chapter_0179

“Why do you think the power in your memory and the power used here are so similar? Isn’t it reasonable to assume that it’s because the two worlds were created by the same creator? The same goes for the similarities between the two worlds. Or maybe that woman was just too lazy to come up with new settings and reused the settings from her previous work.”

Aria wore a mocking expression.

“Do you remember when we went to the lecture on wide-area annihilation magic at the beginning of the semester, and you immediately improved upon it as if you had seen it before? Do you remember why it felt familiar?”

‘So that’s why it felt familiar.’

I wasn’t sure if the term “setting recycling” was appropriate, but it made sense if the two worlds were created by the same author.

The divine power of the Holy Lance was probably a similar case. That was probably why she could bestow divine power on people in place of the dead Goddess.

“That woman is too much. Because of her, you had to go through such difficult times, and she deliberately left that out. It means she had something to hide from you.”

Laura’s expression came to mind, the way she sometimes seemed to be pondering something when she heard certain words, and how she would struggle and hesitate when asked if she remembered. That was what she couldn’t remember.

“Like you?”

“……Maybe.”

Aria had accused Laura of deliberately withholding information, but I had a different opinion. It was possible that the sealed memories contained memories of the previous world as well.

Perhaps she hadn’t accepted it yet because she couldn’t bear the shock, in the nearly 1500th cycle of time.

“So, what do you want me to do about it?”

“Are you not surprised at all? She deliberately hid it from you. Aren’t you angry?”

A puzzled look appeared on her face. She seemed genuinely surprised that I wasn’t angry about her keeping secrets from me.

“Why should I be? It could be in the sealed memories, or maybe she just didn’t think about the fact that the two worlds were the same. And if I had to choose between believing you and believing Laura, I’d believe Laura. Not you, Aria.”

“I think it’s too early to talk about trust. My story isn’t over yet, is it? There’s also a separate reason why I brought those people here. A reason that even you, Mr. Mira, will find convincing.”

“That damn ‘convincing’ again?”

“It’s that important to convince you. Didn’t I tell you? If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be explaining all this.”

Aria sent me a pleading look, begging me to believe her.

“I did force Laura to regress. I kept thinking about what would be the best revenge, and I decided that making her endlessly experience the world she had created and written, and slowly going insane, would be perfect. Just like I almost went insane alone. I wanted her to suffer and feel the pain I had endured. Because of a mere loss of interest, I had ended up like that, hadn’t I?”

“How can you be sure it was because of Laura?”

“How can you be sure it wasn’t?”

“Are you just grasping at straws?”

“No. When you think about who was more likely to be right, the one who had wandered alone for over a thousand years in a world where time had stopped and met the creator of that world, or the one who had simply forgotten, which one would you choose?”

It was a no-brainer. I furrowed my brow, and Aria grinned.

“You’re thinking exactly what I’m thinking. Back then, I didn’t care about her at all. All I could think about was the fact that the creator of this world had discarded me for her own amusement. So I made her endlessly repeat the time she had written, made her despair, and slowly took away her power so she could savor the feeling of losing her freedom. The look of despair on her face as the cycles repeated was truly exquisite.”

Despite the disturbing content, the smile on her face remained.

“When our creator finally sealed her memories and became nothing more than a fictional character, Laura, I thought I had finally succeeded in my revenge.”

The corners of her mouth, which had been grinning, fell slightly.

“……But the world stopped again before I could enjoy my freedom.”

“It stopped again?”

“Yes. I don’t think you can even imagine how much I cried and how much I despaired when I realized it. Just as I thought I had finally achieved my revenge, just as I thought I had finally gained my freedom, just as I thought I could finally live my true life…… I realized it wasn’t the case.”

“What was the cause?”

Aria continued without waiting for an answer.

“It’s because this world is only half-complete. It was created for the ‘real humans’ outside, so it stops if there are no ‘readers’.

Aria emphasized the words “real humans” and “readers,” clearly indicating how she viewed herself and this world.

“Mr. Mira. Can we even say we’re alive?”

“……”

“In a world where time doesn’t flow without the ‘real humans’ from the outside, can we really say we’re alive if we have to remain frozen forever when there are no ‘real humans’? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call ourselves mere consumables?”

“……”

“Earlier, you said you couldn’t trust me because there were other victims besides Laura. You’re right. You can’t trust me. That’s only natural. But, Mr. Mira……”

Her eyes pleaded with me again. Moisture gathered in the blue irises.

The moisture soon turned into water, and a single tear ran down her right cheek. The dewdrop on her chin glistened pathetically in the light.

“I wanted to live.”

“……”

“I wanted to live an ordinary life and create my own future, instead of being alone and going insane in a world where only I could move.”

“But……”

“But with my power alone, it was impossible. This is a world that stops without ‘readers’, and I can only bring people from the outside, I can’t do anything more to affect the world. All I could do was to endlessly repeat the already completed time so that I wouldn’t be thrown back into that cold, frozen time.”

“……So you brought people other than Laura?”

