Ch.89The Savior Who Ruined Her. (3)

Livga had been unable to regain her senses since the moment she descended to the Repentance Hall.

Her memories were strange.

“You know nothing, Saintess.”

In her memories, Asmodeus had definitely said that.

And half a year later, Olivia created a massive barrier in Icail, drowning hundreds of thousands in the sea.

Then, she said, “Sister is sorry.”

And lost consciousness, falling to the ground.

Her connection with Olivia ended that day.

This was precisely why Livga was confused.

‘…This doesn’t make sense.’

That day, she had certainly condemned Olivia.

The image of that brilliant white hair turning red was vivid in her mind.

‘But… why.’

Why had she regressed?

Had she regressed because Olivia destroyed Icail?

No.

The crumbling Holy Nation.

The holy knights who died together.

Livga had certainly died that day, and regressed.

Her last memory was pathetically reaching out toward Olivia’s retreating back.

But why would Icail suddenly appear in that scenario?

“I will condemn you.”

The day Livga condemned Olivia was in 993.

“Sister. Yesterday I… F-Frantz? How long have you been standing there?!”

The day she was caught calling Olivia “sister” in front of Frantz was a year later in 994.

“Agares!”

The day she hunted the great demon with Olivia was in 997.

“Sister… sis…”

And the day she died by Olivia’s hand was in 998.

Impossible.

The sensation of condemning Olivia was so vivid, how could their connection have continued after that event?

But as if to contradict that, the pain of being pierced by Olivia’s magic also came to mind.

‘How… is this…’

It made no sense.

But her senses were telling her that both memories were real.

Memories jumbled chaotically.

“Do you know what happens when human lives repeat endlessly?”

So, this is.

“Just because no one remembers, doesn’t mean it never happened.”

This is…

Her head buzzed like a swarm of bees.

“Are you alright?”

“…”

The weight on her shoulder snapped her back to reality.

Beyond her blurry vision stood a woman with a gentle smile.

“…Sister?”

“Um… I’m Irene.”

Irene. The final Saintess candidate.

The person who had brought her from the Repentance Hall.

Irene placed her hand on Livga’s forehead.

“You don’t have a fever… but you don’t look well. Wait here. I’ll brew some medicinal herbs for you.”

“…”

Livga couldn’t answer.

Just recalling the memories of the past was overwhelming enough.

*****

The lighthouse Pharos, famous for having no windows.

At its highest level, two women sat facing each other.

Olivia, tapping the desk, said:

“It seems you lose your sanity if you don’t kill pirates… is that right?”

It was more of an interrogation than a question.

The kind of tone someone who knew nothing would use.

This approach was more advantageous for controlling the conversation.

‘I could also convince her that I haven’t regressed.’

The more she acted differently from the genocide loop, the more Esthie would believe Olivia hadn’t regressed.

After hesitating briefly, Esthie nodded and said:

“…That’s right.”

Of course, looking at her current demeanor, Olivia wondered if such precautions were even necessary.

‘She seems like she wouldn’t care either way whether I’m the same person or not’

Olivia couldn’t understand how that was possible.

Surely Esthie had died in the genocide loop and regressed with those memories.

Even if she had memories from Clue #3, the fact that she died at “Olivia’s” hands and regressed remained unchanged.

‘But why…’

[Esthie Aquar]

– Favorability: ???

The favorability was still a question mark.

But judging by that reaction, it had to be around 30 at least.

Not minus 30, but plus 30.

…First, let’s find out why she’s favorable.

“And you need my help to solve that problem.”

Esthie flinched and looked at Olivia.

‘I don’t even know what her real personality is anymore.’

Olivia narrowed her eyes and said:

“I’ll help you.”

“Really? Thank y—”

“But first, let me ask a few questions.”

Esthie readily nodded. She seemed to think answering a few questions was a small price for receiving help.

“First, how did you know my name?”

“…Well.”

