episode_0121

Curiosity was a curse.

Why do apples fall? Why do stars shine, and why are ships on the horizon visible from the top?

I will not refute the fact that so much curiosity has led to the development of mankind. Looking at it from that perspective, it would be better to think of it as a spark rather than a curse.

But let’s take a commonly known myth as an example.

In the beginning, two people existed. And there was the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that the man was told not to eat. But weren’t countless sins created by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?

Why did you eat something you were told not to eat? Why didn’t you listen to God? When I scolded him, it existed in that place.

A snake with a curious name. I whispered. What you don’t know, what you don’t know, is what prevents you from being perfect, and that’s ultimately because God is afraid of knowing everything like himself.

Curiosity ends with sin.

And I was receiving that karma.

It felt like I was paying the price for hypnotism, opening up her past at will.

It was so disgusting that I felt nauseous. I felt like I wanted to throw up everything I ate for dinner tonight.

I couldn’t stop listening to the story that exploded with inorganic emotions from her expressionless mouth, so I didn’t leave, but it was very difficult. It was almost difficult to listen to.

That I could understand her because I grew up in an unloved home?

You were sympathizing with her because you were in the same situation?

Don’t be crazy.

Veronica and I are similar, but not different. I just took a different path from the beginning. I just like this.

I just assumed I understood her.

I just thought I understood because she had forgotten everything in order to defend herself and convinced herself that it was all her fault and that she was trapped in the room because she was incompetent.

It was truly astounding that I had not known a single thing about her true nature until this very moment.

I became resentful of myself.

Before using this stone, I was confident that I already knew everything about her, but I realized too late that I was conceited and I hugged my aching heart tightly.

“… I’m going crazy.”

It wasn’t a story I could handle.

To me, I was just a whining child.

If she had kept these memories intact at the time, I would be sad because I grew up without receiving love. What kind of expression did you make when you said this?

It was creepy.

I realized why I kept saying it was okay. I thought I knew why they kept emphasizing usefulness.

Because I understood what he had done so far, I couldn’t say anything.

I had no memory of it, but I felt speechless because I just realized that she was unconsciously looking for it.

Forget it. Forget everything.

Please, forget it. I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.

No, you can’t pretend you didn’t see it. How could I forget something like this?

I will remember. I will remember. So, I hope you don’t remember.

As the stone was taken out, tears flowed from Veronica’s expressionless eyes.

“… Sorry.”

It was creepy. I was very scared, wondering if the hypnosis had broken, but I was finally able to put my mind at ease when I realized too late that she was just trapped in a memory and sad, rather than regaining consciousness.

But after that.

“Sorry, I couldn’t tell you it was okay… ”

Veronica, who felt guilty, shed sincere tears due to her brother’s dedication after seeing him suffer because of her.

After that, my heart throbbed.

If it was this kind of pain, it seemed right that I couldn’t really remember it.

However, I thought it would be too harsh to tell Veronica, who was crying so sadly, to immediately lose her memory, so I hugged her and told her, who could not remember my voice.

“It’s okay… ”

It was Veronica who wanted to say that it was okay more than anyone else.

It was Veronica who regretted more than anyone else, saying she should have said it was okay.

“It’s okay… ”

I hugged Veronica tightly.

I was shocked to see the small wound, but I felt guilty that I was so focused on the wound that I didn’t notice the huge wound she was holding.

If I had noticed earlier, I wouldn’t have hurt her.

“I’m sorry… ”

He whispered like that.

If she had known what she had been through, she would have shook her head when Veronica asked to hug her today. No, I shouldn’t have asked before that if I could just hug you once.

I’m crazy. Yeah, I had no idea that such a trauma had occurred, but you’re crazy for doing something like this.

Fuck, fuck… .

Did you know it was me?

I was so sad, I felt like I was becoming so ugly and dirty, so I subconsciously thought of something to defend myself, perhaps to protect myself, but when I thought of it, it felt like it got even uglier, so I shook my head.

Even if you didn’t know, scratching the wound still didn’t change.

Now, I have to make them forget.

You can’t remind me any more than this.

I just wanted Veronica to smile like this. therefore… I didn’t want her to go back to her original world. Because if I returned to the original world, I would have to face that reality again.

“If you snap your fingers, you will forget everything you said today and return to normal.”

Saying that, Veronica nodded with a blank expression.

“You will forget your memories of the past… ”

Is it okay to touch this point? I was vaguely worried, but I felt like it couldn’t go on like this, and I couldn’t just watch it collapse like this, so in the end, I just nodded.

It was a nod to reassure myself.

After that, without correcting his words, he put the stone in, placed his hand in the center of her eye, and carefully snapped his fingers.

Her focus slowly returns to me.

“… veronica. I’m sorry.”

“My, what did I do… ”

When hypnotized and after erasing the intervening past story, she seemed to remember only that she had caused the match.

She blushed, probably because she was embarrassed by it. Even then, I saw him smiling awkwardly, fanning himself with his hand as if he was feeling the heat.

“Oh, I’m sorry… Ah, I guess I still have regrets about losing my abilities.”

“It’s okay. Any regrets or anything… ”

“Kylon… ?”

When I saw Veronica looking embarrassed and trying to defend herself, my heart ached and I hugged her again.

The pounding pulse felt quite calm.

They say that happiness is doubled when shared, and sadness is halved when shared.

I didn’t want to share this because the pain would double if I shared it.

All I could think about was that I had to carry it.

“… are you okay. Because I don’t think it’s strange… It’s okay, you don’t have to prove your usefulness… It’s okay, you don’t have to do anything.”

“… These are all things that have already been said. huh… I am grateful.”

“Once we catch the demon lord and there is peace, let’s live here.”

“What if I can’t go home?”

“… … .”

The stories brought out through hypnosis, and at the same time, all memories of the past were covered up through hypnosis, so her aversion to home went back to before.

I was speechless at the sight of her remembering the days when she was living the life of a hikikomori, just staying alone and playing games.

Still, I couldn’t tell the truth, so I ended up laughing bitterly.

“Yes, if I can’t go back, then so be it. Let’s find a house and live together somewhere away from the king… ”

The world was also baring its teeth at her, but if something like that was waiting for her in reality, she wanted to find peace in a place like this, where there was no need for machines or anything like the Internet or the latest technology.

It may be like hell here, but compared to the place I returned to, isn’t this game an incomparably peaceful neighborhood?

It would have been better to live under the threat of the devil. Because that was a story that would rather be destroyed.

It was a truly unfortunate reality that no matter how hard we tried, we could not overcome the past that had already passed.

Although it is always said that the future is developing, in the end, the reality and the true nature of the future is that it cannot outpace the past.

“What about the other kids?”

“You don’t have to think about that… ”

“Kylon, don’t be so mean. Something like me… ”

“There can’t be another like you.”

I was angry.

The way Veronica treats herself as if it’s nothing special.

But I wasn’t angry. Because anger cannot always be expressed by throwing a tantrum.

“You are the only one… There’s no way anyone else can replace you… ? So, please don’t say things like that… ”

Veronica laughed as if she was embarrassed by those words.

“Sorry… Hehe, I won’t do that again.”

It seemed like there would be silence as we hugged for a while.

But this time, Veronica broke it and spoke at me.

“… I don’t know if it’s because Kylon only says nice things, but I feel at ease when I’m with Kylon… ”

“Then stay with me… ”

“Is that so?”

“Then.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

I hugged Veronica tightly.