The moment she heard that the answer to her question had already been decided.
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Renee was someone who could not let Vera go.
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- Time is irreversible. Once the flow is determined, it cannot be turned back, so the act of rewinding itself becomes an affront to Providence.
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- However, that’s not the case for us. We are able to seize every possibility that exists.
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- With the corruption expelled from him as the material, and that which lies beyond Providence as fuel, we may impudently wish for his complete survival.
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- But it will still violate Providence, so it won’t be easy. Since it is a forcibly altered future, much groundwork will be necessary to protect it.
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- You will rewind time and go back. You will continuously make preparations to protect the future in which he survives. And so, you will meet a wretched end. Something I once faced, and countless versions of you before me faced as well.
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The words seemed like a curse at first glance, but Renee didn’t care.
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Because the reward waiting at the end was the future of the one she loved.
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“Sain…”
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“I absolutely won’t let Vera go.”
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The Crown of Rebirth shined brightly.
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Vera stared at it blankly.
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Renee had mended Vera’s fragmented soul back together.
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She returned the shattered soul to its original state, then layered a miracle over it.
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The corruption was erased.
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[I will live for myself.]
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That alone was engraved into his restored soul.
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Renee smiled.
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Igniting his soul by pulling up a near-impossible possibility, Renee protected who she loved and spoke.
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“Vera has to live. Because I…”
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Since she was a girl who became infinitely selfish in the face of love, Renee pushed through despite knowing the scars he would suffer.
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“...am someone greedy, who can only be satisfied this way.”
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Everything became white.
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Only then did Vera realize Renee’s intention and reached out his hand.
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But it didn’t reach her.
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Swoosh—
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Renee disappeared, turning into a cluster of light.
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The land was completely pure white.
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Renee was shocked by it.
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It was only natural after coming to know what it meant to perceive ‘pure white’.
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Tick—
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The hands of a clock ticked.
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Renee turned around.
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Before her stood an old man in black robes with a large pocket watch hanging around his neck.
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[Do you have any regrets?]
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It was Orgus.
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Renee looked around once more, confirming Orgus’ appearance, then realized where this was.
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‘A time gap.’
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It must be at the center of the world where Orgus walked, as mentioned in ancient texts.
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[Let me ask again. Do you have any regrets?]
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Renee’s body trembled.
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It was from the belated realization of reality she felt due to the question of whether she had regrets.
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She had utilized her authority beyond its limits to save Vera.
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At the same time, she had intervened in the flow of time using his corruption.
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She had interfered with the past in order to create a single future in which he could survive despite killing Alaysia.
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“...No.”
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Renee reflected, then answered.
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She faced Orgus directly.
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The awakened sky-blue eyes focused ahead shined faintly with warmth.
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“I have no regrets.”
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It was a choice she made to save her beloved, so Renee didn’t feel the slightest regret.
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She wouldn’t feel sad even if this were where she met her end.
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Orgus looked at Renee, then stepped aside.
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Where he had been standing was a single black path amidst the entirely pure white world.
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[Go this way.]
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“To which past?”
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[One much further back than you imagined.]
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“How many times have I been here?”
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[More than you can imagine.]
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Renee eyed the path.
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It was merely a pitch-black path.
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“...Very well. Let’s go.”
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Renee walked forward.
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She placed her feet firmly with each step without the assistance of a cane.
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This was likely the first and last time.
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Her world would sink back into darkness, and what waited at the end was her death in the slums.
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However, since she knew what awaited her, there was no fear.
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‘Vera is alive.’
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If she did this, he would be able to live.
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The cross hanging around Renee’s neck jingled.
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It gave off warmth.
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It was the ‘best friend’ artifact, a gift from Vera on her coming-of-age ceremony that would inform each other of their presence.
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Feeling its warmth while resting one hand over her heart, Renee plunged into the darkness.
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And so began her long, long journey.
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When did he first realize time didn’t flow solely forward?
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It was probably the moment of the first distortion that day.
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Orgus watched the black path Renee had disappeared down for some time before turning and walking away.
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The pure white world crumbled.
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It began reassembling, taking on shapes it had already taken.
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The distorted time coiled like a pig’s tail, spiraling once more as it completed another loop.
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[Five.]
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It was the fifth time again, and time for him to take the steps he had become so familiar with, ones he had grown weary of.
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He moved slowly, walking backwards in time, his steps different from others.
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As he did so, Orgus revealed a smile no one had ever witnessed.
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[This time…]
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There was a strange feeling.
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A bizarre feeling that the distortion this time would reach a different ending.