"He once fell for the Queen of the Sheba Kingdom... He was mighty and clever..."
"Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. There is nothing new under the sun. Everything is chasing the wind, everything is grasping at shadows!"
"..."
When Princess Alice and Yuri Wanitangi chanted these Word Spirits while in a state of Spiritual Vision, Roy became certain that the bronze ring really was King Solomon's. A Witch's Spiritual Vision saw the essence of an object or person through some medium, and they had used this ring to find King Solomon's Spiritual Word and summon him forth.
But immediately afterward, the situation changed drastically—
The seventy-two candle flames burning all around suddenly flickered without any wind, as though they might go out at any moment. The many Miko and Witches present wore pained expressions. Even Yuri Wanitangi and Princess Alice had cold sweat on their foreheads, and their chanting became broken and intermittent:
"...He implemented outstanding policies as a king, and many legends of his accomplishments as a magician have also been passed down!"
"God granted him ten rings of wisdom, which he used to command Angels and Demons."
"From the moment he was born... he was recognized as a 'king'... He was born only to hear God's words and follow the path revealed by Heaven."
"Within him there were no emotions. He was a nonhuman being stripped of the ability to empathize with human joy and sorrow, and of free will..."
Princess Alice and Yuri Wanitangi's expressions grew increasingly pained, while the Word Spirits they uttered became more and more absurd.
"Aiwass!"
Roy's expression turned solemn. He raised his right arm, and another strange, distorted vortex appeared at his shoulder. He addressed the "Holy Guardian Angel" behind him, whom only he could see. "...The thing dwelling in my right hand—the mysterious space that has opened a bridge between worlds. This ritual isn't connecting to this world's 'Throne,' which records information about the gods. It's connecting to another world's 'Throne'!"
"...Alice and Yuri Wanitangi are using information from Yomi to chant the Spiritual Word. But Yomi doesn't record information about another world's 'Throne,' so they can only force the Spiritual Vision with their own Magic Power. The Disobedient God summoned here is indeed King Solomon, but he isn't this world's King Solomon!"
The Great King of Israel
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No one knew exactly what the mysterious space that allowed Roy to travel between worlds was—not Roy, and not Aiwass. Aiwass had merely called it a "ship" capable of crossing the Sea of Worlds.
Roy did not even know how he had obtained that mysterious space. He only remembered somehow acquiring a strange incantation. Once, he had accidentally recited it in his sleep, and during his first journey, he had arrived in the A Certain Magical Index World.
Later, when he died in the A Certain Magical Index World, he seemed to have fulfilled some necessary condition and crossed back from that world to his own.
Then, when Roy deliberately recited the incantation again and came to the Campione World, the mysterious space took up residence in his right hand.
According to Aiwass, whoever could create this mysterious space was definitely far beyond a Demon God. It was either the "Self-Sustainer" represented by "10=1" in Aleister's system, or an existence even further beyond that—one that even Aiwass could not explain.
Now, Roy's right hand housed the mysterious space, while the "Divine Right" of his "Third Hand" held "all the miracles of Christianity." These two right hands would be Roy's greatest guarantees in the future.
Because of the influence of the mysterious space dwelling in Roy's right hand, this ritual for summoning a Disobedient God directly pierced through the barrier between worlds. It connected to the Heroic Spirit "Throne" of another world, summoning that world's King Solomon's "Throne information" here while opening a route for Roy to travel to that world.
In the past, Roy had crossed the Sea of Worlds to other worlds by making a wish to the mysterious space and allowing the "ship" to carry him there automatically. Now, he had obtained three routes to worlds he could reach on his own: one to the A Certain Magical Index World, one to the Campione World, and the last to the unknown new world where King Solomon existed.
"Let me see exactly which world's King Solomon you are!"
Roy's expression was solemn as he clenched both fists. Regardless of which world that King Solomon came from, once he had arrived here and been summoned by the ritual for calling forth a Disobedient God, he was a Disobedient God—and therefore someone Roy, a Campione, could kill.
At the same time, Roy stared nervously at Princess Alice. Since Solomon's Spiritual Foundation came from another world, the Witch's Spiritual Vision could no longer borrow Yomi's power. The Witches and Miko present had to supply the Magic Power themselves, making the summoning ritual exceptionally dangerous.
