heartwarming slice-of-life fanfiction suddenly switching to a serious battle story with a slowly rising conspiracy.

When this happens, you need to brace myself for at least one or two zero ratings. Fanfiction is difficult.

D-don’t panic, me! I’m the cheat original protagonist, T.P. Eight Olishua!

I have to do something... I have do something an original protagonist would!

──That’s it!

『Ah…』

Most problems can be resolved by patting the other person on the head.

I decided to rely on this secret technique, headpatting. No, I wasn’t trying to make her fall for me, but human body warmth like this works is very beneficial for a shaken heart. (tl note: headpatting/撫でポ is stroking someone's head to make them blush and fall in love.)

I could’ve done this with Kabbalah-chan, but she looked so lonely that I couldn’t help but reach out to her instead. Ohh, her hair is as silky smooth as Mea-chan’s. It’s a forceful and natural form of sexual harassment, but I hope you let it pass in consideration of my expert headpatting skills.

『Hehe…』

…Okay, Binah-sama has calmed down. I've also calmed down. Kabbalah-chan was giving me a wistful look, so I petted her with my other hand.

Patting both girls’ heads simultaneously. This is what’s called the original protagonist's Demonic Guard of Heaven and Earth. I don't know though. (tl note: dragon quest reference.)

Once things had settled down, I began carefully choosing my words, aiming to avoid upsetting Binah while escaping the questioning myself.

"...I’ve wanted to meet all of you for so long. I never dreamed there would come a day when I could touch your hands like this."

『Ah…』

Speaking the truth without falsehood (in the sense that I wanted to meet the characters from Fairy Savers that I had seen on-screen), it was a technical phrasing that wouldn’t disappoint someone who believed she had reunited with a comrade from ancient times, all while not revealing any direct mention of "Daat."

Well, because I really don’t know.

I’m absolutely convinced it’s not true, but it might be possible that my body is really related to this "Daat," or maybe not. Since the possibility isn't 100%, I didn’t want to make any irresponsible statements to her, who had such a lonely expression.

──I need to look into this, into "Daat."

To uncover the truth, I’ll need to meet the goddess-like person again, but there must be other things I can do in the meantime. The whole thing reeks of trouble, but pretending I don’t know anything would feel worse.

Of course, I’ll keep doing my original protagonist play. This, too, is an effort for me to enjoy being an original protagonist. (tl note: I haven’t mentioned this before, but play here refers to a standard set of movements, not the playful kind.)

"I have secrets I can’t tell you. But it’s not because I don’t trust you. I just can’t say it right now… I’m sorry, Binah."

『Daat…』

With that being said, please don’t press me on this any further.

I'll look into it properly! If I can prove that I’m not Daat, I’ll deny it properly!

Until then, I’m sorry, but I’d like to postpone this conversation. With that in mind, I smiled at her.

『...The real deal, is so different…』

…No, I’m probably a fake.

Yeah, when I prove I’m a fake, I have no idea how she’ll react, so I’m kind of scared. My danger sensors are going off like crazy.

I’ll also need to investigate her feelings toward "Daat" and their relationship.

Why do I have to play detective when I’m supposed to be a phantom thief…? I couldn’t help but think that, but this is also part of being an original protagonist.

Yare yare. The path to becoming the perfect cheat original protagonist is a rugged one.

(author: The truth about T.P. Eight Olishua is finally revealed...! (Not revealed))

(I’ve been working on my desk so much that my back started hurting. So I started doing some back exercises.)

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