episode_0343

Approximately 500 years ago. The deepest part of the Bewitching Forest, the Spirit’s Resting Place.

The darkest shadow under the forest’s trees. In that secluded spot, powerful mana surged.

Spirits initially manifest as low-level spirits. Tiny mana particles gather and coalesce into a mass; this nascent spirit is the birth of a low-level spirit.

Unless there’s a unique reason, all spirits begin this way, from the lowest level. They grow larger to become intermediate, gain emotions to become advanced, and establish their being and form to become supreme.

In her past life, Nyx also lived for about 500 years, becoming a supreme Dark Spirit. Spirit time is a slightly different concept than human time, so it wasn’t a very long time.

However, one exception exists: when something ‘other than a spirit’ intervenes at the moment of a spirit’s creation.

In previous eras, there was only one instance. The moment a cosmic administrator relinquished all power and interfered with this planet, countless nascent spirits submitted to that powerful presence.

All sorts of colored lights gathered in the center of the forest, forming a snow-white tree. With the World Tree Gaia at its center, spirits gathered again, and the forest formed a complex barrier, resulting in its current form.

And, another exception occurred.

A surge of powerful mana, rarely seen in the birth of a nascent spirit. The immense energy also caught the attention of the World Tree Gaia, and many spirits approached to witness the spectacle.

For an ordinary human, the regression wouldn’t outwardly be apparent. From the perspective of the past, the body remains the same, only the future memories are overwritten.

However, it’s different for a spirit. Spirits are mana-based sentient beings. Their essence is largely composed of memories.

Knowledge, wisdom, values, personality—everything is influenced by memory. They create memories, and in turn are created by them. They have an inseparable, close relationship.

Therefore, a spirit’s regression means returning to the past without losing anything. Compared to humans, whose bodies and memories are inseparable—their trained physique, age, senses, muscle memory, etc.—it’s akin to ‘time travel.’

Thanks to this, Nyx herself, the World Tree Gaia, and the other gathered spirits immediately realized the exception.

She was born a supreme spirit.

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Nyx had a rather paradoxical personality.

Fundamentally, she’s a bundle of curiosity. Her thirst for knowledge surpasses her survival instinct. Even her survival instinct is based on her desire to ‘know more.’

Therefore, she usually has a very wide field of vision. This is to gain as much knowledge as possible. She might miss new knowledge if she shifts her gaze even for a moment.

However, once she becomes engrossed in something, she becomes more blindly focused than anyone else. Captivated by an immense stimulus, she seeks to delve into its furthest reaches.

When this happens, her surroundings become completely invisible. She drastically narrows her wide field of vision to a single point, and the intensity of her obsession increases dramatically.

Of course, the criteria, timing, target, and duration are all decided by Nyx on a case-by-case basis. Her paradoxical nature – having both wide and narrow vision – ultimately stems from the capriciousness of Nyx’s decisions.

Nari is entirely responsible for making her this way. She dragged an asocial, introverted bookworm out into the world and made her experience all sorts of stimuli of the human world.

Half is like Nari, half changed by Nari. It’s 100% Nari’s fault.

Nyx, ever capricious, sensed her mother’s gaze after a long absence and assessed the situation.

‘Died, and returned.’

Given her intelligence fluctuating between heaven and hell depending on her mood, her mind, chilled by a terrible ordeal, objectively assessed the unfolding situation.

“You… are something other than an ordinary spirit.”

Gaia bears the immense responsibility of ending the apocalypse and saving the stars. However, even without knowing the reason, Nyx understood that Gaia is quite conservative. Just look at the Bewitching Forest and the Spirit’s Resting Place.

If she’s branded an outsider by Gaia, she’ll be expelled without question. Nyx didn’t possess the strength or will to survive alone in the Central Continent 500 years ago.

How should she respond? What excuses should she make to dispel suspicion and be accepted?

Becoming serious, Nyx carefully considered how to respond, holding her breath to prevent black mist from escaping.

The answer came swiftly.

“I died fighting the Demon Lord with my comrades in the future, 500 years from now, and I have returned. Please help me.”

Gaia’s eyes widened. After a moment, she dismissed the other spirits and spoke privately with Nyx.

“Tell me… slowly, my daughter.”

The moment Gaia shifted from ‘a fearsome and dangerous entity’ to ‘mother,’ tears welled up in Nyx’s eyes.

After calming herself in her mother’s warm embrace, she began to recount the last year, which felt longer than 500 years.

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Gaia’s advice, summarized:

Do not directly interfere with fate.

Instead of systematically intervening in major events, change small things one by one.

Do not tell anyone about the past.

The final battle against the Demon Lord is fated. It cannot be avoided, and attempting to confront it leads to the same result.

What needs changing are not the major events, but the small details. By accumulating small changes, one can defy fate.

Fate and causality are like that. Like a massive current, no matter how much strength, time, and effort is exerted to overturn it, one is ultimately crushed by its force.

“So, gently move the sails to reach your desired goal.”

Following her mother’s advice, Nyx began to create small changes.

First, she obtained a physical body. Originally, she had incarnated into a core provided by Nari, but after spending another 100 years as a supreme spirit, the body construction ritual felt like child’s play.

