While Kotori was reporting a complex assessment regarding the Heavenly Judgment Herrscher to the indistinct higher-ups in Fraxinus's communications room, which resembled a mad tea party...
Inside a seemingly ordinary residence somewhere in Amamiya City, the true "eye of the storm" was presenting a scene of utter chaos and commotion.
Koushi Hōoin collapsed onto the soft sofa in the living room, feeling more exhausted than if he had fought the AST all day.
Just as he was about to make some instant noodles to soothe his ravaged nerves, a vigorous voice only he could hear started shouting inside his head:
'This King is hungry!~☆ I want to eat that thing! The golden, stringy thing called "pizza"! And add double cheese and that controversial fruit called "pineapple"!~☆' World Ender Consciousness, having flipped through the gourmet catalog via shared memory, was fiercely gluttonous.
(...Why are you hungry? You're a consciousness! And why pineapple pizza of all things?! Has your taste been corrupted by my trash memories?!)
Koushi complained internally, but outwardly, he only managed a weak reply: "There's no pizza, only instant noodles."
'Waaah! Abuse! This is abuse against this King!~☆ Believe it or not, I'll go out right now and move that entire store called 'Pizza Hut' or whatever here!~☆'
(Don't you dare!)
Koushi jolted upright. (Stay put! I... I'll check the delivery app, alright!)
After finally managing to appease the "traitor" demanding pizza with the excuse of "studying human dietary diversity," Chinatsu had just picked up her game controller, preparing to relax in the virtual world—
'Ooh, ooh! This one! This looks good! Let this King play!~☆ You're too weak; you actually took three tries to beat that boss just now!~☆ Watch this King clear it on the first try!~☆'
(Hey! That was a save point I finally reached! Don't mess with it!)
'Tch, how stingy!~☆ This King has lent you her power for so long, what's wrong with playing a game?!~☆ Hand over the controller!~☆'
And so, to an outsider, the blue-haired young man was sitting alone in front of the TV, gripping the controller tightly, his expression sometimes tense, sometimes gritting his teeth, his body occasionally twisting strangely, as if fighting an invisible opponent for control.
The game character on the screen was also exhibiting all sorts of spasms, lags, and inexplicable maneuvers.
"Ahhh! idiot! That's a cliff! Don't jump!"
'Hmph hmph~☆ A mere cliff? This King will just use a spatial transfer and... Huh? Which one was the skill button?~☆'
"See?! Game Over!"
'...Retry! That doesn't count, give me another life~☆ I'll definitely do it this time!~☆'
And this was just for entertainment. When Koushi wanted to take a bath to wash away his fatigue—
'Oh? So this is the human cleansing ritual?~☆ Let this King see... Hmm, this body wash smells nice, and the foam is quite rich~☆ Wait! Why are you turning off the water?! This King hasn't finished playing yet!~☆'
(Save some water bill, you jerk! And you're using my body to play with bubbles!)
When Koushi wanted to quietly read a manga for a bit—
'The art style of this character is bad!~☆ This plot is too cliché!~☆ Oh? That pink-haired girl who speaks with musical notes is good; she suits this King's taste!~☆ I can reference her next time I manifest!~☆'
(Please spare my aesthetic sensibilities! And don't randomly decide the design of my Astral Dress!)
The entire evening, Koushi felt like he was looking after a destructive, hyperactive, excessively curious little sister whose tastes had been warped by his otaku memories.
He couldn't hit her, and scolding her might provoke defiance, which would be disastrous if she actually ran out and moved a pizza parlor. He could only coax, trick, and engage in a battle of wits.
He lay sprawled on the sofa, staring at the ceiling with vacant eyes.
(I'm tired. Just let the world end...)
Deep inside his unseen inner world, the white "World Ender Consciousness" was holding half a bag of chips "stolen" from the host, watching his helpless and frantic appearance, a hint of slyness and satisfaction flashing in her golden eyes.
(Hmph hmph~☆ Weak Goodness really can't live without this King's "protection" and "company," can she?~☆ It's a bit troublesome, but... it's quite fun sometimes, too~☆)
The higher-ups of Fraxinus were still seriously analyzing the dual personality and potential threat of the Heavenly Judgment. They would never have guessed that the "sub-personality" they were bracing themselves for...
...was currently stirring up one sweet (?) and chaotic daily storm after another in the mind of a physically and mentally exhausted "older brother/sister," all over chip flavors and game-clearing techniques.
The real challenge, perhaps, was never just about world-destroying power, but about how to peacefully coexist with a particularly troublesome "family member" living inside one's head.
After a round of "intense" internal discussion regarding pizza flavors, gaming skills, and bath bubbles, the living room finally returned to temporary peace.
—If one ignored the white consciousness humming a strange tune and commenting on TV commercials inside his head.
The young man in the living room finally collapsed from exhaustion, like a salted fish who had lost its dreams.
The internal clamor had also temporarily subsided; it seemed the nascent consciousness had also expended a good deal of energy.
Silence permeated the night, punctuated only by the sound of passing vehicles outside the window.
