You're Just a Coward / The Time for Farewell Has Come

Roman seemed terrified of Erica. After she glared at him, he obediently stood to the side, rubbing the back of his neck and chuckling sheepishly.

This guy really doesn't know how to deal with strong women.

Roy watched Roman thoughtfully.

Liliana followed behind Erica. This upright and courageous knight was extremely polite. When facing Roman, she performed a very formal greeting, which instead left Roman somewhat flustered.

"Sorry to disturb you, King Solomon! I wonder if I might be fortunate enough to continue listening to your teachings today?"

Alice was the last to enter. This European White Princess was the one most interested in Solomon. As the former chairwoman of the Council of Sages, combined with her love of joining in the fun, she was always eager to obtain some knowledge that interested her from Solomon.

Roy glanced at Alice and asked worriedly, "...How is your body?"

"Thank you for your concern, 'King.' I've recovered somewhat, but I still can't use the Witch's spiritual power. After a few more days, once 'King' has finished learning from King Solomon, you can give me another injection, and I'll be fine."

Princess Alice's cheeks flushed crimson. She winked at Roy, her eyes brimming with suggestiveness.

Hearing Princess Alice's words, Erica's expression shifted slightly. She cursed under her breath, "...A fox spirit who deceives the 'King!'"

Liliana, standing nearby, also understood the hidden meaning in Princess Alice's words. Her face steamed like a boiling kettle.

Afterward, they ate late-night snacks together and chatted. Most of the time, Princess Alice asked questions while Roman answered. In Roy's eyes, many of those questions were actually Princess Alice asking the King of Magic for guidance on knowledge and magic.

Although Roman kept complaining about work, he truly did his utmost to fulfill his promise. He even refused to reject questions asked outside his "working hours." Roy felt that perhaps Roman simply enjoyed the happiness of communicating with people as a "human."

At eleven that night, the girls said their goodbyes and left. Only Roy and Roman remained in the room. Roy was rather depressed. He should have been able to enjoy himself every night, living shamelessly with girls, yet now he had to share a room with a man.

But he had no choice. Roman's current identity was that of a Disobedient God. As a Campione, Roy didn't dare lower his guard around him completely. When a Disobedient God went mad, it was terrifying. Thus, Roy could only reluctantly share the room with him, while also keeping watch over him.

If someone had told Roy in the past that King Solomon the Wise was actually a useless man, Roy would never have believed it. But now, he had no choice but to accept it.

The greatest king in Israel's history was sitting at the desk, hugging a computer and laughing uproariously. Every so often, he scooped up a spoonful of cake and put it in his mouth, treating the strawberries on top with extraordinary care. A bottle of cola sat beside him.

Roman was watching a recently famous VTuber. Roy had no idea whether he understood anything about virtual idol livestreams. Regardless, this wise king was thoroughly engrossed. His expressions while watching were extraordinarily vivid, and his sense of immersion was astonishing.

When being cursed at, he giggled foolishly. When the streamer became sad, he sobbed along with her. When she asked for donations, he shamelessly asked Roy for money, claiming that he ought to control his own wages.

Although Roy suspected that Roman was being swindled, he couldn't bring himself to refuse when he saw Roman's pitiful expression.

"To coax King Solomon into taking out his wallet, that streamer really is impressive."

Roy sighed. He now believed Roman's claim that his name came from Japanese, since Roman was watching a Japanese livestream.

Aside from eating cake, drinking cola, and watching livestreams, Roman's favorite way to spend his free time was reading. He read all kinds of books—so many that, in Roy's eyes, most of them contained useless knowledge. Yet Roman remained fascinated.

He could learn all those things instantly by activating the "Wisdom of God," but he insisted on reading books the human way. According to him, "Only then can I feel more like a person."

As for this King Solomon who had gained humanity and was working hard to learn how to be human, Roy simply let him do as he pleased. So long as Roman was happy, that was enough.

"Hey, Roman! I'm getting sleepy. I'm going to bed first. You can keep playing by yourself."

Roy yawned and spoke sleepily.

No matter how one looked at it, King Solomon's existence was still that of a Disobedient God. Going several days without sleep was no problem for him. Although Roy was a Campione, Campiones had not truly escaped the boundaries of humanity. Going without sleep for a day or two was manageable, but after too long, he would still become tired. Since Roy spent a great deal of brainpower learning every day, he needed to catch up on sleep each night.

