Though Roy's humble abode was located in the imperial capital, it was in the relatively remote southern district. Back when he was still an ordinary man without much money, this was all he could afford. Less than two kilometers away stood a cluster of villas. On the third day after returning from the Type-Moon World, he finalized all paperwork and moved into one.
During his time in both the Campione world and the Type-Moon World, Roy had lived in high status. While he didn't require servants to function, having grown accustomed to spacious residences, his cramped sub-60-square-meter cottage now felt stifling.
Using certain special abilities to effortlessly acquire wealth, he purchased the villa through entirely legitimate means. Roy intended to live a life of seclusion in this world while journeying across the myriad realms.
He had no interest in flaunting his powers in this "real" world, treating it merely as a resting place—a harbor of respite between his travels and studies across the multiverse.
Every person needs a home, after all.
The villa wasn't overly large—two floors totaling 400 square meters. For now, only Roy and Athena resided there. As for Aiwass, being a spiritual entity, she remained invisible most of the time.
After spending a few days in the "real" world, Roy did nothing but rest quietly, occasionally browsing through the settings of anime, novels, and the like. He still avoided delving into the actual content, focusing instead on the foundational rules that governed these worlds. Though some of these settings were logically inconsistent, Roy committed them to memory nonetheless.
So far, the worlds Roy had traveled to were all from what was termed "anime," but there was no guarantee that other genres wouldn't appear. Thus, he sometimes explored movies and similar media as well.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. Roy had grown highly sensitive to numbers, recognizing the profound mysteries they concealed. Seven was the number of days God took to create the world and rest, and it also held significant ties to Roy's own power system. With seven days now behind him, he felt it was time to embark on his next journey.
Shutting down his computer, Roy rose from his chair and turned to gaze at Athena, who sat gracefully on the sofa behind him.
Noticing his gaze, the wise goddess lifted her head and smiled. "...Time to set off?"
"Yeah. I've rested enough, and my mind is at ease. It's time to move forward. I'm afraid if I linger any longer, I'll turn into a couch potato."
Roy no longer had to worry much about his lifespan—he possessed numerous means to extend it, and the power he wielded was already transcendent in the eyes of ordinary people, akin to a deity. In fact, Roy mused that if reality were a slice-of-life novel, he could now retire and enjoy a leisurely existence.
Yet his experiences in the Type-Moon World, thwarted by the "Pruning of Humanity," left him with a bitter frustration he was reluctant to revisit. He knew he was still too weak—this world held too many challenges beyond his grasp. To prevent such tragedies from recurring, he had to grow stronger, far stronger.
"The only blessing this one can offer is to wish thee martial fortune and prosperity," Athena said with a gentle smile, her demeanor as composed and dignified as ever, radiating wisdom in all she did.
"Thanks. I'm not sure how long this trip will take, so I'll leave the house in your care."
Athena was far from the airheaded or helpless type often seen in anime. As the goddess of wisdom, she could stir immense waves in this "ordinary" world without even resorting to supernatural abilities, relying solely on her intellect. Entrusting the house to her was undoubtedly foolproof—whether it was ensuring no signs of prolonged absence or handling visits from the villa's property management, Athena could effortlessly manage it all.
During his last journey to the Type-Moon World, seven years had passed for Roy, while only seven days elapsed in the "real" world. But the duration of his next destination remained uncertain. If it spanned over a century, a full season might pass here. Such a lengthy absence necessitated someone to tend to the household.
As for whether Athena would feel lonely—Roy never entertained the thought. To a goddess who had lived millennia, a "year" likely held no more weight than a "day" to an ordinary person.
"How's your research on 'uniqueness' coming along?"
The 'Ark' possessed the ability to grant 'uniqueness,' though Roy had never researched this aspect. Born in 'reality,' he was inherently unique without any alternate-dimensional counterparts. However, Athena was different. The deity named 'Athena' existed in many forms across the multiverse, something she was inevitably forced to confront.
Speaking of unknown matters, the Goddess of Wisdom perked up. She straightened slightly, her ample chest rising and falling as she spoke slowly, "...The time was too short. This one could not uncover much, but there are already leads."
Including the seven days Roy spent in the Type-Moon World and another seven days of rest, Athena had only studied the 'Ark' for half a month—far too brief a period.
This 'Ark' was peculiar. If Roy traveled to another world, he couldn't enter the 'Ark' to conduct research, making it impossible to exploit time discrepancies. Only in this 'reality' could he access it.
"Pay this one no mind. This one is deeply fascinated by studying this mysterious object. It is like a treasure trove, filling this one with motivation. Within that enigmatic space, this one has already discovered another matter related to 'Athena,' connected to the 'Zodiac Constellations.'"
Athena's night-dark eyes sparkled with the flames of wisdom. Resting her chin on her hand, her flawless cheeks flushed faintly with excitement.
'Zodiac Constellations? Don't tell me you're going to become a Saint Seiya.'
Roy silently mocked in his heart.
But he said nothing. As Athena had mentioned, the 'Ark' possessed numerous functions. Not only Athena but Roy and Aiwass were also deeply intrigued by its mysteries.
"Then I'll leave the house to you."
Like a husband entrusting his homemaker wife before heading out, Roy bid Athena farewell. In the next instant, white mist rose before his eyes, and he found himself once again within the 'Ark.'
Roy didn't know how many layers the 'Ark' had. He only knew it currently had three: the first layer was the Toaruverse, the second was Campione, and the third was the Type-Moon World. Aside from the Campione layer, which was scattered with stars, the other two remained shrouded in hazy white mist, obscuring their details.
Roy arrived once more at the third layer, the Type-Moon World. When he spotted a 'Stairway to Divinity' leading to a higher level within this layer, he sighed in relief.
Roy had initially assumed it would function like an RPG game—where the fourth layer wouldn't appear until the third was cleared. But now it seemed the 'Ark' didn't follow such mechanics. Thinking back, during his time in the Toaruverse, Roy had been 'killed' by Aleister before returning. At that time, the Toaruverse layer was still veiled in mist, yet he had still traveled to the Campione world.
"Good, good. I thought I'd have to choose between the 'Toaruverse' and the 'Type-Moon World' to enter again."
Roy muttered to himself. If he truly had to choose between the two, he would decisively pick the 'Type-Moon World.' The Toaruverse was far too dangerous. Roy suspected that the next time he ventured there would be to seek the opportunity to become a 'Magic God.'
In the world of Toaru, numerous Magic Gods exist, making it undoubtedly the easiest place to transcend the abyss and attain the status of a Magic God. At that time, Roy might return to Toaru with the power of a human at their peak, a quasi-Magic God. He would still face great dangers, but those were perils Roy had to overcome.
The day he achieves the status of a Magic God will be the day he returns to the very beginning!
Shaking his head to dismiss thoughts of a future he need not consider yet, Roy ascended the celestial staircase and arrived at the fourth layer of the 'Ark'.
As always, a blanket of white fog obscured everything within, making it impossible to discern any details clearly.
He whispered a new grand vow:
"...Take me to a world where I can complete the foundation of my magecraft!"