Right after the Mad Magician was split into 30 pieces and scattered across the world.
The Purple Tower Master and Yuri Lanster, who remained in the Holy City, finished assessing the situation from the "Promise" Module.
Just as he had said while flying away, his life wasn't in danger, and while collecting the scattered data would be annoying, restoration was entirely possible.
"Phew..."
That was enough. The Mad Magician was a resilient child who could survive well no matter where he was thrown. He would surely cause various incidents but ultimately turn all his hardships into gains.
Yuna and Yuri relaxed their shoulders a bit. They were still worried, but there was no need to move with the urgency of a fire at their feet.
Yuri Lanster asked, "Is there a way to track him?"
"Yes. I can detect the locations of the scattered pieces. I also know where the main body is right now. Near the Red Tower."
"The, the Red Tower?!"
Yuna straightened her back like a cat encountering a cucumber and made a hissing sound. Yuri Lanster tilted her head slightly in question.
"Yuna, is falling into the Red Tower that dangerous? I've heard that Red Tower Master Vermillion, though eccentric, is loyal to the Empire."
"...He, he's after him! Magically! He might lock him up in a luxurious cell, feeding him only the best things while forcing him to create magic..."
"I see, is that so? Shall we destroy it then?"
Perhaps it was time to execute the Red Tower demolition plan.
The two women, who could crush an average mercenary corps with one hand, raised their fighting spirit. Only we should be allowed to can and raise MadMa!
As they were formulating a specific plan—Yuna would first plant a large "Subtraction" on the upper levels to cause confusion, while Yuri would infiltrate and extract him—
The "Promise" Module, in the form of a young boy, spoke calmly:
"Um, couldn't we resolve this through dialogue?"
"No, Red Tower Master Vermillion has been looking at him with such persistent eyes since they first met... Like, gleaming brightly as if looking at a Dragon Heart!"
"And come to think of it... there's a possibility that MadMa could have created other men or women in that short time. Couldn't he be imprisoned by other magicians in the Red Tower, not just the Tower Master?"
"Hmm... leave it to me first. I'll talk to them."
With Yuna's help, Promise contacted the Red Tower.
"It's been a while, Vermillion."
-There are two of you now?
"There are circumstances. The main body that went your way has no memories of the past. So, please refrain from old stories. I'm asking you. Understand?"
-Of course. I was a bit disappointed about the memory loss, but now we can finally reminisce and share some laughs. So, have you still not recovered your name?
Through negotiations for research cooperation sprinkled with nostalgia, they reached an agreement not to interfere with the main body.
If the Mad Magician stayed at the Red Tower, his safety would be protected. Rather than rushing to retrieve him, they decided to prioritize stabilizing the Holy City.
The Holy City was in great turmoil after the series of incidents. Tara was mechanically handling affairs, but she was clearly troubled by the disappearance of Benett and Niore.
If major forces like Yuna and Yuri left now, the situation could deteriorate to the worst again.
The "Divine Punishment" that the Mad Magician had barely prevented needed to be properly resolved now to avoid future problems.
The two women efficiently pushed forward with their work.
"First... we should start with making the 'Reformist Faction' the leaders. They need to fill the vacuum left by the Cardinal Faction and exert influence on the Pope."
"And I think we need to reorganize the system too. If Tara is okay with it, we could make her the 'Saintess' again... but what about the 'Hero'? All the candidates have been blown away."
"Ah, about that. There is one Hero candidate who wasn't expelled and remains."
"...Aha, yes. I think he'll be useful. Shall we assign him temporarily?"
And so.
Finn, who was packing his bags to return to his hometown, was caught by Yuri Lanster. Turning pale at the "Temporary Hero" title suddenly thrust upon him, he asked:
"I'm the Hero? Why?"
"Would you like me to be honest, or give you the official reason?"
"Th-this doesn't make sense! I'm not suited to be a Hero! I don't even want to—!"
"The reason you must become the Hero after hearing my words is because you are weaker than me. Do it."
"...!!"
How could a weak mercenary resist the orders of a former Imperial Agent who had reached Ascension! Finn nodded with an utterly miserable and sad expression.
"Wooooow!! Hero Finn! Hero Finn!"
"I, I don't qualify to be a Hero, I'm only temporary...!"
"Three cheers for Finn, this era's true Hero who even possesses humility!!"
"Temporary, I'm just a temporary Hero—!!"
And so he became a Hero, crying while eating mustard.
===============================================================
After settling the most important issue of the Mad Magician, Yuna and Yuri had a meeting with "Promise." They sat around a circular table with warm refreshments, observing the boy version of MadMa.
He was young. The appearance of a young boy.
His impression was round and chubby, with baby fat not yet gone. Looking closely, one could find traces of MadMa's features, but the more you looked, the more he seemed like a different person.
His expression.
That uniquely warm expression had completely transformed his impression by 180 degrees.
Could that body make such expressions? I should remember this and ask MadMa to try it later. Suppressing her mischievous thoughts, Yuna asked seriously:
"So... what are you?"
"I'm a Module."
"I know about Modules. But I've never seen or heard of you before. I'll ask again. What are you?"
"Hmm..."
The boy rested his chin on his hand, pondering briefly before deciding it was okay to tell them. Yuna and Yuri loved the main body. Their feelings were unwavering.
Perhaps it might even help. The boy reminisced.
