Greedy Truth!

"I want you to submit to me."

"..."

The atmosphere in the pure white space instantly froze at Imu's words.

Truth stood there as if petrified.

It seemed utterly unable to believe what it had heard. After a moment, it said emotionlessly, "I thought you were a wise and composed person. I didn't expect you to be another arrogant, self-important fool."

Imu did not get angry. Instead, he looked at it in confusion.

"Is the knowledge of a new world—no, if we include even more Otherworlds in the future, then practically limitless cosmic knowledge—not valuable enough to make you submit?"

"I see. It seems you've misunderstood something."

Upon hearing Imu's words, Truth immediately realized that it had misunderstood as well. It grinned. "Tell me, do those universes and that knowledge belong to you?"

"No."

Imu denied it thoughtfully, then added, "But isn't it because I agreed to let you pass through the Star Gate that you can enter these worlds and access that knowledge?"

"So I only need to pay a price equivalent to 'passing through the Star Gate.' Because only the Star Gate belongs to you. Naturally, you cannot use things that do not belong to you to trade with me."

Truth answered unhurriedly.

"And the value of merely 'passing through the Star Gate' is far from enough to make me submit to you. After all, I am the Truth of a universe—the entirety of the universe, the universe's—"

"If that's the case, then I refuse to allow you through the Star Gate."

Imu did not continue arguing with it. Clearly, the other side would not yield on this matter. He continued, "But I can trade with you on equal terms using knowledge of Otherworlds you know nothing about!"

Truth had been about to say something upon hearing Imu's