"What do you mean by 'Great Collapse'? And what's this about Laplace's puppet?"
Ireh raised her voice. Both she and I were hearing most of this information for the first time.
"Let me explain the Great Collapse first. It happens because there's too much mass in this world. When the force of the universe's expansion can't overcome the gravitational pull of mass, it contracts back, and the world ends."
"What does that have to do with Laplace?"
"Laplace controls causality. In human terms, fixed causality means something is conserved. Think about it. What is best conserved in your scientific understanding of nature?"
Ireh muttered blankly.
"...Mass, energy."
Mass is energy. Energy is mass.
They're essentially the same thing.
It was evident that this universe consisted of matter and energy, dark matter and dark energy. The claim was that each of these components formed Laplace—embodiments of destruction and monstrous avatars.
"These monsters are scattered not only throughout your universe but also here where we live. They're gracious beings that allow us to exist and think, but simultaneously factors that cause destruction. And."
"And?"
"Laplace watches our suffering endlessly from a world of at least 11 dimensions, enjoying it. To borrow your human expression... yes, like a sociopath."
Rustila and Zernya looked incredulous.
To think there was a final boss that even outer gods feared.
An ordinary person would have gone mad from this revelation. It was like saying there were gods above gods.
This justified Shterm's upcoming proposal.
"Therefore, we should join forces rather than fight. I've called you here to propose this and negotiate matters we should establish as inviolable."
"You want us to join hands with you outer gods?"
Zernya was the first to raise her voice.
"Don't be ridiculous. How could we possibly trust you?"
"The fact that I don't immediately crush you for such insolence shows my respect. Don't you think so, insignificant one?"
Boom.
Shterm descended slightly. Though a subtle movement, it was enough to subdue Zernya's sharp reaction.
"Besides, you're already cooperating with outer gods. You there."
One of Shterm's countless tentacles pointed at Sonia.
"You were originally a body of steel, then became Darwin's body, while still under Descartes' control. How curious."
"What are you trying to say?"
"It's fine to receive help from outer gods, but your master is too clumsy. If you were originally a machine, cooperating with our forces would be more advantageous for protecting your master."
This was his approach. Shterm was responding to questions from the women except me, trying to shake their resolve.
This was just the first step.
The stage of easing tension through conversation.
When silence fell, Ireh asked again.
"You mentioned earlier that I learned from Laplace's puppet. Who exactly are you claiming taught me?"
"Well..."
"Eidel?"
"Perhaps."
"Nonsense!"
Rustila and Zernya raised their voices.
"Even a passing dog wouldn't believe Eidel is connected to Laplace! You really did call us here to drive us apart, didn't you?"
"Drive you apart? I merely mentioned one of countless possibilities. When did I claim certainty?"
"It's definitely not Eidel."
"Laplace deals with causality, and this world's destruction is related to gravity. Someone exceptionally intelligent who tries to create something using gravity would be sufficient to become the King of Incarnation."
Incarnation, King.
Two important words appeared at once.
"Incarnation is when an outer god dwells in a mortal body and completely assimilates. A King is when a mortal transcends mortality to become a new entity."
"According to you, Eidel is an incarnation of an outer god. But that's wrong. The one attached to Eidel is from the Descartes system."
Thump, thump, boom.
Shterm's body shook. He was laughing.
"Returner Ireh Hazlen. You should know. If the host body can withstand it, multiple outer gods of different species can attach themselves."
"You... how dare you say such things about Eidel!"
"Judging by your reaction, further discussion would be meaningless. It would be best to take time to gather your thoughts now."
Whoosh.
Shterm disappeared beyond the sand cloud. Soon, the outer god's space was released. When we came to our senses, we were sitting at the same dining table as before.
"...What just happened?"
Everyone looked as if they'd been hit on the head with a hammer.
Then we heard giggling.
It was Matonica.
"So, how was your conversation with the exalted one?"
"He just slandered Eidel. I'll never meet with such a being again."
"Wow, don't be like that. You probably won't find anyone as gentlemanly as him before or after this. So think carefully about whether to form an alliance or perish together. I'll be back in four days. Bye~!"
Poof.
Matonica's divine form disappeared.
We had to take this matter seriously. We put our heads together to review what had just happened.
After various speculations, we reached three conclusions.
"First, that outer god proposed an alliance. He'll likely discuss specifically how he can help us next time."
"Second, Laplace exists in a different dimension from other outer gods. Since he spoke in singular form, there's probably only one entity, directly related to gravity or the Big Crunch theory of the universe."
"Finally, Eidel..."
The four women's gazes turned to me.
I could see Ireh's pupils trembling particularly.
"Are you Laplace?"
"Yes."
"He's definitely not."
"Eidel, don't joke around. We're being serious here."
"Even if Young Master were Laplace, I would have no choice but to follow him. Young Master is my everything, and I've come too far to part ways with his fate."
"Thank you, Sonia."
When I patted Sonia's head, she leaned her shoulder against me. Rustila and Zernya's eyes widened predictably.
"Sonia, you..."
"You still haven't given up on Eidel?"
Sonia tilted her head.
"Isn't that obvious?"
"This is driving me crazy. I can't trust this outer god or that one, and now an avatar is coveting my husband..."
"Miss Zernya. Have you already forgotten why I became an avatar?"
"T-that's..."
"It was to protect Young Master. I hope you won't doubt my loyalty."
Zernya made a pained sound.
That's when Ireh stood up.
"Whether Eidel is Laplace's incarnation or not doesn't matter. If he's Laplace's puppet, the world will end regardless of what we do. If he's not, we just need to struggle as best we can."
"To say the world will end no matter what we do..."
"That sounds a bit frightening when you put it that way."
My wives, like this world, were gradually realizing.
The existence of the end.
We couldn't know exactly when it would come. But it would certainly be within decades at most. It could even be as soon as next year.
Lucia and Anya would be growing up during that time. I couldn't teach despair and destruction to children in their formative years.
With that thought, I went to the room where the babies were. Anya, who had just woken up, was frowning.
"Waaah!"
"Sorry, my princess. Did daddy startle you by coming in suddenly?"
While I was comforting Anya, her mother came running. Lucia also woke up and burst into tears. Rustila rushed in too.
"There, there."
"Baby, don't cry."
I couldn't calm the children no matter how hard I tried. Mothers really are different.
Me, connected to Laplace?
It makes me laugh.
How could a father of two adorable daughters possibly be Laplace?
It must all be the outer god's machination.
***
Shterm was an outer god skilled at sowing discord with plausible words.
Ireh knew this very well.
Eidel being connected to Laplace? An unheard-of notion.
It was probably a statement aimed at increasing her doubts.
That this cycle's Eidel was a possessor from the outside world, that he was desperate in gravity-related research, that his Pron value was "unknown," that he was showing abnormally outstanding achievements.
Everything fit perfectly if forced into the single word "Laplace."
She couldn't help but doubt.
But.
"I've been saved."
As Sonia said, she had come too far. She had come to admire him, and ultimately to love him.
There had never been a happier cycle than this one.
Even if, by some chance, Shterm's words were true.
This was now Ireh's only lifeline.
So she could boldly declare:
That a timeline where he betrayed her and the universe would be less painful to her than one where he didn't exist.
Taking a deep breath,
Ireh stepped forward.
"Everyone, gather around. Let's discuss our strategy now."