"Then the first question, I want to know what this world we are currently in actually is."
Kisaragi Rin asked Shikanoko seriously.
The two words [Main World] were merely Kisaragi Rin's way of referring to the world beneath his feet.
Before he became a Player, he always considered this world a comprehensive anime world, but after becoming a Player, this world increasingly confused Kisaragi Rin.
The Paradise and Players, the Paradise and the world.
One of the reasons he became an S-rank was to gain the authority to know from the Paradise.
But now, there was no need.
Because Shikanoko was also S-rank, with her identity and power, she would only know more.
"As expected, you would ask this first."
Shikanoko pulled out a pointer and a small desk board, drawing a circle on it.
She said: "It's just as you think, our world is actually no different from the worlds the Paradise arranges for us to play games in.
As for the reason, well… when the Paradise first appeared, some Players would actually find their Mission was in this world."
"Playing games in the Main World?" Kisaragi Rin could already imagine that scene.
Shikanoko began to continue her explanation.
"That's right, the Paradise arranged for Players to play games in the Main World.
Assassinating emperors, instigating wars… various Missions and modes lured Players to destroy the world that gave birth to them.
The most tragic was that World War.
The Tsar was half-dead, Europe's revival was shattered, the Knights lost their glory, and the withdrawal of several Workshops prompted American independence.
The Sea Demons of the Seven Oceans swept across the land, and the natives of Africa were completely massacred by Non-Human Players.
Several small vassal states of the Jade Capital also harbored resentment against it after the brutal war.
The leylines of Australia were broken, and a corner of the world plunged into the Abyss.
And this was the daily life of the past."
Shikanoko counted on her fingers, and the nouns that tumbled from her mouth carried considerable weight, causing the sky's color to begin to change.
Hmm… the sky turned a dull black.
Kisaragi Rin felt a bit uneasy, poking Shikanoko to signal her to look.
Shikanoko glanced at the sky, waved her hand, indicating that she was the one speaking.
The dark clouds dispersed, and Shikanoko continued: "It was also after the events in Australia that all parties began peace talks, on one hand, killing a top-tier Player from the Spiritual Anomaly side and burying them in Australia to prevent the situation from worsening, and on the other hand, discussing how to change the situation in the Main World.
The result was… the [Survival Institute] was born.
Now you see, except for Australia, Africa, and some chaotic areas, ordinary people living in places like Japan won't even know about the supernatural.
Through a certain method, the Paradise will no longer arrange for Players to play games in this world.
The biggest trouble in this world currently is that the Player buried in Australia and the [Abyss] have undergone an anomaly, causing the death of any creature in the Main World to produce those extremely hideous evil spirits."
When her voice fell, Kisaragi Rin couldn't say he understood, only that the questions in his mind were growing.
The war Shikanoko spoke of was a Player version of a fusion of World War I and World War II.
What about the remaining existences?
For example, the Sea Demons that swept across the land?
There were so many creatures in the ocean; it was obvious without thinking that there would be a considerable number of Players among them, and how could such a number of Players hide so well?
Or rather, why would they be willing to hide?
Without letting his mind wander, Kisaragi Rin continued to ask Shikanoko his second question.
"Why don't the Main World or those major powers want ordinary people to know about the supernatural?"
"There are many reasons." Shikanoko drew another circle outside the one on the blackboard.
"The Paradise allows a Player's identity to be transferred through killing, and ordinary people who see this great power will not think of the risks of becoming a Player; they will only take it for granted that they can seize this power.
Just this point alone is enough to breed maggots in a civilized society's dry toilet.
However, this is only the most irrelevant part of the many reasons."
"Secondly, ordinary people not knowing about the supernatural is a [Regulation] of the Survival Institute."
Shikanoko stated bluntly: "That place has an agreement jointly signed by various major organizations, and one of its clauses is [The Supernatural Hidden Among People]."
Kisaragi Rin: "Why?"
If he remembered correctly, Shikanoko had previously said that the Survival Institute only managed the life and death of humanity.
Shikanoko scratched her head, thinking about how to answer Kisaragi Rin, this curious baby.
If she explained it too simply, he wouldn't understand.
If she explained it too complexly, it would be very troublesome, and explaining everything one by one wasn't a topic that could be finished in a day.
Glancing at the sky, Shikanoko thought of her answer to Kisaragi Rin's first question.
The overarching point was, of course, the Paradise arranging for Players to play games in the Main World.
"Hmm, the Paradise introduces the name of the world before arranging for Players to enter a game. Do you know what the Paradise named our world?"
Shikanoko asked with interest.
And Kisaragi Rin, upon hearing this question, already had the answer in his mind.
As expected, Shikanoko's mouth had already uttered a familiar term.
"The Paradise named the Main World daily life."
"A world where the Paradise exists, and various Players rush into other worlds to become the Fourth Calamity, yet its name is daily life. Just this point has troubled many Player organizations researching the Paradise."
Kisaragi Rin thought, what's abnormal about that?
This was originally a comprehensive anime daily life world!
"And it is undeniable that the Paradise's naming must have its reasons."
Shikanoko spread her hands, "Later, the Survival Institute made a prediction: if one day the daily life of our world completely disappears, the entire world might slide towards an uncontrollable state.
That is a possible [World-Ending] crisis, and then the [Supernatural Hidden Among People] agreement appeared."
"Possible World-Ending crisis?" Medea and Kisaragi Rin suddenly thought of the Fate World they had just left.
The two were somewhat similar yet precisely opposite.
In the Fate World, Archer caused the world's destruction by making it return to daily life.
And now Shikanoko said that if the Main World completely broke free from daily life, it might cause the world to be destroyed.
With such external conditions, it was reasonable that ordinary people shouldn't know about the supernatural.
"Besides that, there are many other reasons."
"For example, to prevent the occurrence of Loss of Control, Players living in this world as ordinary people can significantly reduce the probability of Loss of Control and stabilize their mental state."
"Is this why all those Players in Chiba Zoo are on display? The daily life of animals?"
Kisaragi Rin fell into deep thought.