"Sure, go to sleep. Don't mind me. I'll wake you tomorrow!"

Roman didn't even turn his head. He continued staring foolishly at the computer screen and waved a hand behind him.

Then he found a pair of earphones and put them on, afraid that the computer's sound would disturb Roy's sleep.

"You could turn it up all the way and it still wouldn't matter. Nothing like that can wake me. There's a pile of snacks and drinks in the refrigerator. You can eat and drink while playing on the computer. It'll feel even better that way."

Roy passed on his experience as a shut-in to Roman.

He yawned again, said good night, then flopped onto the bed without even taking off his clothes.

Undressing in front of another man felt rather strange.

The days that followed passed in an ordinary routine. They worked and studied every day, laughed together every day, and almost forgot the fate shared by Campiones and Disobedient Gods.

But on the Seventh Day, it finally arrived...

You're Nothing but a Coward

In Jerusalem, Roy and Roman walked slowly along the streets. Today was the Seventh Day, the Sabbath given by God.

"This is the Wailing Wall. The temple you built was the First Temple of the Jewish kingdom. This place is a section of the retaining wall of the Second Temple of the ancient Jewish kingdom, and the only surviving ruins of that wall. Judaism has always regarded this wall as its foremost holy site. For thousands of years, Jews scattered across the corners of the world have come to the Holy City of Jerusalem and prayed quietly before this stone wall, lamenting the suffering of exile. That's why it came to be called the Wailing Wall."

Roy brought Roman to Jerusalem's famous Wailing Wall. Many tourists were gathered around, along with Jews who had once been scattered throughout the world and were now praying devoutly.

Jerusalem was truly a miraculous city. It contained the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christianity claimed Jesus's tomb was located; the Dome of the Rock, one of the oldest mosques of Christianity; and the Wailing Wall, Judaism's holy site. One could say that this city carried the glory of the entire Abrahamic Pantheon. Throughout history, it had been fiercely contested by all those religions.

God's glory. The Land of Canaan truly lived up to its name.

The two wore small paper caps, as was customary for locals and tourists visiting the Wailing Wall. Roy had no intention of violating the custom.

"This place truly carries humanity's history. It's where human order was founded. The Age of Gods was destined to end. Humanity and the gods were destined to be separated clearly."

Although King Solomon had become Roman and gained humanity, that did not mean he had abandoned King Solomon's power and memories. Thus, when facing humanity's ancient ruins, he could express an even deeper feeling.

He was the "Agent of the Gods," the final link between gods and humanity. After his death, the Divine Principles gradually faded from the world, and human order finally reached its height.

"But the First Temple you built has been completely submerged by history. Although I excavated some ruins on Mount Murray, they couldn't even be called broken walls. King Solomon was the third king of the ancient Jewish kingdom, as well as its greatest king, yet the surviving documents and records from his reign are extraordinarily scarce. It even makes people wonder whether this king ever existed. What do you think about that, Roman?"

Roy stood beside the Wailing Wall, chatting casually with the wise king, as though he had crossed history and time and brought an ancient miracle back to the present.

"As Roman, I'd probably feel a little regretful. Those were precious relics and inheritances connecting gods and humans. But as King Solomon, that was a mission he had to complete. There had been too many things connected to the gods in that era, but they weren't needed by human order. That was why King Solomon took the initiative to destroy them, preventing them from being passed down."

Roman raised an innocent smile. He scratched the back of his head, narrowing his eyes awkwardly, and smiled shyly like a boy next door.

Roy pondered this and said, "...So King Solomon worshipped many gods in his later years because he was actually destroying as much of what the Age of Gods had left behind as possible, ensuring that it wouldn't affect the arrival of the human era? Perhaps Qin Shi Huang also burned the mysteries left behind by the Age of Gods, welcoming the replacement of divine order by human order."

Thus, although King Solomon had established Israel's most prosperous dynasty, he had left behind very few documents or ruins. No matter how one looked at it, that was impossible. The reason was that King Solomon himself had taken the initiative to destroy them and reduce the traces of his own existence. His existence was the final link between humanity and the gods, the final legacy left behind by the gods—and something he had to destroy.

At that moment, Roy suddenly understood. Perhaps King Solomon's final goal had been to disappear completely himself, leaving not even the slightest trace behind.

