'...Huh?'
Startled by the sudden voice of [Great Sage], Adelio pulled his hand away, and [Great Sage] spoke again.
"Explanation. I will explain the 'favor' I mentioned roughly four hours ago, so you must not wake Master right now."
[Great Sage] added that this, while Rimuru had fallen into sleep mode—a low-activity state—was the only chance, then immediately expelled the demonic energy Adelio had poured in back outside.
Fast and precise, so that Rimuru would not wake up by mistake.
'...Come to think of it, you did say you'd tell me later when Rimuru let her guard down...'
Saaa...
Realizing that the opening in Rimuru [Great Sage] had mentioned was the exact same sleep mode timing he had been aiming for, Adelio asked [Great Sage] just as his demonic energy was almost fully drained from Rimuru's body.
'I wasn't originally trying for this, but... anyway, tell me now. What is it that you want to ask of me so badly that you'd keep it secret even from your own master, Rimuru?'
"......"
[Great Sage] fell silent for a moment after confirming the demon's blue eyes glowing with the magic power that had activated [Odin].
[Great Sage] already knew at least this much: lies would not work on the one before her—Adelio.
No matter how exceptional [Great Sage] might be among [Unique Skill]s, deceiving Adelio, who possessed not one but two [Ultimate Skill]s, was close to impossible.
Especially against [Odin], which possessed a sense of self just like [Great Sage] did.
"...Question. Before I speak about the favor, can you promise me one more thing?"
Having already acted against the very nature of a [Skill], [Great Sage] had no choice but to seek a compromise.
Because she did not know that Adelio had trusted her from the start.
'Hard to say. That depends on what it is.'
So Adelio took one step back for the moment.
As compensation for acknowledging the competence of this [Skill] called "her," and her loyalty to Rimuru.
And [Great Sage] accepted that compensation without hesitation.
"Proposal. It is a very simple and clear promise. Regarding the favor I am about to explain, Individual Name: Adelio must harbor no doubts whatsoever."
The promise she wanted was absolute silence.
'...Hmm.'
He sensed no malice, but it was still somehow suspicious.
He knew what kind of existence [Great Sage] was, and yet even so, the promise felt suspicious.
'...So you've got some secret I'm not allowed to tell other people?'
"......"
'Or is it just that important?'
"......"
Even in response to Adelio's questions, [Great Sage] remained silent.
She would not answer even probing questions, only waiting for the other party's choice. "She" was even harder to talk to than the foxes in the [Council of the West].
'...If I don't choose, you won't answer at all... is that it?'
"......"
'......'
In the end, the one who raised the white flag first was—
'...Fine. If it's only that much, it's not exactly difficult.'
—Adelio.
He simply did not want to waste his energy on a pointless battle of wills, so he stepped back once more.
He could probably force her to speak if he used [Odin], but that was not the method he preferred.
And if he used a method like that and lost [Great Sage]'s trust, it would all be for nothing.
"...Gratitude. Thank you for making the correct choice."
With an answer that carried the faintest trace of emotion beneath its businesslike tone, [Great Sage] finally brought up the real issue.
......
"Answer. The 'favor' I wish to ask of Individual Name: Adelio concerns information recorded as 'No. 1' in the record data of [Skill]: [Great Sage]."
'...You mean your record data contains information related to me?'
"Affirmative. I do not know the source, but it is the very first record data I possessed from the moment I was born through Master's call."
Record data.
In other words, information that [Great Sage] had discovered, organized, and compiled from the countless records that had existed since the birth of the [World].
Of course, since it was information learned through Rimuru, it did not contain all information in the [World], but among the information any one [Skill] could possess, [Great Sage]'s record data was likely the most extensive.
'...All information about me is completely controlled by [Odin], so no matter how capable you are, you shouldn't have been able to find it... No, I only properly met you for the first time today to begin with, so how do you already have information about me?'
If this were three hundred years ago, when [Odin] had still been [Answerer], that would be one thing. But for the [Great Sage] of the present era to break through [Odin] and obtain information on Adelio was absolutely impossible.
To begin with, the first time he had directly come face to face with Rimuru had only been a short while ago in Dwargo.
"Answer. I do not know."
'......'
The exact same situation again.
It was something he had never heard before, something that had never appeared in the novel.
'...For now... just tell me what kind of information it is.'
Adelio said that while suppressing his shaken emotions as much as possible.
Careful not to say anything unnecessary by mistake, he listened as [Great Sage] spoke in her usual flat voice.
"Explanation. Data No. 1 is record data composed of fragmentary words, stored as 'angel,' 'failure,' 'eighth,' and—"
Words heavy with meaning, perhaps connected to [her].
"—'reset.'"
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