In other words, they could still stop this.
✦ ✦ ✦
“No!”
✦ ✦ ✦
In that instant, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly cried out, drawing their eyes to Renee.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Vera is…!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Freeze—
✦ ✦ ✦
They froze at Renee’s words.
✦ ✦ ✦
Their expressions were ones of utter devastation.
✦ ✦ ✦
However, this was a situation beyond their control.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...It must be stopped.”
✦ ✦ ✦
They could not make sense of this situation any more than she could.
✦ ✦ ✦
Even if they did, what of it?
✦ ✦ ✦
The Tenth had emerged, and Vera’s body had been defiled.
✦ ✦ ✦
To hesitate in hopes of finding another way meant the world would come to an end.
✦ ✦ ✦
Albrecht was the first to speak.
✦ ✦ ✦
“...I’m sorry.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Saying so, he drew his sword and charged forth.
✦ ✦ ✦
Hegrion, the twins, and Friede followed suit.
✦ ✦ ✦
The moment their footsteps faded, Renee sensed the divinity around her changing into specific forms.
✦ ✦ ✦
The change was her comrades weaving their spells.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Wait…!”
✦ ✦ ✦
“There’s no time to hesitate!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Miller’s words made Renee’s heart stop.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘No.’
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera will die.
✦ ✦ ✦
If things continued as they were, it would be no different from their previous life.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘What should I do, what can I do…?’
✦ ✦ ✦
There had to be a clue.
✦ ✦ ✦
If this was her past self, the one who had endlessly prepared for this, she would have figured out what to do.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘I have to think!’
✦ ✦ ✦
She had to deduce the intended outcome from piecing together the clues.
✦ ✦ ✦
If it wasn’t an impossible feat, she could somehow make it happen through her power.
✦ ✦ ✦
Renee’s mind was pushed to its limits.
✦ ✦ ✦
As the sensations grew distant from her intense focus, her head burned hot.
✦ ✦ ✦
Her complexion withered from anxiety and unease.
✦ ✦ ✦
In the middle of that,
✦ ✦ ✦
Tick—
✦ ✦ ✦
The hands of a clock ticked.
✦ ✦ ✦
All sounds, vibrations, and the flow of power ceased.
✦ ✦ ✦
Though she couldn’t see it, Renee was certain.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Time has…’
✦ ✦ ✦
Stopped.
✦ ✦ ✦
In this frozen world, Renee heard a voice.
✦ ✦ ✦
[This is the last.]
✦ ✦ ✦
It felt like walking through mist.
✦ ✦ ✦
That aptly described Vera’s current situation.
✦ ✦ ✦
No, it was truly the only way to describe the situation.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Where is this…?’
✦ ✦ ✦
He couldn’t see anything.
✦ ✦ ✦
He couldn’t feel anything, either.
✦ ✦ ✦
All that existed was the faint mist.
✦ ✦ ✦
This space was where he had suddenly been transferred to the moment he stabbed his sword into Alaysia’s heart.
✦ ✦ ✦
Having wandered for who knows how long, Vera suddenly halted and breathed heavily.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Is anyone there?!”
✦ ✦ ✦
His shout was met with silence.
✦ ✦ ✦
This space devoid of any sense of direction gave Vera no answers.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Just what…?!’
✦ ✦ ✦
A sense of unease took hold of him.
✦ ✦ ✦
Not knowing what situation his comrades were in while idly walking here made his chest tighten anxiously.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Did I deal with Alaysia? What about the other Ancient Species? The legacies and souls…?’
✦ ✦ ✦
At the end of his endless worries, one concern stood above the rest.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘...Saint.’
✦ ✦ ✦
Is she unharmed?
✦ ✦ ✦
Clench—
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera’s fists clenched tight.
✦ ✦ ✦
His ashen-colored eyes, brimming with rage and impatience, scanned the surroundings.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Come.]
✦ ✦ ✦
In that moment, he heard a voice.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera turned his head.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Come.]
✦ ✦ ✦
He stared in the direction of the voice and scowled.
✦ ✦ ✦
Then, a faint silhouette emerged from the mist.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘Is that a human?’
✦ ✦ ✦
The mist was too thick to properly discern it, but the silhouette was clearly human.
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera’s foot stretched forth.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Come.]
✦ ✦ ✦
He followed the voice, which was growing nearer, and thought to himself.
✦ ✦ ✦
This must be what wandering through a dream feels like.
✦ ✦ ✦
Though he walked diligently, the distance between him and the figure didn’t seem to close at all.
✦ ✦ ✦
Even though he stared intently, all he could make out was a silhouette.
✦ ✦ ✦
His sense of time was becoming hazy, lacking even the passing wind against his skin or smells entering through his nose.
✦ ✦ ✦
After following the voice amidst the incomprehensible space for some time.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘…!’
✦ ✦ ✦
The mist thinned.
✦ ✦ ✦
And a scene emerged from within that hazy mist.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘This place is…’
✦ ✦ ✦
It was the very throne room he had just been in.
✦ ✦ ✦
The people fighting Alaysia were there.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘It’s not the present world.’
✦ ✦ ✦
He realized that right away because there were only seven facing off against Alaysia.
✦ ✦ ✦
Besides, their appearances were slightly different from what he knew.
✦ ✦ ✦
Albrecht looked the same, but his uniform was tattered.
✦ ✦ ✦
Hegrion was covered in hideous sword scars, and Aisha looked far more mature.
✦ ✦ ✦
Friede was missing an ear, and Miller had grown a hideous beard.
✦ ✦ ✦
And there was one thing that revealed this to be a scene from his past life, along with everything else.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘...It’s me.’
✦ ✦ ✦
The man standing at the forefront and wearing black armor.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was himself from his past life.
✦ ✦ ✦
Those thoughts didn’t linger for long.
✦ ✦ ✦
He saw himself launch at Alaysia, only for her to block it.
✦ ✦ ✦
The others followed up with their own assaults, while Renee prayed from the very back.
✦ ✦ ✦
Then, something appeared over Renee’s head.
✦ ✦ ✦
‘...The Crown of Rebirth.’
✦ ✦ ✦
It was a luminescent, pure white crown.
✦ ✦ ✦
She had a godly artifact that tethered souls destined for death to the mortal realm.
✦ ✦ ✦
Was this showing him how Alaysia had been thwarted in his past life?
✦ ✦ ✦
While pondering so and watching the unfolding scenes, one truth Vera had stubbornly turned a blind eye to resurfaced in his mind.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Gah…!”
✦ ✦ ✦
Alaysia had run his past self through.
✦ ✦ ✦
She crushed his heart in her hand.
✦ ✦ ✦
His body then contorted and warped into a lump of flesh.
✦ ✦ ✦
Aside from the sheer horrific nature, the phenomenon itself raised questions.
✦ ✦ ✦
As Vera gulped dryly at the sight, Renee’s voice whispered in his ear.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I’m sorry…”
✦ ✦ ✦
Vera’s eyes turned to Renee.
✦ ✦ ✦
What he saw next was her tearfully activating the Crown of Rebirth.