“Yes. That’s right. I needed ‘real humans’, readers, to maintain the time of this world. The first person I brought was Ha Yoon. When her mind started to deteriorate, I brought Kang Ye-na, and then Yoo Chae-won.”

“The last one didn’t experience much because I found you, Mr. Mira.” Aria added briefly.

“In the end, someone has to suffer. How long can such an incomplete world last?”

“I don’t know either. All I wanted was for this incomplete world to be maintained somehow. It’s better than me slowly going insane alone in a world where everyone is frozen. Ah, of course, from my perspective. I would have done more if I could…… but with my abilities, I could bring people here, but I couldn’t send them back.”

“But, Mr. Mira, you saw the prologue of this novel.”

A chilling smile appeared on Aria’s face. It was the same eerie smile I had seen once before.

The moisture in her blue eyes had disappeared as if it had never been there. It was hard to believe she had just shed a tear.

“Mr. Mira, what are the odds of someone who was first possessed in a novel and returned to the original world, then reading the prologue of another novel by the same author, a female-oriented yuri romance novel that was hastily ended as a 1-part complete, no less? Isn’t the word ‘fate’ the only way to explain this meeting?”

‘Fate……’

The reason I had deliberately looked for a female-oriented yuri romance novel was that it was as far removed from dark fantasy as possible.

I didn’t know they were written by the same author because I wanted to avoid anything related to the novel I had been possessed in, and I hated the contradictory structure of trying to avoid it while having to think about it.

“As soon as I realized the power you were emitting, I knew. With you, I could make this world a world for ‘real humans’ like the outside world. That’s why I’ve been trying so hard to convince you. It’s something I can’t do with my own power.”

“Then why did you hide your identity until now?”

“Would you have listened to me as a savior who had suffered so much, eventually killed the very humans he tried to save, destroyed all other life forms, and ruined a world, only to return to the original world covered in countless traumas? Would you have listened to my please to save this world?”

“……”

In my current state, I would have told her to get lost or worse. But back then, I would have had a fit at the mere mention of the word “savior.”

“So, I’m sorry, but I waited until you could develop feelings for this world. I wanted you to hear the truth and feel the desire to save this world. I’m truly sorry for lying to you. But I was desperate too. If I missed this chance, there would be no next time. So, please, help me, Mr. Mira.”

Aria pleaded with me cautiously.

“If you’re not here, this world will stop again. Your family, Beatrice, Meligor, Nika, and Leona…… their time will stop again. I can’t solve this alone. Or I’ll have to bring in more ‘readers’ like before.”

The names of the people who had been by my side flowed from her mouth. Her intentions were obvious.

“I’m truly sorry for bringing other people here without their consent. If you want, I can erase their memories, and if you demand an apology, I’ll apologize thousands of times if necessary. So, please, help me.”

“How?”

“Just transfer the power you have to me. Then I’ll fix this world, end everything completely, and give it back to you. I know how to transfer the power.”

I stared blankly at Aria, who was smiling as brightly as ever, despite the fact that she was making such desperate gestures.

“……Alright.”

“Really?! Thank you so much, Mr. Mira! Thank you so much!”

A brighter smile than any I had ever seen on Aria’s face lit up.

“But I have a question.”

“Yes, anything!”

“You said you’d give me back my power after you’re done. Will you really give it back?”

“Of course I will. It’s borrowed power, so of course I’ll give it back.”

Aria nodded vigorously.

“Is there any lie in what you’ve said so far?”

“No. I swear. Surely…… you don’t trust me, do you? After I’ve explained everything to you?”

“I believe you. Except for 1%. So, if you can fill that 1% for me.”

“How?”

I summoned the Holy Lance in my left hand. There was no longer any point in hiding it. Aria looked at me, tilting her head in confusion at my actions.

“You may or may not know this, but the Holy Lance has a special function. It wasn’t useful in the previous world, so you probably didn’t know about it.”

“A special function?”

“Truth detection.”

I held out the Holy Lance towards her, making sure the tip was facing her, not the hilt.

“Grab it. I’ll ask you the same questions you just answered, and you just have to answer the same way. There were no lies in what you said, right?”

“……What if there were lies mixed in?”

“There’s no need to tell you. You’ll find out soon enough anyway.”

“……”

“This is the last 1%. If there are no lies in what you said, I’ll give you my power.”

It was a lie. The Holy Lance didn’t have such a function. I was simply certain that Aria wouldn’t be able to grab it if there were any lies in her words.

There were too many suspicious parts in what she had said for it to be a complete truth, even if there were no lies.

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to grab it? You just said there were no lies in your words. So, are you hesitating?”

If she grabbed it, I would seriously consider helping her. Whether it was because she was telling the truth or because she wasn’t fooled by my bluff.

But I was certain. If there were any lies, Aria wouldn’t be able to grab the Holy Lance.

“……I knew you didn’t trust me.”

Aria muttered softly.

At that moment, the sky turned black. The flowers that had bloomed profusely on the ground withered and died. The entire visible space turned into a land of death.

In the dead world, Aria opened her mouth.

“I hate it when people are too perceptive.”