episode_0020

Chiiik!

A strange sound echoed as letters appeared on the page.

[If you’re reading this, I’ve already left.]

Lia, reacting to the sound, also turned her gaze to the text.

“!!!!!!”

The moment she saw the message, Lia tried to rush off to find her master—

Thunk!

But the Ice Princess grabbed her.

“Let go!”

“It’s fine.”

“WHAT’S FINE?!”

“Master’s left us!!”

“No, he hasn’t.”

“Your master hasn’t left yet.”

“…He hasn’t?”

“How would YOU know that?!”

“If you think about your master’s plans…”

“This message wasn’t supposed to appear at this time.”

“?”

The Ice Princess explained further.

“Originally, your master’s plan was to recruit me tomorrow and give me the cursed ring, . Right?”

“…Right?”

“If that happened, I would’ve been wearing when I read the guidebook.”

“There’d be no reason to take off a ring that prevents mana overload.”

“So?”

“If that were the case, this message wouldn’t have shown up.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is special ink.”

“It only becomes visible when absorbing a specific mana attribute…”

“But with equipped, no mana would’ve seeped out.”

“So it wasn’t supposed to appear?”

“Right.”

“Even if I joined you, this message wouldn’t have been readable…”

“Then…”

She imagined things from her master’s perspective.

He had a chance to escape.

But leaving without a word might cause problems later, so he wanted to leave a note.

Writing a long letter would waste his chance to slip away…

So he wanted to keep it as short as possible.

But if he only left a single brief note, they might not accept it—

They might chase after him, demanding to know why he ran.

So he prepared.

He wrote a letter in advance…

And left behind a way to uncover it later after escaping.

[Take off the ring and read the guidebook.]

…With just that single line, they could still read the full-length letter hidden within.

“Ah…”

“So that’s it…”

“Which means we should focus on reading the actual note first.”

“Okay…”

Quietly, they read the letter.

—

If you’re reading this, I’ve already left.

Ah, just to be clear…

It’s not because I dislike you guys that I’m leaving like this.

It’s just that there’s something only I can do,

And something I want to do—so I’m leaving for that reason alone.

So tell Lia not to cry.

Ice Princess…

Hmm.

By now, you’ve probably told me your name, so I’ll address you properly.

Elise.

—

“Now it’s certain.”

“What is?”

“The earliest I could’ve heard my name was if I successfully joined you tomorrow.”

“But if this letter was only meant to be read after tomorrow…”

“Then Master would still be at the inn now.”

So.

She steadied herself to continue reading—

“Wait…”

“What?”

“Your master…”

“How does he know my name?…”

“Our master knows everything.”

“Even so, this is weird…”

“What’s weird?”

“Not a single person in the world knows my name.”

“It’s not something you could learn through investigation or spying…”

“Wouldn’t a basic background check reveal it?”

“No…”

“?”

“My real name was Experiment Subject-32…”

“‘Elise’ was a name I gave myself after escaping the facility…”

“And until now…”

“I’ve never told it to anyone.”

“So how… did he know?…”

Elise was stunned.

Everything else could be explained by research or surveillance…

Future skills could simply be predictions based on her current abilities.

But…

Her name Elise—no one could have known that.

No matter how intelligent someone was.

No matter how vast their information network.

Unless they could see the future—there was no way.

“Huh?…”

She checked the guidebook again.

“……”

After reviewing it, she came to a realization.

She now had some idea of who Lia’s master really was.

“Lia…”

“Yeah?”

“I think… I might know a little about your master’s true identity…”

“Tell me.”

Lia’s expression turned serious.

The truth about her master.

She’d heard he was just a D-rank adventurer,

But nothing about him seemed ordinary at all.

She was curious now,

Listening intently to Elise’s words.

“He’s not just someone with exceptional intelligence…”

“He’s a man who knows the future…”

“The future?…”

“Nothing else makes sense…”

No one knows my name.

But if it’s the future…

Someone knowing it wouldn’t be strange.

She imagined herself telling Lia her name—

And even telling this master of hers.

“Then…”

“Does that mean the techniques written here…”

…weren’t researched?

They were simply records of skills she would master in the future.

“And knowing my preferences…”

It must be because he knew future me.

Someone close enough to her that she’d share personal tastes.

