Ch.25So What Exactly Is That Clue? (3)

“Let’s meet again in six days.”

Olivia said that while patting Kiel’s shoulder, then turned away.

“…Huh?”

Kiel couldn’t understand. Such words were usually said when promising to meet again in the future.

But she was standing right in front of him now.

That’s why he couldn’t immediately question her.

“What do you mean? Meet again?”

No answer came. Olivia kept her head down, staring at the ground. Her small shoulders rose and fell repeatedly with her breathing.

“…Olivia?”

Feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, Kiel tried to approach her when Olivia suddenly lifted her head.

The sharp eyes that had been scanning the surroundings melted away as soon as they met Kiel’s.

“Did you just say something?”

Kiel flinched at the subtly changed voice.

Could the atmosphere change this suddenly?

“Kiel?”

“…”

A person can’t change in a day. A mask might come off, but that’s different.

And Olivia was someone who didn’t suit the word “mask” at all.

At least until just now.

It was difficult to speak.

“…Did you not hear me?”

“No. Sorry. My mind must have been elsewhere.”

Olivia is an honest person. If she doesn’t want to answer, she’d say so directly, not deflect like this.

Kiel slowly began to speak. As clearly as possible, so even a child could understand.

“Just now, didn’t you say we should meet again in six days? I’m asking what that meant.”

Olivia tilted her head.

“…Did I ask something like that?”

Kiel’s face hardened.

“…Are you joking with me right now?”

“I’m not joking. Oh, the blade is damaged. Give it here. I’ll fix it for you.”

Olivia reached out to grab the greatsword in one swift motion. Or rather, that would have happened if Kiel hadn’t stepped back.

“You…”

Kiel extended his hand to stop Olivia from approaching, then took a couple more steps back.

“What’s wrong?”

Olivia approached with her usual bright smile.

A smile that normally put one at ease.

But not today.

Unfamiliar.

Kiel couldn’t understand why he felt this way. They had been together all this time without any problems, facing that smile countless times.

‘This appearance feels unfamiliar?’

No.

This is Olivia’s usual appearance.

But, but…

What is this sense of déjà vu?

“Is it not the sword but the armor? Or are you hurt somewhere? If you don’t like that, shall I cook for you? You really love sandwiches. I have pickles and ham, and oh! I left out the tomatoes.”

Olivia pulled out a sandwich from her spatial storage. Kiel frowned at the piece of bread waving in front of his eyes.

‘Did I ever tell her I liked this?’

He wasn’t the type to go around talking about such things. But seeing how she had prepared it, he must have mentioned it somewhere.

She wouldn’t know without being told.

“I have water too. Oh, should I freeze it right now so you can drink it cold? With ice floating in it?”

But how could someone with such good memory, who remembered these details, not remember what happened just seconds ago?

Does that make any sense?

Does she really not remember anything at all?

Kiel unconsciously reached out his hand. If he didn’t resolve this sense of déjà vu, he felt he couldn’t calm his troubled heart.

Thud.

Kiel grabbed Olivia’s shoulder. Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise, but that was all.

There was no reaction he had expected.

– That hurts, you idiot.

After waiting for a while, Kiel finally spoke.

“…Does it hurt?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if it hurts when I grab you like this.”

“Hmm… No? It’s bearable.”

Why is the answer different?

He deliberately pressed a little harder than before. Had patience suddenly appeared in that brief moment? Or conversely, had patience that was originally there disappeared in that moment?

Just what…

Kiel silently removed his hand. The face reflected in Olivia’s eyes was one he had never seen before.

“So you’re not going to eat this? I even put in the bacon you like.”

“…”

No words came out.

That day, for the first time, Kiel refused Olivia’s kindness.

*****

‘There’s only one way to check if conversations in memories affect the present. I have to talk to Kiel.’

Olivia stared intently at Kiel, who was still unconscious in the ice.

[Kiel Rothschild]

– Level: 83

– Job: Sword Master

– Affinity: -100

– Titles: Regressor, Duke, Wandering Swordsman.

