Ancient Artifact, Connection Device.
It’s a tool with a miraculous ability to extend one’s life by one.
Of course, it doesn’t grant you another life for free. A proper price must be paid.
“To gain a second life, you must wager all your remaining lifespan.”
At the entrance of the treasure vault of the purple mage tower.
People gathered in a place unknown to outsiders were listening to my words.
I reviewed the hazy memories of the past one last time, then continued speaking.
“First, I should mention this: anyone using the Connection Device will face their parallel self.”
“…What’s a parallel world?”
Kelaout quietly asked. A good question.
“In simple terms, it’s another world branching out into countless possibilities. For example, if instead of me, the Archbishop were elected as Pope, what would have happened to our Order? That kind of ‘what if’ turned into reality is what we refer to.”
I didn’t know the precise definition either, so I had to explain vaguely, but our Archbishop quickly grasped the idea and nodded.
“So, if you use that ancient artifact, you’ll meet another possibility of the Pope?”
“Yes, but you won’t be having a cheerful conversation. You’ll both have to gamble your lives. To put it simply, the winner takes the loser’s life.”
Originally, the Connection Device was an item used for the only PVP content in the single RPG game [Apollis Tales].
Players would fight against each other, and the winner could extend their character’s life by one, while the loser’s character would be deemed dead.
It was a system that gained some popularity among the seasoned players.
I remember having fun with it as a casually skilled player. It was the only way to compete against others, so it was quite enjoyable.
However.
Right now, it wasn’t interesting at all. Unlike when it was a game, losing means actual death.
‘…It can’t be that there won’t be any connection, right?’
There must be countless versions of ‘Clitia’ caught in a predicament as tough as mine.
How many of them have even thought of using the Connection Device like I did?
I hope there are at least a few. If I can’t connect with another ‘me’, the usage gets canceled automatically.
“Now you all know what my last resort is.”
It’s a plan where I might die if things go wrong.
However, if I can’t resolve the curse of becoming a Demon King, I’ll end up dead anyway, so it isn’t exactly a critical flaw. Rather, it’s a golden opportunity.
“Please cheer for me. So I can return safely.”
As I concluded my explanation, I looked over the faces of the people.
Kelaout, Delora, Damon.
The closest members of the Order who were already aware of my condition were somewhat composed. They must have been troubled underneath, but at least outwardly they seemed calm.
In contrast.
My former allies from the hero party who just learned about the curse were unable to hide their shock.
“Saint…”
Erin, who had become a full-fledged Tower Master, was hugging me and sobbing. Her shoulders were shaking continuously.
“……”
“How unfortunate.”
The ex-Great Warrior and Guardian gave me sorrowful looks.
Ivar frowned while Logan patted my shoulder with a somber expression.
I could tell they were like family. Both were struggling to hold back tears because they were worried I’d be heartbroken.
“Don’t be too sorrowful. I might not necessarily die. The odds are fifty-fifty.”
I tried to force a bright demeanor and lift the corners of my mouth.
It was of no use. A forced smile is always obvious.
Despite wearing the ‘benevolent smile’ I learned as a Pope, the expressions surrounding me didn’t brighten. If anything, they grew darker.
A wave of sorrow and longing washed over from all directions; it was too intense to simply brush aside, and the lingering attachments to life I had tried so hard to suppress flared up once more.
This was why I had tried to hide everything until the last moment.
Kelaout persuaded me, and I had no choice but to call my comrades to this place.
“…I don’t want to die either. But there’s no other way. If I don’t take action, countless people will die because of me.”
At this rate, I would become a Demon King and bring bloodshed and screams across the continent.
I’d just barely driven back the Demon King’s army and restored peace; I couldn’t let such a calamity unfold.
Thus, I must sacrifice myself. Although no one could openly say it, it was the most rational and just conclusion.
“So please, see me off with a smile.”
“…Clitia.”
At that moment, Liam, who had been bowing his head, lifted it. A solemn look I had never seen before glinted in his eyes.
