Ch.207Epilogue.(6)

Aria mobilized her maids to search for Olivia.

“She has white hair, blue eyes, and is a girl around my age. Her name is Olivia.”

“So, she’s ten years old, Your Highness?”

“…Yes.”

After hearing this, the maids immediately went outside to carry out Aria’s orders. In their eyes, the princess who had been lounging in bed all day was showing interest in someone her age for the first time.

‘…I’ve weakened considerably.’

It took quite a while before she could get up. Though she could move her body somehow now, she hadn’t recovered the magical power she had lost.

‘I probably won’t ever get it back.’

The price of crossing thousands of timelines at once was by no means light. Her soul had been severely damaged, and she had lost most of her connection to the truth.

‘…Only fragments remain.’

A small amount of magical power gathered at her trembling fingertips.

Tsss…

The tiny golden light was small and modest, as if it might disappear at any moment.

It seemed she wouldn’t be able to use proper magic anymore.

Squeeze.

She unconsciously clenched her hand.

[Do you regret it?]

She thought she heard the Emperor’s voice.

[You’ve lost everything you’ve built throughout your life.]

The princess slowly shook her head.

No.

She didn’t regret it.

Aria finally smiled. It wasn’t a sad smile, nor was it a regretful one. It was a smile filled with the joy and excitement of success.

If she hadn’t lost anything, she would have been disappointed instead. It would have meant that the current scenery was nothing but a fleeting dream.

‘I expected this much.’

She had heard from the Emperor about how the Demon God’s immortality selected its host. If she had fallen into this world with her powers intact, she might have tainted the perfect ending Olivia had created.

Sometimes, loss can be proof of success.

It was fine if she couldn’t use magic. There were countless other ways to help Olivia.

The moment she thought this, emotions welled up from within her heart.

“…Thank goodness.”

Aria buried her face in her hands. All the emotions she had been holding back poured out from her eyes at once. She tried to hold them back, but she simply couldn’t.

“Ugh.”

She had succeeded. Her seven years of never looking back had paid off.

Thank goodness.

Truly, thank goodness.

“Hnngh… hnngh…”

Laughter and tears burst forth simultaneously.

Aria was so grateful that she could atone, even in this way.

*****

“Your Highness! We’ve found her!”

The news came a week after she had fallen into this world.

Aria immediately left the imperial palace. Since she couldn’t use magic, she had to travel by carriage for three days.

She arrived at a small city on the outskirts of the empire. It was a city filled with novice adventurers, thugs who exploited them, and many other types of people.

While the outskirts were surrounded by proper walls, the public safety could by no means be called good.

Aria looked around with a blank expression. The stench of rotting corpses. Passersby who ignored the smell as if it were nothing.

She couldn’t believe that Olivia had been found in such a place.

“…”

Vagrants and criminals were everywhere. Just as Aria was biting her lip, someone approached her, dragging their feet.

“Are you the client?”

A terrible stench emanated from his mouth. But instead of contorting her face, Aria took out the token she had received from her maid. The old beggar, whose face was covered in dark spots, stared at the token for a long time.

“You look quite young… Do you have guards? People like us who never learned proper manners don’t know how to treat nobles and such.”

Instead of answering, Aria activated a protective artifact.

“…That makes sense then.”

The beggar chuckled and led the way. As soon as he turned his back, the gazes of the vagrants lurking in the corners all disappeared at once. They must have been in cahoots from the beginning.

Aria silently followed him.

“We’re here.”

A nameless basement filled with moisture.

In the middle of a cage surrounded by mold in the damp air and guarded by thugs covered in tattoos…

“Ah…”

A girl was lying there. Snow-white hair that hadn’t lost its luster even in the darkness. Blue pupils visible through half-closed eyes.

It was Olivia.

“With beauty like that, she’d fetch at least ten thousand gold…”

The beggar shuddered at the flash of killing intent.

“…at least…”

He couldn’t continue his words.

The old man looked at Aria. Her gaze was fixed elsewhere, not on him.

“…”

At first, he thought she was just a noble girl wandering around with nothing to do, but what was contained in those blue eyes was not such a trivial emotion.

“…What did you do to Olivia?”

A chilling tone that seemed to flay the skin.

The only emotion reflected in those cold eyes was murderous intent.

Gulp.

A sharp dagger was suddenly at the old man’s throat. The thugs who should have been guarding the door were sprawled on the ground.

…Since when?

Though they appeared unremarkable, their skills were not those of ordinary thugs.

As this place was directly managed by the Thieves’ Guild, only selected skilled individuals could take management positions.

