episode_0068

Books about the Aurora were very common.

So much so that they were placed in every library within the empire.

A thousand years have passed, and now it has become a fairy tale that only children can read.

As such, Grandmaster Kim had many opportunities to hear tales of Aurora’s heroism while traveling the empire.

At first it was just a simple curiosity.

Why do players start in the Hall of Heroes?

What kind of space is the Hall of Heroes?

Why is there a statue of Aurora there?

A series of small curiosities gathered together to capture the attention of Daehyeop Kim.

···Of course, there was some influence from the real Aurora Director.

Anyway, Daehyeop Kim was able to get a rough idea of what kind of person Aurora was.

She was a player-like being.

As the player follows the main story.

Aurora also seemed to be a character obsessed with the goal of saving the world from the object of destruction.

So isn’t that why Fowler, who made a contract with the fallen spirit king, described the player as a ‘stranger walking along the hero’s path’?

At first glance, Akare seems like a realistic game with a high degree of freedom.

In order to progress through the story, you had to choose one of the given options.

There were even areas that could not be entered unless you pushed a certain main story.

Above all, the player and Aurora had something in common: they had to protect the world from objects of destruction.

So, isn’t Aurora a former player?

Of course, all of this was simply Daehyeop Kim’s speculation.

If Aurora finds out about Daehyeop Kim’s guess, she’ll react with something like, ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’

Anyway, through this process, Daehyeop Kim became a fan of Aurora.

A fan of Aurora, the hero who saved the world, not Director Aurora.

It was during that time that we actually met.

Aurora, the hero who saved the world a thousand years ago.

“What’s on my face?”

Did I look at your face too intently?

Daehyeop Kim hurriedly controlled his gaze.

“I never imagined I would actually meet you···.”

“You know who I am.”

Exactly-!

Aurora snapped her fingers.

At the same time, the surrounding scenery changed.

Like applying paint to a blank sheet of paper.

The empty space quickly became a splendid garden.

“Shall we walk together?”

Aurora asked Daehyeop Kim for his opinion.

Contrary to the question, Aurora’s feet were already moving.

If that’s the case, then why on earth did you ask?

Barely swallowing the feelings that were about to spill out of my mouth.

Daehyeop Kim moved quickly and walked side by side with Aurora.

“You must have a lot of questions. Where is this place… What happened to the twisted world tree… How can I exist even after a thousand years, even though I’m not a long-lived person… ”

“I’ve been waiting for you. No, to be exact, I’ve been waiting for your descendants to reach here.”

“You’re making that ‘why?’ expression again. Oh, it’s not like it’s mind-reading magic or something. I’m not in good enough shape to use such fancy magic.”

“Twist and corruption. A disaster that has fallen asleep, but will awaken again after a long time. ”

“The past me acknowledged my own shortcomings and passed this disaster on to future generations.”

“Isn’t that pathetic? The one who was called a hero is shirking responsibility.”

“My mission is to give hope to future generations who will reach here.”

“Ah, time flies so fast.”

“Let’s get to the point. I don’t have much time left.”

As soon as Aurora finished speaking, a holographic window appeared.

[ Main Story – Through the Eternal Ages ]

―――

[ question ]

1. “There’s not much time left?”

2. “Where is this place?”

3. “What exactly are twists and turns?”

4. “Do you know about the Hero’s Hall?”

5. “Hope?”

―――

The existing options were limited to two or three at most.

This time, there were a whopping five choices.

Because of that, Daehyeop Kim suffered a brief brain freeze.

I quickly came to my senses and chose my option.

[ Main Story – Question 1 ]

“What does it mean that time is running out?”

“It means literally.”

Aurora paused for a moment before continuing her explanation quietly.

“Memory Illusion, a spell that creates an illusion that shares some of the caster’s memories. The trigger is the complete disabling of the Twisted World Tree.”

Aurora’s gaze turned to the black roses in the flower bed.

“The spell has already been cast. So there isn’t much time left.”

As Aurora’s welcome gave its answer, a holographic window appeared again.

Should I choose in order or should I ask other questions first?

Daehyeop Kim, who had been thinking about it, soon decided to ask them in order.

[ Main Story – Question 2 ]

“Where is this place?”

“This is Aurora’s subspace, completely independent from reality. Even now, this subspace is maintained by the mana stones left behind by Aurora. The same goes for me, an illusion.”

[ Main Story – Question 3 ]

“What on earth are twists and turns?”

“The embodiment of emotions that have the potential to destroy the world. It is closely related to the origin of the object of destruction. I only know that much.”

Aurora’s welcome avoided the blatant gaze of Daehyeop Kim.

“Even though I am a great hero and great wizard, I don’t know everything about the world.”

Kim Dae-hyeop, who was so proud that he was speechless, continued asking the remaining questions.

[ Main Story – Question 4 ]

“Do you know anything about the Hall of Heroes?”

“Hero’s Hall. It is···”

···Chijijijijik-!

Aurora’s welcome was interrupted by noise.

At the same time, everything around them accelerated.

The flowers in the flower bed withered quickly.

The sky changed quickly like a flowing river.

The sun, which had been moving slowly, set quickly.