*Kwaak-*

“Done, next is…”

Then, she went to the human world. She confirmed the fallen Artemis civilization in the Tarun mountain range’s Great Labyrinth, hunted nearby monsters, and met several adventurers, broadening her understanding of the current era.

Nyx’s own strength was already sufficient. What she needed to prepare was various foundations: manpower, connections, wealth, prestige, knowledge, and the flow of continental politics—the ‘invisible things’ that might be needed in the future.

Publicly, she introduced herself as an elf. Though a rare race in the Central Continent, it was the most suitable explanation for a body that didn’t age over time.

Nyx continued to make small changes. However, the effects were not limited to those small changes. Thanks to one black-haired elf adventurer, the overall quality of the Central Continent’s guilds improved.

The mysteries surrounding magic, mana, and monsters were gradually solved, invigorating academic activity. The words of a magic-proficient elf compelled even stubborn old scholars to listen carefully.

By the time the demons of the Velonia Continent started encroaching on the Naifrantz coast, Nyx had returned to the Spirit’s Resting Place to seek Gaia’s advice on forming an extermination force.

And there, she met an unexpected person.

“You’re Nyx? Gaia told me a lot about you.”

“…Uh… uh…”

Brown eyes. Black hair. Intense pure white energy, Aether, flowing from her entire being.

Seeing someone who looked exactly like Nari, Nyx’s eyes widened. Quickly regaining her composure, she realized this wasn’t Nari.

“My name is Leah Flora. Nice to meet you.”

“…Nyx.”

Her mother-in-law, Nari’s mother. Unknowingly, she gripped Leah’s hand tightly during their handshake, making Leah smile wryly.

“Did I do something wrong…?”

“No, no! I just…”

“…Ho ho.”

Nyx felt like her long-suppressed sexual desires would explode. Looking exactly like Nari, yet exuding a different kind of seductive aura was another unique stimulation.

Even for the impulsive Nyx, assaulting her mother-in-law was unthinkable. She swallowed hard and decided to accompany Leah.

As she had done in her past life, Leah began working as an adventurer in the Central Continent. The combination of Nyx and Leah produced unexpected results. Two were far more powerful than one.

For instance, the extermination of the demons from Velonia. Instead of a single unidentified adventurer, they were a ‘group’ of adventurers, making the kingdom acknowledge their significance.

The royal army was formed faster than expected, and they quickly met Ulysses Pertus Naifrantz.

Nyx assisted in the extermination of the demons. Even after Leah and Ulysses’ marriage, she continued to provide support. The old scholars, who had previously resisted Leah, cowered like scared puppies when Nyx appeared.

“Thank you so much, Nyx… Thanks to you, I could easily propose this paper.”

“Oh, no! It’s what I wanted to do anyway.”

They often went on adventures together. The four-person party consisting of Ulysses, Leonardo, Leah, and Nyx, possessed overwhelming power, both physical and political.

Soon, pure mana studies became the fundamental magic theory of Naifrantz.

More time passed.

There was a slight difference between human time and Nyx’s perception of time, so life wasn’t boring.

Rather, she realized she could work so hard for a single purpose, and that it was incredibly fulfilling. Beside her was Leah

“Nyx… won’t you become Ulysses’ wife too?”

“Wh… what-”

“No, it’s just… You’re always off by yourself, lost in thought… I owe you a lot, and I felt bad about being so cold.”

One night, in a quiet forest, they opened up to each other.

“Becoming queen will bring you many benefits. Not that you have to love him, but I wish you to have the position of queen as well.”

“Can I become queen just like that…?”

“Yes. If you and I say it, Ulysses will agree.”

Leah’s eyes were sincere. Her heart truly desired to repay her friend’s kindness. Nyx, knowing this, closed her eyes and smiled quietly.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I have someone I love.”

“Really? Let me guess.”

*Pasaak-*

Leah suddenly moved, straddling Nyx and pinning her down.

“Perhaps… me?”

Someone who looks exactly like Nari seduces Nyx. Nyx felt something unbearable in her chest. Reason crumbles, and instinct surges forth.

*Kuleuk-*

She swallowed hard, quietly looking at Leah. But this was wrong. Her struggle to control her desire contorted her face, and Leah chuckled.

“What? I was kidding.”

“Th… that’s right. A joke…”

“Even if it wasn’t a joke… I probably couldn’t satisfy you. I have a pretty big dream now.”

She learned her dream soon enough. Leah got pregnant, and 10 months later, her belly was bulging.

Nyx knew what Leah had done. That is why she wanted to see her friend off on her final journey.

*Kwaak-*

Leah grabbed Nyx’s hand.

“Nyx… one last favor.”

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“Please… take good care of Nari…”

“I will, without you having to ask.”

Leah smiled again. Nyx smiled too. With that smile, one star had fallen, and another had risen.

There was no longer any reason to stay in Naifrantz. She had finished all her preparations. She had secured Leah’s position so that Nari wouldn’t be neglected even after her birth.

Nyx returned to the Spirit’s Resting Place to wait for Nari, who would someday grow up magnificently and visit.

“…Ah.”

“…Ah.”

And then she met her.

A short, red-haired, chubby mage kid, almost exactly as she remembered.