The moment she thought that—

A question surfaced.

Just how close were we in the future?

Even if they were friends, she’d never share something this embarrassing…

Yet he knew anyway.

‘Could it be…’

‘Were we… more than friends?!’

If they were just friends, she wouldn’t have revealed such things.

But if they were lovers…

Then it made sense.

In that kind of relationship, even embarrassing preferences wouldn’t be off-limits.

Chiiik!

Her face flushed instantly.

‘Uwaaaah…!’

‘What am I even thinking?!’

N-No way…

But it wasn’t impossible.

‘Now that I think about it…’

‘He does fit my type perfectly…’

Even just the guidebook showed how deeply he’d studied her.

Not just foresight—

He must’ve researched their abilities extensively.

That was exactly the kind of person she liked.

People who studied techniques.

Those who sought to advance their craft.

Not blind believers relying on miracles—

But pioneers who carved their own path.

‘And his face… wasn’t bad either…’

Even average looks would’ve been fine,

But he was objectively handsome.

‘No… way…’

‘My future husband?!’

Her heart suddenly raced.

‘A… husband?!’

So THAT’S what this was about?!

He researched curses to save me, creating … just for that?!

Now that she thought about it… it was strange.

A cursed artifact.

Most people wouldn’t even think of studying it—

Let alone dare to touch it.

But Cain did.

‘For… me?’

He risked his life, pushing himself to the brink—

Just to find a way to save her.

What kind of person would go that far just for one person?

‘I wasn’t dying…’

‘It’s not like mana overload would’ve killed me…’

Just an inconvenience.

She could’ve lived apart from others if needed.

It wasn’t a lethal condition—

Just loneliness.

That was all.

To others, it was just a minor issue.

But Cain risked everything to solve it.

‘No way he’d do this just as a friend…’

‘A dear friend… No…’

A lover.

Only that kind of bond could drive someone this far.

And the moment she thought that—

Her already flushed face burned hotter.

‘Uwaaaaah…!’

‘Was I really his lover?!…’

Not now, technically.

Just in some future he remembered.

But if he knew the future—

Then Cain must’ve loved that version of her dearly.

So then…

Shouldn’t current her embrace him in that version’s place?

‘Exactly.’

A man willing to risk his life for her—

Deserved nothing less than her love in return.

She steeled herself.

‘Cain…’

‘My savior…’

‘If you really sacrificed that much for me…’

‘I won’t let it go unrewarded!’

She hated tragic love stories.

If there was a man sacrificing everything for his lover—

Then embracing him was the woman’s duty.

Or so she thought—

“What’re you thinking about?”

“UWAAAAAH?!”

Lia’s sudden question startled her.

“?”

Come to think of it…

The guidebook had mentioned something.

‘Lia and I will likely become the closest of friends.’

Not guaranteed, of course.

Future-changing meant variables.

In the original future, finding this fast was impossible.

Future Cain must’ve researched tirelessly—

And present Cain acted on that foresight to retrieve the ring early.

Meaning the future had already shifted.

So while future Lia and Elise might have been best friends…

That too could change.

Still.

Cain clearly wanted them to bond.

So Elise obliged.

“Lia.”

“We’re the bestest friends in the world.”

“W-Where’d that come from?!”

Lia was baffled.

But…

True to future friendship form—she instantly reciprocated.

“Yeah!”

“We’re the bestest friends ever!”

“Master said so too!”

And like that, they sealed their friendship.

“But right now, Master comes first.”

“Obviously.”

“Once I catch my future hu— I mean, savior, I’ll ask everything and figure things out.”

They’d stop Cain from running.

Before, it was about learning from him.

Now?

‘He studied curses for me.’

‘If he’s doing something alone… it’s definitely that.’

Self-sacrifice.

Forgetting the future—

Choosing to act for her sake once more.

‘I won’t allow it.’

Like those tragic romance leads—

Saving their lover,

Then fading away silently for their happiness…

Idiots.

If you love someone that much—

At least tell them before dying.

She’d rather die together than live in ignorance.

So she’d stop him.

Meanwhile.

Cain slept soundly, blissfully unaware.

“Zzzzz…”

“Mmm…”

“A three-stage combiner robot?!…”

Dreaming of piloting a giant mecha formed from three dinosaur robots.