What happened in Sanjebi Village, the evil entity wandering the village, the choice he made to escape a forced fate. Trapping "The Thing" within himself.
He had known the side effects all along.
"The malignancy seeping into my mind was inevitable. My personality would gradually change, and in the worst case... I thought I might become something like Little Evil God."
"..."
"I am a 'Promise' with myself to prepare for such a worst-case scenario. If someday I... forget my resolve from Moon Village and become someone who spreads evil in the world. To kill myself."
A "self-destruct mechanism."
That's why he was created by extracting only the most perfect "goodness" that he had ever portrayed. Sensitive to malignancy, he needed to make a decision if the main body crossed the line.
To this, Yuna and Yuri reacted simultaneously.
Yuna gathered "Subtraction" in her palm and glared at the boy. If that was a bomb necklace around his neck, it might be safer to erase it now.
Yuri Lanster secretly raised her mana while restraining Yuna. If "Promise" was a self-destruct device for emergencies, why would he reveal his identity?
"Why did you reveal this? I don't understand your intention. You must have known how Tower Master would react."
"Yes. But... I still wanted to express my gratitude. The 'me' back then was, to be honest, pessimistic. I thought I would be tossed around by malignancy and eventually fall completely."
No matter what path he took, the probability of him resisting corruption was in the decimal percentage range. Furthermore, the probability of reaching a 'Happy Ending' was even lower.
That was the value calculated by his intelligence, which seemed capable of computing the entire world before computational power was tied up with "The Thing."
But now.
"He still hasn't fallen, and continues walking the tightrope between black and white. That's... thanks to you all. The love you gave him had great meaning."
"..."
"Thank you for loving 'me.' Please continue to take care of me!"
Promise conveyed his gratitude with a bright smile.
It was a strange feeling. That their love... had saved the person they loved. Yuna flustered with a strangely flushed face, while Yuri didn't show it outwardly—but she added twenty items to her to-do list for when MadMa returned.
Yuna and Yuri looked at each other, nodded with a smile. And then.
Thump.
"Oh."
Click.
"Eh, what...?"
They simultaneously restrained the Promise Module.
"Um, girls...? What does this mean?"
Promise flailed his short limbs and looked up at the two, but Yuna and Yuri just looked down at him with cold expressions.
"Your words were touching, but that doesn't change the fact that you're MadMa's self-destruct button."
"Now we're going to... shower him with lots of love. So, you... don't need to exist anymore, right?"
"Of course, we don't intend to completely eliminate you. We know you serve as a seal for 'The Thing.'"
"B-but. I have to remove your 'self-destruct device' function. No matter if he made it himself, I can't let him live with something like that..."
The Promise Module muttered as if troubled:
"This will just be difficult for nothing..."
And that's exactly what happened.
Using "Subtraction" was impossible as it might damage important parts other than the Promise Module.
So they needed to modify "Promise" with pure illusion magic skills, just as MadMa had custom-edited Little Evil God.
The cosmic defense of "Promise," who had been delegated most of the computational power, was so solid that there wasn't a single weak point. Rather:
"Ah, when bypassing the mental barrier... it's better to control this part more delicately. I'll rebuild it for you, so would you like to try once more?"
"Arrrrgh... so annoying...!!"
"Yuna, take a deep breath. We're facing MadMa at almost full capacity. There's no shame in losing to a stronger opponent."
"I, I've reached Sublimation and I'm a great magician! Why, why isn't this working...?!"
After five hours of attempts, the first bomb disposal operation ended in failure when Yuna collapsed first.
===============================================================
A pair of eyes closely followed the boy MadMa walking with short legs. Sharp pupils. It was Little Evil God.
Having watched the commotion of the past few days with indifference, Little Evil God thought anew. MadMa truly was a mad magician.
"...So he even planted 'The Golden Fillet' in his own head."
A self-destruct device.
Little Evil God frowned deeply. She didn't understand.
What did he want to protect so badly? Everything ends when you die.
Even if you end up enjoying some mischief... isn't it much better to be alive and moving? How heavy are things like morality and beliefs?
And everyone calls it 'malignancy,' but—humans naturally harm other humans. They harm other living beings. It's natural. It's frustrating and annoying to be bound by such meaningless morality.
She had learned from experience that helping others and receiving praise brings considerable dopamine, but...
"..."
Come to think of it, they were in the same boat.
Both Little Evil God with the Golden Fillet and MadMa with Promise.
Both were living well until something strange got stuck in their heads. MadMa with malignancy, Little Evil God with benignity. Despite such similarities, the resulting pictures were different.
The Mad Magician had determined his own path. Despite his hesitations and dramatics, he seemed to know exactly what he needed to do.
But what about herself?
She didn't know. She had been thinking about seducing MadMa and awakening "The Thing" to return to her original body, but that was more out of inertia than firm resolve.
Yet she had no intention of completely changing sides either. What was so great about MadMa that she should do good deeds for him? Imagining herself spreading good deeds around the world made her feel disgusted and uncomfortable.
If she wanted to escape from MadMa, now was her chance. She'd heard he was in an extremely weakened state, and relatively little attention was focused on Little Evil God.
Yet she was still hesitating. Because she didn't know what to do.
"...Damn it."
Little Evil God messed up her hair in frustration.
She still hadn't decided what she should become.