Before the Wailing Wall, some people faced the stones and spoke sorrowfully of something. Some bowed deeply and prayed. Some held Bibles and prayed in silence. Some kissed the Wailing Wall. Others stuffed white slips of paper into the cracks between its stones.

Seeing those slips of paper, Roman asked curiously, "...What are they doing?"

"The believers here believe that if they write their innermost thoughts on a slip of paper and place it in the wall, they're writing a letter to God. God will surely receive it."

Roy explained it to him.

Roman immediately became interested. He borrowed paper and a pen from someone, wrote something in ancient Hebrew, then reverently and carefully folded the papers and tucked them into the cracks.

After finishing, he smiled happily. "...Then the Lord will know what I want to say to Him, right?"

"What did you write?"

Roy asked with interest.

"It's a secret!"

This time, Roman unusually refused to answer Roy's question.

Seeing this, Roy could only laugh. He had no intention of investigating Roman's secret. If he did, Roman would probably become angry.

Although even if Roman got angry, giving him a slice of strawberry cake would make him forgive Roy with a smile.

There was sorrow before the Wailing Wall, but there was also joy and happiness. Jewish boys held their coming-of-age ceremonies before the wall with their families beside them. Everyone laughed and celebrated the boys becoming adults on their birthdays. The ancient King Solomon also offered his blessings to the descendants of his people.

The two left the Wailing Wall and walked through the weathered ancient city.

"I was wary and suspicious of you before. Although you seemed harmless over the past few days, I could sense that you had never truly opened your heart. Your interactions with people remained superficial. You never truly connected with anyone."

Roy was not wearing his red Cardinal's robes today, because they were simply too conspicuous. He didn't want to attract attention.

He merely kept his right hand in his pocket and chatted with Roman now and then, not at all resembling the final Sabbath of a Campione and a Disobedient God.

"But during these last two days, I could feel that you had completely opened your heart and truly blended in."

Hearing Roy's words, Roman chuckled twice. He scratched the back of his head and said awkwardly, "...I was afraid, actually. I was afraid of seeing sad things. I thought that if I became too close to you, having to part after seven days would frighten me, so I kept avoiding it. But in the end, I realized that people had to communicate honestly from the heart. Without that, they could never understand human emotions."

"...Humans really are incredible. They know something is sad and painful, yet they still do it through their tears. But I think I'm very lucky and very happy, because I've finally become a person."

Roman spoke gratefully. After pausing, he hesitated again, his face fearful and withdrawn. "...When I was King Solomon seven days ago, I had already decided to leave on this day. But after becoming human, I'm afraid now. I don't want to die. Tell me, am I a coward?"

"That's right. You're a coward. But there's no need to feel guilty or blame yourself. Fear of death is simply human nature! So, coward, do you want to visit that dessert shop over there? I'll treat you to one last slice of cake."

Roy smiled and pointed toward a busy dessert shop. "...Though the desserts there probably can't compare with those at the hotel. It's just a little shop by the roadside."

"It doesn't matter. I like any strawberry cake. I'm not picky."

Roman answered with a radiant smile. At that moment, he finally made up his mind.

It was sad and frightening, but he had to do it.

Because a Disobedient God was a disaster, a destroyer of human order...

The Time for Farewell Has Come

"The moment has finally arrived. Dreams are destined to awaken, but after waking, we forget what happened in them. That's really rather sad."

As the sun set, Roy and Roman stood shoulder to shoulder on a mountain outside Jerusalem, gazing down at the ancient city.

Roman's voice was sorrowful. His information was stored in the "Throne of Heroes" of the Type-Moon World. No matter what he experienced, when he died, it wouldn't affect the Throne in the slightest. This life and these memories would ultimately be nothing more than fleeting dreams.

He had finally seen the scenery of the Outer World. He had finally gained humanity, become human, and lived the simple life he had longed for most. It should have been a double happiness, yet when the ending arrived, all that happiness became a dreamlike illusion. Roman, whose emotions had gradually grown richer, could only let out a sorrowful sigh.

"Are you afraid, Roman?"

Standing beside him, Roy gazed at the ancient city of Jerusalem, dyed golden by the setting sun, and asked with a soft laugh.

Roman nodded, then shook his head. "...Of course I'm afraid. I'm so afraid that I want to turn around and run back right now, then scream my lungs out and vent all the fear in my heart."

