I pondered what to ask in my head… Let’s see, first of all–

“My next question is… I’ve been to the Tower you were in. There were Monsters left behind…”

“I was creating them and testing how far I could control them remotely. To some extent… I lost control at a distance of about a Nation away. Well, I had given them the command to guard the Tower beforehand, so they shouldn’t have gone outside.”

So that’s how it is… I murmured “I see” and asked another question.

“…Is this the first time you’ve asked my name?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“You’ve reversed time four times, but… have you heard the name Ruon during that time?”

Richard considered it… and then shook his head.

“No, I haven’t. This is also the first time I’ve seen you act like this.”

…Hmm, from his timeline, it would mean I was Reincarnated into the fifth world. I wonder how this mechanism works… But well, there’s no point thinking about this.

“…May I ask you a question?”

This time, Richard spoke. When I immediately nodded, he posed his question.

“I should have visited the Underground twice, but the battle during my first visit… I also saw that through my Familiar. Your abilities seem considerable… and it also seemed like you knew that such Monsters existed?”

–Here, I considered how much to tell him. I didn’t go all out in the battle in the Underground, but as someone who knows a part of my power, he must be curious. And he seems to have some questions. To convince him… Just as I started to think, Garuku’s voice reached me.

Just as I started thinking about how to convince him, Garuku’s voice reached me.

“At this stage, you don’t need to tell him everything. Besides, I don’t know if he’d even believe you if you told him you were Reincarnated from another world.”

Well, that’s true… Alright, for now, let’s just say I died and restarted my life. Since there’s talk of Reincarnation-type Magic existing, he should readily accept it. If I were to say I know everything that’s going to happen, it might interfere and complicate things, so I’ll keep quiet for now.

I asked about the light that came from the Five Great Demons earlier, but from his reaction, it seems he doesn’t know that Sage’s Power is essential to defeat the Demon King. I wondered what to do about that… but the scenario route is already set, and telling him would only cause unnecessary anxiety… Hmm, I’ll talk about this if it becomes necessary.

“—I’m a Human who, like Mr. Richard, has experienced going back in time, though I don’t know why. However, in my case, I started over as a baby once.”

“Reincarnation, you say… Hmm, indeed such Magic exists. So you mean that Magic was used on you in your previous life?”

“Yes. I don’t have any memories of that, but–“

I explained while matching his story… As a result, I don’t know if he was completely convinced, but he responded with “I understand.”

“So, what are you doing now?”

“In my experience, I saved someone who had died… that’s Attendant Sofia. And since she had various talents, I’ve been training her.”

As I said that, I threw out another question that had arisen.

Speaking of which, do you remember the name Kyarun?

Oh, of course.

Was there a reason you taught her magic?

He was silent for a moment. Then,

…Because I judged that she would fight against the Demon Race in the future.

He said something similar to what Sofia had said before.

Is there any basis for that?

When I asked him in return, Richard immediately nodded.

…You might not believe me, but…

Tell me.

First… I’m probably a Descendant of a Sage. I can only guess, but I have one ability related to Sages.

A surprising statement. When I frowned, he started talking.

In ancient texts, there’s a mention that Sages have Future Prediction Power. However, it seems that not all descendants possess such power.

So you have that power?

As I went back in time repeatedly, that power started to manifest, though my magic power decreased. I taught her magic because I knew from her past experiences that she had participated in the War with Demons, and furthermore, due to that ability, she would participate in the war in the fifth world as well.

I see, now I understand the situation… However, if Sofia also came to the same conclusion, does that mean she also has the power of prophecy? In that case, though, Sofia’s ability is definitely on the level of “a hunch,” and in reality, that power probably isn’t utilized very often.

And the most important information I heard from him seems to be the Southern Invasion of the Demon Race. Clearing that is a major hurdle to defeating the Demon King.

The Southern Invasion event is somewhat special, as this part alone turns into a simulation. There are several such battles, but the Southern Invasion is the largest in scale and the most difficult.

In the game system, the armies of both enemies and allies are deployed on the plains in the Southern Region, and they move alternately like chess or shogi, engaging in combat. When they clash with the enemy, the protagonists fight on the spot. Otherwise, the results are determined by abilities and so on.

In the game, the members who would fight together were determined by the progress of the scenario up to that point. If many sub-events were cleared, the number of allies increased… In extreme terms, in the game, there was no defeat as long as the town, which was the book’s base, wasn’t invaded, so even if only the protagonists fought, they could win if they wanted to. Well, if you fight continuously, your abilities will drop significantly, so you’ll lose if you don’t devise a strategy.

However, it’s clear from Richard’s story that things won’t go that way in reality. They won’t move alternately like in the game, and the number of attacking monsters must be considerable. That’s why a thorough counter-strategy is necessary.

Regarding the Southern Invasion, at worst, I might be able to manage if I go all out on my own. After that event, only the final battle with the Demon King remains, so it feels like a good time to give it my all.

However… even if the scenario has followed the script to some extent so far, it’s undeniable that many unexpected things have happened. So, during the Southern Invasion as well… for example, the possibility of monsters attacking not only from the plains in the Southern Region but also simultaneously from various other places cannot be denied.

No matter how strong I am, if I’m attacked simultaneously, it would be difficult to deal with. Assuming such a possibility, it’s definitely best to gather as much military strength as possible.

I understand Mr. Richard’s situation. So, what are you planning to do next?

When I asked, he replied to me with firm resolve.

Secure troops for the invasion of the Southern Region.

So you’re going to use monsters to fight back?

That’s right. I know roughly how many there are because I participated in the second round. I don’t know how much I can do, but…

Aren’t you going to call upon the Human Side’s Knights?

I don’t have any influence. They wouldn’t believe me if I told them.

Ah, that’s true. I know from the beginning that the Southern Invasion event will occur, but others don’t.

Hmm, the forces I can think of right now are the Spirits, starting with Lefin. Also, with Sofia’s influence, there’s a high possibility that people will gather in the Southern Region.

In the future, there are events I want to intervene in that will be effective for securing military strength. While training Sofia, it might be a good idea to deal with those events.

What are you going to do?

Richard asked. I looked back at him and said,

…I’m going to do everything I can as well.

Understood… I’m counting on you.

By the way, when is the Southern Invasion?

…After four of the Five Great Demons are destroyed. This was the same every time.

That seems to be according to the scenario.

“Understood… Oh, speaking of which, I have a somewhat unrelated question.”

“What is it?”

“There are currently two Mr. Richards in this world… What will happen to them once the battle is over?”

“…Since returning to the first playthrough isn’t an option, they might have to live quietly and unobtrusively. In any case, that’s a matter we don’t need to consider now.”

Perhaps it was that kind of feeling—a desire for the Richards in the fifth world to find happiness.

“Understood… Mr. Richard, don’t die.”

“You too.”

—Eventually, we promised to cooperate and decided to part ways, but just as I was about to leave, I heard his voice calling out to me.