Roy did not care much about Yuri Wanitangi's condition. But if the ritual threatened Princess Alice's life, he would end it without hesitation. He called himself the Hegemon-King. Though he possessed boundless ambition, he also cherished the tenderness and deep affection of women.
The seventy-two candle flames gradually went out. The Miko and Witches who had been providing Magic Power to Princess Alice and Yuri Wanitangi grew listless. Soon even Yuri Wanitangi could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground. Only Princess Alice, the finest Witch in the world, continued the summoning ritual alone.
Information from an alien Throne formed a Spiritual Foundation at the center of the ritual. The laws governing Disobedient Gods in the Campione World began to activate. Aether and humanity's worship and faith in the gods gathered in the atmosphere, forming a body. A figure slowly took shape at the ritual's center.
"Pfft—!"
Princess Alice spat blood. Her body was already weak. If Roy had not continuously infused Authority into her body in the form of essence these past few days, repairing some of the damage caused by her powerful spiritual energy, she would probably have exhausted herself to death by now.
Even so, Princess Alice was weak to the extreme. The excessive loss of spiritual energy had left her seriously injured, and her rosy cheeks had once again turned pale.
The Princess knelt on the ground. With trembling hands, she brushed aside the platinum hair covering her forehead and forced a smile at Roy. "...King Roy, I have completed the ritual."
"You did well, Alice..."
Roy spoke gently, then shouted to the knight beside him, "...Erica!"
Erica immediately understood what Roy meant. She recited a magical incantation and rushed to Princess Alice's side at incredible speed, carrying her away.
The other Miko and Witches who could still move also retreated while supporting one another. Every one of them stared fearfully at the forming figure of the Disobedient God. They knew what would happen next: a battle that could exist only in myth, a war between a god and a Demon King!
The figure at the center of the ritual finally became fully visible. It was a tall man, just as described in the Bible: mighty and clever. His slightly graying hair was tied into a single ponytail that hung casually over his chest. He wore a red, white, and black royal robe, and around his neck, like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, hung golden ornaments symbolizing his status and position.
His complexion was healthy, as though he often basked in the sun. His face was expressionless and slightly solemn, and his gaze was extremely serious, faintly carrying the majesty of a king. Most eye-catching were the ten rings on his fingers and the magical sigils covering his hands and arms. At first glance, the ten golden rings gave him the air of a nouveau riche, but Roy knew they symbolized not wealth, but wisdom!
"King Solomon!"
Roy lowered his head slightly and shouted. His Magic Power burned within his body. With a thunderous boom, the ground beneath his feet shattered. His Campione instincts and surging blood told him that the man before him was a Disobedient God. Whether he was King Solomon or King David, the two of them were now destined to fight to the death!
The first Authority of the "Divine Right," "Jacob's Ladder," activated—
"Moses Parts the Sea!"
Roy raised his right hand and shaped it like a blade, bringing down the power that had split the Red Sea from the upper right toward the lower left. He was certain that if King Solomon reacted even slightly too slowly, this hand strike would cut from his left shoulder to his right abdomen and split him in two!
A flicker of surprise crossed the solemn king's eyes, as though he found it unbelievable that he had arrived in an unknown world. At the same time, he seemed to be using his "wisdom" to analyze, comprehend, and observe this new world.
Only when Roy's hand was almost upon his left shoulder did the greatest king of Israel raise his left hand and block Roy's wrist with a technique similar to "Jacob's Ladder."
Roy's first strike missed. He turned his palm into a fist and punched again, while King Solomon opened his hand and seized Roy's fist.
"Boom—!"
Their Magic Power collided, whipping up a tornado-like gale. The earth cracked, the air roared, and a tearing force ripped everything around them apart. If the Miko and Witches had not retreated quickly, the aftershock alone from the clash between the Disobedient God and the Campione would have torn them to pieces.
"'Jacob's Ladder'?"
Roy was slightly surprised. The technique King Solomon used shared the same origin as his own. Both came from the Bible.
But he soon understood. Jacob was also called Israel and was the ancestor of the Israelites. As the greatest king of Israel, it was only natural that Solomon would know the same style of combat.
Leaving aside his magical abilities, King Solomon's skill with his hands and feet was peerless beneath Heaven.
What was especially unfair was that Roy's right fist throbbed faintly with pain. Roy fought barehanded, while King Solomon wore knuckle-dusters. This made Roy wonder whether his earlier guess had been wrong. Could those things not be rings symbolizing wisdom, but weapons King Solomon used in battle?
