Ch.328Chapter 328 Epilogue – Unity (3)

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How much time had passed as the real Liliansis enjoyed the slow flow of time while stroking Karl’s head?

Given how slowly time was flowing, even if she had been aware of how much time had passed, it wouldn’t have been particularly important.

Regardless of whether time flowed quickly or slowly, she was focused on what she considered the most important thing she could do at the moment.

That was doing her best for the comfort of her precious person.

Of course, not just for him, but for herself as well.

In any case, Liliansis was soothing her body and mind, exhausted from the fierce battle, while stroking Karl’s head as he slept with his head resting on her thigh.

Every single action was taken to provide comfort to Karl, who was more exhausted than herself.

But as she did so, she found that these actions, intended to soothe his body and mind, were in turn bringing peace to her own body and mind as well.

As time passed, Liliansis’s touch, propelled by her gradually healing body and mind, grew increasingly gentle and soft.

“Sleep well…”

The soft voice expressing this was beyond words.

Liliansis, quietly murmuring with the gentleness of a lullaby, could truly be described as happiness given human form.

And though not quite reaching her level of happiness, there was someone else savoring their own form of joy.

It was another Liliansis from a different timeline, standing in a chasm of matter and spirit untouched by anyone’s eyes.

Compared to the Liliansis of the current timeline, her blue eyes, though slightly clouded but still retaining their original beauty, were gazing at the world she had occupied until just moments ago.

It seemed close enough to touch.

But with her physical body gone along with her lingering attachments, she could no longer interact with that place.

Anyone who saw her simply staring at this now-distant world would find her precarious state pitiful.

Yet judging by the expression of happiness on Liliansis’s face as she watched, contrary to appearances, she welcomed this precariousness that came with observing this world.

The more she thought about it, Liliansis felt that everything she had experienced since being deceived by Desire and setting foot in this land had been filled with nothing but fortune and happiness.

In this world she had entered with no particular expectations, only hoping to somehow ease her unfulfilled regrets.

She had seen her precious person contributing to the world in a way different from the timeline she had lived in.

Not only did she feel a strange sense of fulfillment upon seeing him walking a different path than in her timeline.

Despite there surely being her precious person in that timeline, he had called her fake while keeping his distance, yet still strangely caring for her.

After learning the truth that transformed their relationship.

Seeing him apologize with reddened eyes, so sorry for something she couldn’t understand, she completely let go of her regrets.

When she faced the crisis of her physical body disappearing along with her vanishing regrets, even before she could help him save the world.

She tried to endure somehow with the determination to help him, but even that became difficult.

She resented her helpless inability to do anything, but had no choice but to accept reality and simply pray that he could safely save the world.

At the same time, as she prayed for his happiness and accepted her fate of disappearing.

Unlike herself, she ended up alongside another version of herself who chose to never leave her precious person’s side no matter what, and gave everything she had so that other self could save the world.

And that other self, who admirably accepted what she offered, spectacularly defeated the demon god and saved this world before her very eyes.

Now all that remained was to observe the world that had attained peace and happiness, and then depart on a journey to a distant place with no promise of return.

Well, though she expressed it as “observing the world,” in reality she was merely gazing at one specific point.

For her, who had lived waiting for her divinity to erode away without attaching any meaning to it even after obtaining it through her own power before crossing over to this place, it was an incredibly meaningful observation.

It was like a small salvation being granted to her—someone who had unexpectedly lost her precious person, become entangled in the threads laid out by transcendent beings, and lived a life unable to follow her own desires.

Someone who had merely lived waiting for her end while bearing the hollow title of “world-saving hero” that looked good only in appearance.

Although it wasn’t her doing it herself.

As she watched another version of herself, identical to her at this age, protecting her precious person and recovering from the exhaustion of fierce battle while stroking his head.

The Liliansis from another timeline felt her mouth curving into a gentle smile without realizing it, experiencing a strange fullness in body and mind despite not being the one directly involved.

How long had it been since she felt this? The pleasant emotional resonance filling her heart so refreshingly.

It gave her a warmth she had never once felt after banishing the demon god from her timeline.

Even when living a life where wealth and honor were within reach as she was revered as a hero.

Just by watching another version of herself from a different timeline stroking her precious person’s head with a happy expression.