"...But when I came to this world, my eyes read this world's past and future from a place called Yomi. I know what Disobedient Gods truly are. They're disasters that bring calamity to humanity simply by existing. If King Solomon, following his 'correctness,' knew that his existence would bring disaster to humanity, he would surely end his life calmly through suicide."

"But the concept of a Disobedient God twisted King Solomon's 'correctness,' making him suddenly want to experience life as a human. That impulse grew stronger and stronger, until it even surpassed the principles King Solomon was supposed to follow."

"...Now I can tell you loudly that this impulse was the most correct decision King Solomon ever made in his life. During these seven days, living here as a human and as Roman, I've been incredibly happy. I've been incredibly fulfilled—so fulfilled that I want to sacrifice myself to protect the world that gave me happiness."

Roman's smile was pure and innocent. Fear still remained on his face, but at crucial moments, he could always make a decisive choice without hesitation. "...This time, it wasn't King Solomon who made this choice. It was a human named Roman. Ah, those heroes' choices truly are admirable. As humans, they can always face their deaths and sacrifices fearlessly and bravely. In that regard, I'm not like a hero at all."

"You weren't a hero to begin with. You were just a useless man. Look at what you've done these seven days. If I hadn't forced you to finish your work, you would have spent every day eating cake and drinking cola, playing games or watching livestreams. You even became obsessed with virtual idols. Someone like you is worlds apart from a hero."

Roy couldn't help teasing him.

"Ahaha... This is supposed to be a sad moment, Roy. Don't say things like that about me."

Roman scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "...It really isn't my fault. Cola is delicious, strawberry cake is tasty, and virtual idols are adorable. If I didn't become obsessed with such delicious and adorable things, wouldn't that be disrespectful to them?"

"You're really good at making excuses for being a slacker."

"..."

The two fell silent again.

After a long while, Roy finally said, "...If you could maintain your sanity after being born as a Disobedient God, and wouldn't become so deranged that you brought disaster to humanity, would you choose to remain here and continue living as an ordinary human, Roman?"

Roman froze. Then he covered his chest and smiled bitterly. "...At a time like this, you're still tempting me, making me hesitate after I finally made up my mind."

"This isn't temptation. It's a fact. Disobedient Gods are disasters, but that isn't absolute. Many Disobedient Gods throughout history met peaceful ends. If you were willing, you could do the same."

Roy turned his head toward Roman's profile.

"I know..."

Roman drew a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "...Of course I know there's a way to deny the disaster of being a Disobedient God. But this ultimately isn't my world. I should return to the world I came from. That's where I belong."

"I see. The fact that you can make this choice means that, at this moment, Roman, you've also become a hero."

Roy sighed, then smiled at him. "...Then, at this sad moment, I'll tell you something that will make you happy. Disobedient Gods and Heroic Spirit Servants are different. When a Servant dies and returns to the Throne, they lose all their memories. But when a Disobedient God dies, he can still retain his memories of the present world."

"...Those memories can't affect the information already fixed in the Throne. But when you're summoned into the present world again, these dreamlike memories will make you remember everything anew. Even if you've become the emotionless King Solomon by then, these memories will once again give you the impulse to become human. So wait with hope. Wait for the day when someone summons King Solomon into the present world again!"

Roman was stunned. He looked at Roy curiously. "...Roy, you seem to know a great deal about my world. Heroic Spirits and Servants aren't concepts that belong to this world. This is clearly a distant place far beyond the Outer World, beyond the control of the Root, yet you seem to know everything."

"No. I only know what I know. I don't know everything."

Roy shook his head.

Roman didn't ask further. No matter how curious he was, he wasn't the sort of person who kept digging. After hesitating for a moment, he asked timidly in a quiet voice, "...Are we friends now?"

"Of course. If feelings like this can't be called friendship, then the word 'friend' would be too precious. Roman, I have a feeling that perhaps one day we'll meet again—in your world."

Roy took a deep breath. When he summoned King Solomon, the mysterious "ship" in his right hand had already opened a path to the Type-Moon World. If Roy wanted to obtain more knowledge, he would inevitably have to explore new worlds.

"Friends... That's wonderful. To gain a friend after becoming human, I really couldn't be luckier. This is a feeling and a word that Solomon could never understand."