"Please, wait a moment, sir!"
King Solomon held Roy's fist as the two struggled against each other. The solemn king spoke, but contrary to his appearance, his voice was relaxed and even slightly frivolous, completely at odds with his majestic bearing.
"Are you going to say your last words and write your will first?"
Roy sneered provocatively.
"Mm. If you could let me say my last words first, I would be most grateful."
Roy froze, caught between laughter and tears.
Although the king's appearance was imposing and his manner of speaking carried great authority, the actual content of his words was completely at odds with his appearance.
For a moment, Roy wondered whether this King Solomon was using his "wisdom" to show weakness, waiting for an opportunity to kill him in one blow.
Or perhaps he was unfamiliar with this new world and was stalling with words while learning how to fight as a Disobedient God.
Solomon's Wisdom
Roy was not being overly cautious, nor was this simply a Campione's distrust of Disobedient Gods. Solomon had been famous throughout history for his "wisdom," and the words of someone like that naturally inspired suspicion.
For example, if Zhuge Liang suddenly told you he wanted to surrender, anyone who knew him would not immediately celebrate. They would instead wonder whether that near-demonic man was plotting something.
Roy was in exactly that state now.
"So my words are really that difficult to trust?"
King Solomon suddenly looked troubled. Even his solemn, dignified face showed a hint of grievance.
"To demonstrate my sincerity, I will give up resisting. But I hope you will let me finish what I have to say."
As he spoke, King Solomon slowly released Roy's fist and even dispersed his Magic Power.
Seeing this, Roy hesitated before taking a step back to guard against a sneak attack. Only then did he carefully examine the king before him.
When King Solomon had first been summoned, Roy had merely glanced at his clothes and face before treating him as a Disobedient God and launching into battle. Only now did Roy scrutinize Solomon from head to toe.
Then surprise appeared in Roy's eyes, because he finally recognized which Solomon this was.
The Solomon from FGO? Did my right hand connect to the Type-Moon world?
Roy dredged up a memory from sixteen years ago. Since the game had been popular, he had played it a little. As a relatively professional photographer who took pictures of cosplayers, he could be an ordinary person, but he also had to be a geek. If he was unfamiliar with characters from anime and games, his photographs would lack the proper atmosphere and character. For a photographer, that was completely unacceptable.
Roy had never possessed the arrogance of someone from the "Real World." He even deeply doubted what kind of world his supposed Real World actually was. After traveling to the A Certain Magical Index World, learning magic himself, and touching the reality of that world with his own hands, he knew that none of it was false. These people were not fictional anime characters or NPCs. They were living, breathing people with their own thoughts.
If he's that Solomon, then he should be trustworthy, right?
Roy still had some doubts. He was not really a "fan," and he did not know all the more detailed settings. In this real world, he had to remain vigilant. He could not trust someone merely because of what he remembered. That would be an error born of empiricism.
"This is... what it feels like to be human."
King Solomon's solemn, majestic face showed delight. He seemed to be smiling, but the smile was ugly, as though his former self had never smiled before.
Roy even felt that it looked less like a smile than crying.
"Sorry, sorry. I have never experienced what it feels like to be human, so I may have been somewhat rude."
King Solomon looked nothing like a Disobedient God opposed to a Campione. He scratched his head with one hand, his shy smile carrying a trace of embarrassment. His aura of authority had vanished entirely, and he had become frivolous. Even Roy found it difficult to maintain much hostility toward someone so lacking in motivation.
"You... aren't human? As King Solomon, aren't you the third monarch of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, the king renowned throughout the world?"
Roy stared at the King Solomon before him, whose transformation could only be described as complete reversal. He was entirely different from the majestic king who had just been summoned. It was as though a "king" had become an "ordinary person."
"Ah, I don't particularly want to discuss this topic. But since I have a favor to ask of you, and you brought it up, I suppose there is no harm in explaining. The being called King Solomon was not a person. He was a 'king' by nature, an 'emptiness' with nothing of its own. His existence was merely the symbol of a machine set to complete the tasks it was meant to complete. He was the final bridge connecting God and humanity."
"...King Solomon accepted God's gifts, ruled the country, established laws, and earned the people's respect and love. Then, after completing his task, he quietly awaited death and returned God's blessings to Heaven. That was the mission of the being called King Solomon, nothing more. Everything proceeded according to a script written in advance. There was no will of Solomon within it, because he possessed no 'humanity.'"