Seeing another self who looked exactly like her accomplishing what she couldn’t and living happily was incredibly endearing, giving her a sense of fulfillment as if she had done it herself, even though she hadn’t.

For some reason, Liliansis even thought that perhaps every process of the life she had lived was meant for her to witness this moment.

Of course, even while watching such a wonderful scene, it wasn’t only positive emotions that accumulated.

Though not severe, a somewhat negative form of emotion tickled a corner of her heart, rising like a heat haze.

As she felt her heart being stimulated, a particular scene flashed through Liliansis’s mind.

It showed a composition very similar to what she was witnessing now.

But it was a scene filled with nothing but sadness, enough to bring tears to her eyes just by recalling it.

Unlike her other self who was stroking the sleeping Karl’s head with a happy expression.

The scene that came to her mind now was completely opposite to this one.

The image of her precious Karl, reduced to fine ashes small enough to fit in one hand.

And the sight of herself, helpless and dishonest, watching in shock.

Even though it was for the sake of her mission, she had only pushed away her precious person with insincere words instead of properly comforting him.

And as if it wasn’t enough to inflict an indelible wound on his body with the holy sword.

In the end, was it because she suddenly recalled the image of her precious person turning to ash and disappearing after everything was over?

The mind of Liliansis, who had crossed over from another timeline, gradually filled with somewhat futile hypotheticals and jealousy.

She thought that if she were in that position, she would stroke him much more gently than her other self who was tenderly stroking him now.

She even thought she would have stayed in that place with all her heart and soul until he woke up.

Without needing to think too hard, this emotion was surely jealousy.

It was inferiority from not being able to accomplish what her other self had achieved with an unwavering heart, despite receiving her help.

And the futile hypothesis that if a similar situation came again, she wouldn’t fail either, rapidly building in her mind like a sandcastle on the beach.

“Haa…”

Liliansis let out a faint sigh and swept away the jealousy and inferiority that had risen in her mind, like a sandcastle collapsing against the waves.

What was the point of regretting now, being jealous now?

What was the point of carving new regrets now?

No matter how much she struggled here, in a world that wasn’t her own.

She was merely a guest from far away.

What would be the point of a guest taking the owner’s place and enjoying what the owner should enjoy?

There was only someone there who was calmly enjoying what they rightfully deserved more than anyone else.

Therefore, there was only one thing for her to do now.

Simply bless her other self who had achieved what she couldn’t.

And not intrude on the happiness she would enjoy, reducing her share.

That was all.

After organizing her thoughts and determination.

With eyes fully capturing an overflowing happiness, Liliansis took the following action.

“I’m leaving…”

As her regrets completely evaporated, her physical body that could exert influence on that world had already vanished.

Even her will and spirit, which maintained the identity of Liliansis Proxian from another timeline, were losing their reason to remain here.

Before it was too late, she expressed her gratitude to her other self who had allowed her to see such a happy scene, and quietly withdrew.

She, who had desperately wanted happiness more than anyone, knew well.

If she valued her own happiness, then for the sake of another person… though it might be awkward to call her “another person” in this case.

Anyway, she knew that for the sake of her other self living in a changed world through different choices, she needed to step back.

“It was like a fleeting moment, but thank you so much for showing me this scene.”

With that, Liliansis announced her farewell to her other self who was enjoying happiness while stroking Karl’s head, and moved her feet.

A distant cluster of light on the other side of her turned gaze was welcoming her.

It was a cluster of light that confirmed her separation from the world that had given her a miraculous experience like a gift, even though she had set foot in it after being deceived by a twisted being.

She didn’t know what conclusion would come to her when she entered that light cluster.

Whether she would return to the world where she had lived days unable to die, with an opportunity to enjoy daily life with a changed mindset.

Or whether she would lose even the opportunity to enjoy such daily life and become a forgotten existence, bearing the full impact of forcibly setting foot in another timeline.

Even as she walked toward the light cluster, she didn’t know what would happen to her.

But it was enough now. No more regrets remained.

Reciting this inwardly as she continued her steps, Liliansis’s movements did not become dull.

She who had only wished to regret, hurt, collapse, and disappear no longer existed.

And since she calmly told herself that she shouldn’t be here, ready to accept any conclusion while blessing those who would achieve what she couldn’t and enjoy happiness.

Her steps would never falter no matter what.

Unless someone…

[Wait!!]

Stopped her with a desperate tone, using a voice identical to her own.