“If you’re going to lie, don’t answer. I can just leave.”

Olivia’s eyes drew a sharp curve.

If she mentioned regression, Olivia would continue questioning; if not, she would just subdue her.

As if having made a firm decision, Esthie said:

“…I have memories of a past life.”

Olivia nodded slightly, as if telling her to continue.

That much was acceptable.

“…You believe me?”

“For now. So, were you and I close in your past life?”

Esthie spoke with a slightly less confident voice.

“I think we were… somewhat close.”

“Past tense, huh. It didn’t end well, I take it?”

“…”

Esthie still seemed uncertain.

She appeared unsure whether it was right to say this, looking at Olivia cautiously for a long time before speaking:

“You killed me, Olivia.”

Esthie pointed to her own chest. Exactly where her heart would be.

“I still remember it. I died being stabbed right here.”

This much aligned with what Olivia already knew.

“…Shouldn’t you at least feel some hostility toward me then?”

This was the real question.

She needed to understand why Esthie felt favorable toward her.

“…Why?”

“What do you mean ‘why’? You said I killed you.”

“So why would that matter?”

“…”

Seeing Olivia’s momentarily blank face, Esthie laughed with an “Ah-ha!”

“I was someone who didn’t have much attachment to life. I lived bound by terrible duties, robbed of free will. And you, you liberated me from that.”

Esthie pointed toward the horizon with her finger.

“By frying all of Aquar’s seals with lightning… hmm?”

Esthie tilted her head. Her gaze had turned back toward Icail.

“Was that not it? Did you trap Icail in a barrier and then wipe it out?”

Watching Esthie stroke her chin in contemplation, Olivia realized something.

Esthie simultaneously possessed memories from both the genocide loop and Clue #3.

The reason for this deduction was simple.

The method Esthie just mentioned was what Olivia had used to eliminate the “voices” in the genocide loop.

‘…How is this possible?’

Could it be because she left in the middle of using the clue?

“…Even so, the fact that I killed you doesn’t change, does it?”

“I told you. Thanks to you killing me, I was freed from those insufferable duties. I just didn’t expect to come back to life like this.”

“…”

Certainly, eliminating the “voices” and being freed from the duty to protect Icail were different concepts.

Eliminating the “voices” wouldn’t necessarily free her from her duties.

There was a separate way to remove the obligation.

‘Even so, does it make sense to like someone who killed you?’

It gave her slight chills.

Of course, among countless people, there might be some who view death as salvation…

“…So how can I help you?”

“Kill me.”

“No.”

Olivia answered without the slightest hesitation.

“I’m a pacifist, so I can’t.”

If her disciples had heard this, they would have been apoplectic, but unfortunately, they weren’t present.

“You nearly killed the Red Tower Master.”

…I forgot about him.

A nuisance till the end.

“Anyway, I won’t kill you.”

“…Then at least do something about the curse.”

“Curse?”

When Olivia asked, Esthie’s pupils trembled faintly.

And Olivia knew what that trembling meant.

‘As I thought, she was testing me.’

It seemed she still couldn’t be certain that Olivia hadn’t regressed.

If Olivia hadn’t questioned it here, a disaster would have unfolded.

Because until now, there had been no mention of any curse.

Esthie continued casually:

“The reason I almost lost my sanity just now was because of that curse. To be precise, it’s not a curse but countless voices whispering in my ear…”

Olivia pretended to listen while responding vaguely. After all, she already knew the whole story.

Her mind was busy thinking about how to approach Esthie.

‘…I don’t think I need to approach her through the clue.’

Honestly speaking, the current level of favorability was sufficient.

In a world where some regressors drew their swords immediately, just having a conversation like this was already impressive.

“…Are you listening?”

“Yeah. I understand everything.”

Olivia nodded and said:

“Let me ask one last question.”

Tztztztz!

With intense lightning crackling in the air, electrical energy began gathering in both her palms.

“Do you trust me?”