The king before Roy wore a sorrowful expression. But he was not grieving over his own life. He was simply a pessimist by nature.
Roy thought of a line Princess Alice had chanted earlier: "Within him there were no emotions. He was a nonhuman being stripped of the ability to empathize with human joy and sorrow, and of free will."
At that moment, Roy finally understood what Solomon truly was. He was indeed not human, merely a mechanism connecting God and humanity, a robot with a predetermined program. His task was simply to lead Israel to prosperity, then divide it, becoming part of the Old Testament of the Bible.
To put it more harshly, he was merely the "king" God had granted to humanity to display His authority.
With that thought, the way Roy looked at Solomon changed. There was no pity in his gaze, because he knew that pity was the most harmful evil one could inflict upon another. He merely sighed, "...You really are unfortunate."
"When you put it that way, I feel even worse. This feeling is what being upset is, right? It is an emotion I have never experienced, so I am not entirely sure."
The king before him looked hesitant, still uncertain about human emotions.
Then he looked at Roy, and at what lay behind Roy, before speaking. "...This world is not the world I originally inhabited, and it is not any parallel world either. How incredible. So worlds exist beyond the outer side of the world? My current state is called a Disobedient God? Then did you summon me here, or did the existence behind you summon me here?"
"You can see Aiwass?"
Roy asked in surprise. Solomon was the first person Roy had ever met who could perceive Aiwass. Even Pandora had been unable to do so.
"If the Aiwass you mean is the angel-like existence behind you."
King Solomon's tone held a trace of reserve, as though he was slowly becoming accustomed to every emotion of being human.
"Not only can I see Aiwass, but as someone from another world, I knew immediately upon appearing that I was a Disobedient God. It is rather astonishing. Is this the 'wisdom of Solomon'?"
Roy exclaimed in amazement. The ritual for summoning a Disobedient God would not transmit this world's knowledge to a King Solomon from another world. In other words, Solomon had discovered all of this himself. To understand everything the instant he arrived in another world, he truly deserved the title "Solomon the Wise."
"You flatter me. Solomon's Wisdom was wisdom granted by the Lord. It was not something that belonged to Solomon. Besides, I too wonder why I possess 'humanity.'"
King Solomon spoke sincerely, admitting without hesitation that the wisdom was not his own, but God's. He had merely been granted wisdom and received divine revelation, which had made him a great king.
This also matched the Bible's account. Solomon had led Israel to prosperity because God wanted Israel to prosper.
Roy stared at him for a long while before sighing. "...I understand now. Solomon's Wisdom truly is God's wisdom, not human wisdom."
"...As for why you possess 'humanity,' I can probably guess. A Disobedient God is a god from mythology freed from its restraints, one that surpasses and distorts the meaning of its mythology before descending upon the earth. For example, a benevolent god who protects the people might become evil after being distorted."
"And since you say that King Solomon was a machine without 'humanity,' then under the ritual for summoning a Disobedient God, the concept of King Solomon in mythology was distorted. That allowed you to transcend the restraints of mythology and become a 'human.'"
Roy offered his explanation, then fell into deep worry.
The Authorities gained by a Campione after killing a Disobedient God were uncontrollable. If he killed the King Solomon before him, obtaining the wisdom of a "god" would be fine. But what if he obtained the wisdom of a "human"? Would it lower his intelligence instead?
In Roy's view, when this King Solomon acted as a human, his tone and manner of speaking revealed that he possessed none of a "king's" authority. Calling him a "good-for-nothing" would not be an exaggeration.
If Roy killed him, what would he do if that useless aura infected him?
While Roy was struggling with this dilemma, Solomon spoke in a pleading tone. "...Sir Roy, I have an unreasonable request. I know the missions of Campiones and Disobedient Gods, and I know the inevitable fate of an outsider like me. But please, let me live as a 'human' in this world for seven days. Seven days is all I ask. After those seven days, please kill me!"
Solomon, This Is Your Reward!
"King, do not listen to this man's deceitful words!"
At that moment, Erica suddenly came to Roy's side. Her expression was solemn, and she held a sword in her hand. Firm in her knightly code, she stood protectively beside Roy, her fearless gaze stabbing straight toward King Solomon.
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