episode_0072

After that, six times, I was able to refine that strategy and succeed.

Of course, during that process, there were many times when I had to turn back time and start from the beginning, and if you include the small things that I had to turn back, there would be even more.

But it worked. I was able to create a route to success.

“Is that so.”

At my words, Jennifer muttered.

“Are you thinking of turning back time now?”

“Yes.”

I spoke quietly. White breath escaped from my mouth.

“Honestly, even knowing your abilities, I’m still surprised. It’s hard to believe. That one person could enter and take over a fortress like that.”

“I just caused chaos in the fortress. If the imperial army hadn’t advanced in the middle, it would have been difficult to succeed even if I could turn back time. ”

It was fortunate in many ways that the inside was a ‘trench’. No matter how many enemies there were, they were still inside the trench, so there was a limit to how many could see me at once. On top of that, it was night. The lights could be shot out and that was it. A single grenade could blow out all the lights in that area.

If you fail, try again until you succeed.

“… … .”

Jennifer didn’t say anything for a while.

“When I first heard that I was going to send you away, I doubted my ears.”

After a long period of silence, Jennifer finally opened her mouth. I was surprised because her tone of voice was a bit hesitant, as if she was revealing a deep-rooted worry.

“Just think how dumbfounded I was when I heard that there was only ‘one’ reinforcement. Well, I wasn’t the commander here anyway, but we were once comrades who fought together, and this is right in front of the territory where I spent my childhood. Of course, there are various political reasons, but I was actually quite happy when I first received the letter. I thought that the political issue was finally resolved and that I would be able to receive more reinforcements. ”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I was dumbfounded when I opened that fancy envelope.”

“… … .”

“Do you know what your grandfather said when he heard that news?”

“I don’t know.”

“His Majesty will have a different opinion, he said.”

“… … .”

“You really had a plan. At first, I thought I would be abandoned with my fiefdom even though I was so loyal.”

Jennifer giggled as if she had heard a funny joke. But there was a slight sense of emptiness in her voice. The giggles became fainter and fainter as the conversation went on.

“Does His Majesty know about your abilities?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

You may think that it is incredibly strange and capable, but you can’t imagine that you have the ability to turn back time. That would be nothing more than a delusion.

Besides, it was a common belief in this world that ‘time cannot be turned back’. It was not a simple common belief, but a setting that magical problems were involved. Of course, seeing that I could turn back time like this, the production company may have hidden the setting and tried to use it as a plot twist later.

I think the fact that the main characters suddenly started dying one by one at the end, and that the player had to decide which characters would die, was related to that. I thought it was realistically impossible for a small production company to make a sequel with two completely different endings and different routes in just one year.

If there is a setting where time can be turned back, why not just turn back time, save the characters, and have the main character, who knows that fact, proceed with the story?

And for that to be a twist, no other character should think that it’s possible.

“Is that so… … .”

Jennifer also remained silent for a while.

“It was obvious that you had come back after solving the problem. It was easy to understand after hearing that you could turn back time.”

Jennifer glanced at me and said.

“Your expression, which had seemed a little tired just a moment ago, suddenly became terribly tired. If I hadn’t known about your ability, I would have thought that your expression hardened because you realized that the mission ahead would be terrifying. ”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. To be honest, your expression right now is… … .”

Jennifer hesitated a bit, which was uncharacteristic of her, and then said,

“This is the expression of someone who has seen hell.”

“… … Is that so.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“… … .”

“… … .”

We looked again at the bunker in the distance.

“You may have heard from Imina, but those mercenaries occupying that place are vicious. They have a history of burning down villages, raping women, and hanging them at the entrances to the remaining villages. It’s hard to understand why they would be so cruel. If you want evidence, I can show you. ”

It was a story I had already heard. I had already seen the evidence.

“But even so, those guys are still people. There are those who say things like they are beasts, but if hunters hear such stories, they will surely laugh. There are beasts that think of their prey as playthings, but that’s all. Humans are the only ones who are so intelligent and cruel. At least among the beings I’ve seen so far. ”

Jennifer turned to me. She looked straight at me instead of glancing at me from a moment ago, and she said,

“Honestly, I shouldn’t have brought you here to tell you this story.”

After a brief hesitation, she said:

“Rather, how about just running away? If you could turn back time, you could turn back the lives you took. Or maybe you could live a life that wasn’t related to the emperor from the beginning. With your abilities, wouldn’t you be able to live an ordinary life? ”

“… … .”

I quietly looked at the bunker faintly visible in the distance and opened the subscription.

“I’ve already heard that story.”

“… … .”

Jennifer seemed speechless after hearing my answer.

“Is that so.”

Jennifer, who had been standing quietly beside him for a while now, was the first to speak this time.

“But thank you for your kind words. Sincerely.”

“… … .”

Jennifer opened her eyes slightly in surprise for a moment and then asked.

“Did you already say that?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“This is my first time saying this.”

“I see.”

At my words, Jennifer laughed.

*

Do I have the option to start over again?

Jennifer doesn’t know much about my past. Not many people know about my past as ‘Sylvia Black’, let alone my real past life where I played a ‘game’ that no one else could understand. Claire, and Baron Leona Grace who heard the story from Claire. The Emperor who heard it through reports, and Lucas who observed the orphanage firsthand.

And all of these people would agree with me when I say that even if I were to turn back time for the first time, I would still be in the same situation as I am now.

Lucas had been watching the orphanage from the beginning. Even if I could turn back time, he was still a child not even ten years old. No matter how fast I ran and hid, I couldn’t avoid Lucas’s eyes, who had already reached a certain level, and even if I ran at him, I would never be able to win.

Where did the being called ‘Sylvia Black’ come from?

It probably didn’t come from anywhere.

Just a being created for a certain purpose, for that moment.

And even though it is in the form of a game, the fact that they put me, who knows quite a bit about the future of this world, into that body means that whoever brought me here must have one clear goal.

A being that would even anticipate my turning back of time.

“Does that mean I can do whatever I want?”

I opened my eyes in bed in the middle of the night, stared at the ceiling, and muttered quietly.

Of course, there was no answer in return.

Whether the being above is a god or a goddess as mentioned in the goddess religion.

Yeah, well. You have the right to remain silent.

And the right to remain silent is a law that can be interpreted to the disadvantage of the person exercising that right.

“Okay.”

So I decided to interpret the silence as I pleased and got up from my seat.

I was a little tired. It was only natural since I could still feel what had just happened. My mind was awake, and my body, which had woken up in the middle of the night, was screaming at me to go back to sleep.

But there’s no time. Claire will definitely come looking for me at four in the morning.

“Sup.”

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

I sat cross-legged and recalled my teacher’s teachings.

Clear your mind and restore your physical condition.

To be honest, this is nonsense by Earth standards. If you don’t sleep, your body will just be tired.

So, it was very fortunate that it was a world view where even an ordinary body could move that kind of energy.

“Hoo.”

Exhale your worries and concerns together. Only the things you want to do and intend to do remain in your mind.

And then I opened my eyes.

good.

It’s time to go out now.

Because I have a debt to pay.