So even that handsome face could carry such a gloomy expression.
I quietly chuckled at the sudden realization.
But nobody followed my laughter. They just quietly watched me.
Then Liam’s voice trembled as he spoke again.
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. If I had been a bit more careful when I killed the Demon King, you wouldn’t have gotten this curse…”
“Stop it.”
I didn’t want to hear his self-reproach. There’s nothing more foolish than dwelling on responsibilities of past events.
“Is this really the time to say that? Don’t you know what I want to hear right now?”
“……”
Liam, filled with guilt, stared into my eyes and stepped closer. Then he hugged me tightly.
“I’ll wait for you.”
Finally.
It was the one thing I had hoped to hear.
“Don’t worry.”
“Do I look like someone who would do that?”
“Well, yes.”
We exchanged light smiles as we got lost in conversation before finally sharing a kiss.
It might have been our final deep and genuine kiss.
*
The Connection Device is stored inside the treasure vault of the purple mage tower.
But this wasn’t just an ordinary storage room.
It was a Dungeon.
The Mana had been stagnant in one spot, causing the vault itself to become a dungeon.
No Monsters would pop out, but every treasure was cursed with troublesome characteristics.
It was such a dangerous place that only Erin, who vaguely knew the layout, entered with me.
“To clear this dungeon, you must overcome the trials contained in each treasure.”
“…All of them?”
Erin looked up at me with puffy eyes.
“There are a total of 1,237 treasures stored here…”
“And that’s why it’s dangerous.”
It was a high-difficulty dungeon, demanding more than a thousand trials to clear.
It’s the end content for players who have deeply immersed themselves to the point of boredom.
I enjoyed [Apollis Tales] diligently, but this was a place for ‘rotten water’ players who surpassed me.
“Touching the treasures will trigger the trials immediately, so please be careful.”
“Yes…”
For a moment startled, Erin soon pressed herself against me and cautiously took steps forward.
Then her eyes went wide suddenly.
“By the way, how do you know the characteristics of this dungeon? The existence and location of the treasure vault are known only to me and the Tower Master.”
“……”
Perhaps because death was approaching? I found myself explaining points that didn’t need to be mentioned too eagerly. A blunder unbecoming of a Pope.
Yet, I remained calm thanks to the composure I had honed over time.
“I found it while searching through various ancient texts and records to find a way to break the curse of becoming a Demon King.”
“…The treasure vault became a dungeon a year ago.”
“The document I examined was a diary of a necromancer who manipulated spirit monsters. It mentioned that a ghost crossing spaces seemed to have discovered this place.”
“Aha.”
My on-the-spot excuse seemed plausible enough that Erin finally accepted it. I felt relieved and kept my expression neutral.
While we hastily moved further inside, we eventually arrived at the area where ancient artifacts were stored.
Now, where could it be?
I didn’t remember the exact location, so I searched diligently.
“I found it.”
Finally.
Next to a bizarrely shaped wooden idol, I discovered an accessory.
A simple bracelet with only a single bead dangling. That was the ancient artifact ‘Connection Device’.
The trial assigned to the Connection Device was straightforward. It forces the user to activate the artifact.
Given that one’s life is at stake, it poses a high risk for an ordinary person, but for me, it was no burden.
“Saint…”
“Don’t cry. If the Tower Master is a crybaby, how much teasing would the mages give?”
After hugging Erin, who was sniffling, and patting her back.
I took a moment to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart.
At last, the moment of confrontation was right around the corner.
“I’m off.”
I declared seriously as I grasped the bracelet imbued with ancient mysteries.
In that instant, a wave of dizziness washed over me.
It felt like someone was banging on my head. I could hardly keep my eyes tightly shut until I slowly opened them.
‘…I connected.’
What lay before my eyes wasn’t the treasure vault of the mage tower.
Instead, it was an expansive meadow beneath a bright blue sky.
A refreshing plain that lifted my spirits. This was the battleground provided by the Connection Device.
And.
Not far from me stood a familiar figure.