The current Kiel is neither a Dragonslayer nor an explorer who conquered the Great Forest ruins. Even with regression, past achievements don’t follow.

All that’s granted to a regressor are memories of a miserable past.

To overwrite new stories among such intense memories requires something extraordinary.

‘The time difference must be significant.’

For Olivia entering the memory, it’s a conversation from just now, but for Kiel, it’s from years ago.

It would be fortunate if he even remembered having the conversation, let alone its contents.

‘I need to say something so surprising and shocking that it gets imprinted in his brain. That’s the only way to leave a mark in his memory.’

Of course, she still doesn’t know if memories from the clues affect the present.

But for now, she assumes they do.

It’s worth a try anyway.

Olivia took paper and pen and began writing something down. It was a schedule of the annihilation cycle.

She was trying to roughly understand what she did with Kiel in which Imperial year, what their goals were, and where they traveled.

As she wrote down the events she remembered, Olivia frowned.

She was missing an important fact.

‘The sample size is too small. Just because the time limit doubled this time doesn’t guarantee it will continue to do so. But…’

To make predictions based on original data, you need at least three samples. If the time limit increases to 20 minutes next time, then one could “reasonably” infer that the time limit doubles each time.

But that would mean wasting one opportunity.

Eight chances left. She couldn’t afford to waste any.

Adding up all the given time would be about 3.5 days. That’s assuming the time limit continues to double.

‘There’s no point thinking about it further. Finding the best move is the priority.’

Olivia slowly closed her eyes. She decided to trust her instincts.

Olivia’s consciousness began to trace back past events one by one.

With Kiel, they mainly explored magical realms. The Wood Realm Euran, the Earth Realm Moria…

The main reason for exploring magical realms was for efficient affinity farming. There was nothing better for raising the affinity of warrior-type NPCs than fierce battles fought back-to-back.

Knowing what NPCs liked and how to behave to make them like you was a basic skill.

‘Making sandwiches during battle, repairing weapons… it was quite a hassle.’

That means the Olivia in the memory would also be doing her best to please Kiel and raise his affinity.

How does she know this?

‘Because it’s ultimately my play record.’

So doing the opposite would definitely leave an impression in his memory.

20 minutes, 40 minutes, 80 minutes are too short for direct action. During these times, she should focus solely on imprinting her existence in his memory.

But after that.

160 minutes, 320 minutes, 640 minutes…

From then on, she would take substantial action.

In the final round, she could stay in the memory for a whopping 42 hours. The last one was so important it outweighed all the others combined.

The point when the time limit increases to 42 hours is 4 years after completing the Great Forest conquest.

That would be Imperial Year 996.

‘Where was I then? What was I doing in 996?’

Memories get all mixed up. Whether it’s because she hadn’t played the game for a long time, or because she had seen countless endings.

Countless cycles flash through Olivia’s mind.

“…”

She remembered.

Imperial Year 996. That was the year when demons first revealed themselves. Olivia herself had defeated the demons and gained the trust of many NPCs.

But this time…

‘It wouldn’t hurt to do things a little differently.’

Tick. Tock.

Olivia closed her eyes and counted a few more seconds in her mind.

“…”

“…”

At some point, she felt a sharp gaze.

Olivia slowly opened her eyes.

Through the thin ice, Kiel was glaring at her.

‘It took a bit longer this time.’

In fact, Olivia had been waiting for Kiel to regain consciousness. Of course, there was a reason for this choice.

[Subjugation is impossible!]

– Cannot subjugate an unconscious enemy.

– Subjugation is possible only once per day, for one person.

Subjugation had a cooldown. Because of that, she had to wait a whole day.

Electricity crackled in her grasp.

In the silence, Kiel spoke.

“…Again?”

Olivia didn’t answer.

There was no point in having a conversation “now” anyway.

Olivia gently raised her palm and placed it on Kiel’s forehead.

In an instant, light spread in all directions.

Ding!

A now-familiar notification sound.

[Time remaining: 20 minutes 00 seconds]

The moment she confirmed the message, a crescent-like smile appeared on her face.

Time to rewrite memories.