Koushi lay sprawled on the sofa, feeling as if his soul had been hollowed out. He stared at the ceiling and suddenly thought of a crucial question.
(Speaking of which... it seems you don't have a name?) he asked internally.
(Hmph~☆)
The voice in his mind carried a hint of disdain.
(A name? This King doesn't need such a thing~☆ This King is This King, the one and only Heavenly Judgment! Having you around means calling you is calling me, and that's enough~☆)
Her tone was arrogant, as if a name were a burden. But Koushi keenly caught a faint hint of... confusion, hidden beneath the arrogance, a confusion she herself hadn't noticed.
Like a child who had never owned a toy stubbornly claiming she didn't like playing.
Koushi sat up, his tone becoming serious: "No, even if only I can see you, and only I can communicate with you, I still need a specific name to call you."
(...Why?)
A trace of imperceptible wavering was in World Ender Consciousness's voice.
"Because a name is a very important thing." Koushi's gaze seemed to pierce the inner barrier, looking directly at the somewhat awkward consciousness.
(...Hmph, do whatever you want~☆) She replied, feigning indifference, but a subtle curiosity shone through her consciousness fluctuations.
World Ender Consciousness replied awkwardly, but Koushi could "feel" that her attention was completely focused, even carrying a hint of... secret anticipation?
(It's your idea anyway, this King isn't interested~☆ But... since you sincerely begged, this King will reluctantly listen~☆)
Koushi found her textbook tsundere reaction both amusing and heartwarming.
He rubbed his chin and began to rack his brain.
(What should I call her? Little White? Too straightforward. Queen? Too chuunibyou. Prosperity? I'd probably get hit...)
(Ah! Naming is so hard! I really am terrible at naming things!)
He wracked his brain, recalling all the works he had seen, combining them with her traits—born of thunder and space, with a personality like a spring... sometimes clear and pure, sometimes surging and powerful?
(I've got it!)
His eyes lit up, and he tried calling out internally:
"Since you are accompanied by thunder and space, and your personality is like a spring... sometimes crystal clear, simple and direct; and sometimes capable of stirring up raging waves, containing endless power... How about I call you 'Aqua'?"
After stating the reasoning, he felt a little awkward himself.
So he decided to tell a lie, and although he had never lied in his life, this one had to be the most perfect.
He paused, and in the world of his mind, he spoke as if gazing at the white figure, using a tone of seriousness he had never used before:
"Aqua, remember this. A name... is something extremely important."
"It's not just a designation. It is the coordinates by which we confirm our existence in this vast world. It is the proof of why 'I' am 'I'."
"It is the first, and most precious, bond that connects us to this world. It is our own unique, initial treasure."
Koushi's voice was soft, yet carried a weight and tenderness that seemed to transcend time and space.
"Therefore, I am now giving the name 'Aqua' to you. I hope you can find your own path, like a clear spring, whether that path leads to the sea or nourishes a region... But, please, always maintain that initial 'Clarity'.
The inner world fell briefly silent.
After a long while, a subtle response came, tinged with awkwardness and imperceptible emotion. The tsundere voice sounded again, struggling to maintain a disdainful tone.
But listening closely, one could detect a hint of novelty and... perhaps what could be called "liking," which she was trying hard to suppress.
(A... Aqua?~☆)
(Hmph! It's just ordinary!~☆ It doesn't have the dominance of 'Destruction Queen,' nor the coolness of 'Herrscher of the End'!~☆ But...)
(...Since Weak Goodness racked her brain to come up with it, this King will graciously accept it!~☆ From now on, this will be This King's... no, my name!~☆ You must use it properly!~☆)
Although she was still nitpicking, the slight upturn in her voice and the swiftness with which she claimed the new name as her "possession" betrayed her true feelings.
In that instant, a strange, anchored sense of stability and a faint hint of... joy emanated from Aqua's consciousness.
Koushi smiled. He could clearly "see" that in his inner world, the white figure was still standing with her arms crossed and her head held high, but the corner of her mouth unconsciously curled into a small, satisfied curve.
She was like a kitten who had just been given an exclusive collar, outwardly indifferent, but internally rolling around happily.
"Mhm, it's settled," Koushi replied gently. "Aqua."
(...Mhm!~☆)
The consciousness named Aqua responded softly. On this ordinary night, besides power, she finally possessed her own unique "treasure."
Aqua, now possessing a new name, silently repeated the two syllables "Aqua" in her inner world. The wildness in her golden eyes lessened, replaced by a thoughtfulness belonging to an "individual."
The name, this precious gift from her "other half," was like the first drop of water falling onto a calm lake, beginning to ripple outwards with unknown effects in her nascent consciousness.
Its weight filled her newborn heart more heavily than any world-destroying authority.
In the living room, the young man also offered a relieved smile, feeling that all the "trouble" from the evening had somehow become worthwhile.
At the very least, he had taken a crucial step in dealing with this "family member" living in his head.
(You must call me Aqua-sama from now on~☆)
(Yes, yes, yes... Aqua-sama...) Koushi agreed weakly. A powerful sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tide, and his consciousness gradually sank into darkness, finally falling completely asleep.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Rexlent
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"