With pink short hair down to her shoulders and a beauty that could make anyone gasp at first sight.
Dressed in a brightly painted version of a nun’s attire, a beautiful woman wearing the garb of a Haebaji.
‘It’s me.’
Another version of myself who used the Connection Device.
“A bright light for the weak.”
“A hot flame for the wicked.”
With a soft voice, we greeted each other and spent a moment examining one another. Even without serious conversation, it seemed to flow naturally.
‘So you’re not the Pope, huh?’
Given she was wearing a Haebaji’s outfit, in this world, I seemed to still be active as the Saint of the hero party.
But why does she look so grim?
Her gaze was endlessly dark, and just looking at it made me feel down, devoid of even a hint of joy that could be called a smile.
Moreover.
There was a pungent smell of blood wafting from her. It was an ominous, murky aura of death that enveloped her entire form.
It wasn’t nearly on par with the Demon King, but it was a chilling and eerie presence that gave me goosebumps.
What on earth did she go through to end up like that?
I didn’t want to find out for sure. Using the Connection Device meant being cornered like me.
Someone had to meet their end, and there was no need to twist the knife by discussing dark stories. We had to engage in bright conversation, even if it was forced.
“I never thought there’d be another fool like me.”
As I opened the conversation with a deliberately lively tone, the other me’s face clouded with disdain.
“Why are you using honorifics?”
It reminded me of the rough speech from my days as a Saint.
While I had to stick to proper speech, she was free to speak as she pleased. That rang true.
“It’s not my will. I’m under a spell that forces my speech to be corrected. My superiors, the Archbishop and top Holy Knight, kept pressing me, so I had no choice.”
“…Insane. Are you the Pope?”
So she was still a Saint indeed. I should roughly understand that she was the version of me who hadn’t killed the Demon King yet.
“Indeed. And then, are you still a Saint?”
I casually threw out the question, but the answer was heavy.
“No. I’m Apostate.”
“……”
The Apostate Saint.
This ‘Clitia’ had traveled down a path contrary to mine, who had become the Pope.
Even though it wasn’t a situation worthy of sympathy, my heart sank.
“…It’s been a rough journey.”
Was I destined to be swept up by the waves of misfortune in every world? It was regrettable.
“You must also have a reason to extend your life.”
“Probably similar to yours.”
Our positions weren’t hugely different. The goal of obtaining a second chance at life remained the same.
But only the victorious ‘me’ could achieve that purpose.
The loser must hand over their life and die.
A grim competition where both cannot find happiness.
The Connection Device was a tragic artifact, leaving a bitter aftertaste regardless of who won.
“Hey, Pope. What shall we wager with?”
The basic premise of the ‘life gamble’ provided by the Connection Device is combat.
However, when it was a game, sometimes, the outcome was settled by other methods, avoiding fights altogether.
Games of words, guessing games, rock-paper-scissors, and so on.
There were relatively peaceful activities as well. It was a unique content usage method developed by veteran players.
“I’m confident in any category, so you can choose.”
Trying to act relaxed, I made that statement, and another me slightly tilted her mouth upward.
“How about a simple combat match?”
“Sounds good.”
I was a healer, but facing an Apostate Saint wouldn’t be a problem; she couldn’t use Sacred Power.
“Shall we start right now?”
“Let’s begin.”
As soon as I replied, I summoned forth my Sacred Power, preparing to utilize a Sacred Spell.
Kwahhh!
At that moment, the Apostate Saint’s limbs were wrapped in a fierce red energy.
Not Sacred Power, but a force that enhanced her body using Mana.
It was Aura.
‘…So she’s at the stage of enveloping her body with Aura?’
That was shocking.
While the usage of Aura itself wasn’t surprising, her level of mastery seemed beyond my imagination. With that much skill, even the Royal Knight order would struggle to keep up.
While I was taken aback, another me rushed toward me swiftly.
I quickly invoked a Sacred Spell and began my prayer.
“O Sun, please grant me your sunlight.”
It was a fateful moment.
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