Sunset. And the night sky.

Only after the moon rose did the world stop accelerating.

In a landscape filled with sunset and twilight.

The illusion of the aurora, where the noise has suddenly disappeared.

Daehyeop Kim was staring intently.

“Your complexion doesn’t look good. Did you recall any bad memories?”

“Huh?”

Aurora’s welcome seemed completely unaware of what had just happened to her.

―――

[ question ]

5. “Hope?”

―――

A holographic window appeared.

This meant the questioning was over.

Daehyeop Kim, who was looking back and forth between the options and Aurora’s vision with a blank expression, soon chose the last remaining option.

[ Main Story – Question 5 ]

“Take this.”

Aurora’s Welcome handed over three scrolls.

A scroll with a wooden design engraved on it.

A scroll with a water drop design.

A scroll engraved with the wizard’s symbol.

“The scroll with the tree pattern contains magic that separates the twist from the World Tree.”

The same goes for the scroll with the water drop pattern engraved on it.

It contained magic that could remove corruption from the Spirit King.

“Even though I developed this magic scroll a thousand years ago, I was unable to save Elderheim and the spirit world.”

Twist and fall.

The concepts that became the origin of the objects of destruction were virtually immortal.

As long as there is intelligence, the concepts of distortion and corruption cannot help but coexist.

Is there no way?

Aurora of the past has been searching for a way to solve this difficult problem for a long time.

Finally, I was able to come up with just one idea.

“Subspace is a space independent of reality..”

When the magic power runs out, the subspace disappears.

But what if there is a distortion in the disappearing subspace?

Aurora’s welcome turned to the scroll of the wizard’s symbol.

“The effect of that scroll is to open a passage connecting to here.”

Subspace. This was a space that would soon disappear.

” I don’t know what form the twist from the world tree would take, but… it’s a highly likely method. ”

It is destroyed along with the subspace where the magic power has run out.

This is the hope that Aurora left for future generations.

It was the only way to save the World Tree.

“The Spirit King··· can be dealt with in a similar way.”

Spirit realm.

The spirit king’s body is always in the spirit world.

Without him, the spirit world would collapse without being able to survive even a single moment.

Inevitably, the spirit king’s main body had to be in the spirit world.

“You can use that point.”

The Spirit King’s departure from the spirit world was most dependent on his will.

First, use the scroll to separate the corruption from the Spirit King.

If only we could somehow persuade the Spirit King with Celestia by our side.

Even corruption can be completely erased from this world.

“It’s time to say goodbye now.”

“···.”

Aurora’s welcome snapped her fingers.

Then, the empty space next to Daehyeop Kim became distorted.

A portal was created in that spot.

“Are you sad? To be honest, I feel sad too. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a conversation with a person.”

But I guess there’s nothing we can do about it.

Kim Daehyeop lowered his head at Aurora’s subsequent words.

“Please, may hope bloom in your world.”

With those words, Daehyeop Kim left the subspace.

The place where the player left.

Aurora’s illusion, which had been guarding the empty space, went to the front of the flower bed.

Among the withered flowers, there was the only flower that did not wither.

daffodil.

Aurora’s welcome, carefully caressing the petals of a daffodil.

I just sat there and watched the sunset disappear beyond the horizon.

***

[ Main Story – Proof ]

Jasper, the commander of the Black Mane Knights.

His arbitrary judgment gave the player and Raven a chance.

Raven, the vessel of the god of destruction.

Whether she is a being of help to humanity.

Or is it an object of destruction that needs to be nixed in advance?

“···Raven?”

Daehyeop Kim, who returned to reality, called a familiar name.

Raven. She was standing next to Daehyeop Kim.

“Are you in your right mind?”

“Ah, you’re back.”

There were still a mountain of things I wanted to ask.

Leaving his regret behind, Daehyeop Kim immediately took action.

Proof that the main story had been at a standstill for a while.

That’s when it started happening again.

It meant that the main story had begun.

I could understand why Raven was here.

“Raven.”

“Yeah.”

“Get ready. Something is going to happen.”

Daehyeop Kim tore one of the scrolls he was holding.

Then, the Twisted World Tree, which had been neutralized by contact with Celestia, began to move again.

-!!!

A roar that cannot be described in words.

With that roar, the ‘twist’ separated from the twisted world tree.

A monster that keeps changing shape like a giant slime.

That’s the root of all this.

Daehyeop Kim tore the scrolls one after another.

A portal connecting to subspace was created.

It wasn’t big enough to swallow that huge lump.

“I need to reduce the size.”

How? It was a luxury to think of a method.

As soon as possible, before subspace collapses.

Had to deal with twisted, rampaging monsters.

Daehyeop Kim, who had been slamming the ground with all his might, began his attack towards Twist.

“Is that the object of destruction···?”

Meanwhile, Raven, who was watching the scene, trembled with his hands.

A vessel to contain the god of destruction.

Raven’s uncontrollable body fueled her desires.

Hurry up and swallow that twist.

Soon Raven’s eyes turned red.

Her long blonde hair was dyed silver.

Raven, who had changed into a witch’s appearance, followed Kim Daehyeop to the place where there was a twist.