Even the old man himself was skilled enough to easily assassinate two or three ordinary knights.

But.

Those holding knives behind his back were on a completely different level.

“Answer Her Highness’s question.”

At those words spoken like a judgment, the old man felt tension rising to his chin.

…Her Highness?

His brain worked frantically. Just as he realized that the being emanating killing intent before him was the empire’s princess, the sharp dagger dug slightly into his skin.

“W-we didn’t touch her.”

“…”

“R-really! With beauty like that, even a small scratch on her body would reduce the price…”

“…”

“W-we did beat her a few times for resisting…!”

Crack.

“Guh, gaaack…”

At that moment, the old man’s world distorted. His neck had been broken.

Aria said nothing even after seeing such ravens. She had been certain they would follow her from the moment she left the palace.

She simply took the key and kicked open the cage door.

Olivia’s breathing was faint.

On the dark floor without a speck of light, Olivia was bleeding. The scent of blood was thick.

“Ah…”

Aria’s palm became sticky with blood.

She was covered in bruises.

The world seemed to drift away from her. Her ears became muffled, and it was difficult to take steps.

“Ah… Ahhh… Aaah…”

Forcibly gripping her madly trembling hands, she desperately reached out toward Olivia’s face. Not only was it deathly pale, but it was also cold.

Though she was still breathing, that was all. There was no sign of vitality.

Aria’s chin trembled. Only then did she realize how far back in time she had come.

This was Olivia’s “beginning.”

Meeting a miserable end in a back-alley basement was her predetermined fate.

Olivia’s 0th regression that no one remembered.

This was it.

“…Her lungs are damaged.”

The raven said, looking at Olivia’s mouth.

“Not just her lungs. Her bones and organs… are also damaged.”

“…Damaged?”

“Yes. It seems she was beaten continuously.”

“But… she’s still alive.”

“…Yes.”

She was barely alive. Her injuries were such that it wouldn’t be strange if she died at any moment. The raven deliberately didn’t say those words.

“It’s strange she’s not already dead, but she’s clinging to life through sheer willpower.”

“P-potion. I have a potion.”

A bright red potion appeared from Aria’s bosom. The raven hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

“It won’t work.”

She would die from shock during the regeneration process.

Even if what the princess held was an elixir, it would be the same. Olivia was too young, too fragile.

Using magic or finding a priest would yield the same result.

It was already too late.

“…No.”

Aria slowly felt her body tilting.

Crash!

Broken glass fragments dug into her palm.

Was this how it ended?

Even though she had crossed timelines to reach the beginning, was she unable to help?

“Your Highness.”

“…”

“Your Highness…? You’re injured. We should return to the palace quickly…”

Aria silently looked down at her palm. Her eyes were unfocused.

She should go back.

…Go back?

Thump. Aria’s heart beat. With trembling hands, she grabbed Olivia’s hand and checked her pulse.

It was still beating.

She was still alive.

Though it was faint as if it might stop at any moment, she was still alive.

Aria slowly opened her lips.

“Olivia.”

There was no answer.

Only her faintly open blue eyes trembled.

There was one way to save Olivia. A method that others couldn’t even imagine. A method that only she could attempt.

“…”

She had long wondered where Olivia’s regression originated from.

Whether it was a blessing from the Goddess of Light or a curse from another evil god, she couldn’t tell then.

But now she seemed to understand.

‘It was me…’

It was me, Aria thought.

Aria took a rough breath and embraced Olivia.

Knowing she would never be able to touch her again, knowing she couldn’t reach her, she was being selfish one last time.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry for doing this.

It’s my selfishness that I can’t let you go so meaninglessly.

It’s all my fault.

So please don’t die.

“Ugh…”

It was closer to a convulsion than a sob now.

The emotions she had barely contained burst forth again from her tightly closed mouth.

From beginning to end, it was all my fault.

The beginning of your pain, and its end.

It all originated from me.

Aria forcibly suppressed the tears that threatened to burst forth again.

“…Goodbye.”

And she engraved everything she had accumulated into Olivia’s heart.

The five stars, talent, insight.

And the magic of regression.

Tsss…!

As Olivia’s body became immersed in golden light, Aria’s body grew heavier.

It was difficult to lift her head.

Aria gazed into Olivia’s blue eyes one last time. Her lips wouldn’t open.

Everything you will do stems from my selfishness.

So don’t feel guilty.

She had always been the villain.

“…Your High…!”

She heard the raven shouting beside her.

Aria buried her face in Olivia’s embrace.

Time.

Breathing.

She was immersed in the scent of snow.