“…Is your name Lily?”
─That’s right… So please, stop it…
At first, I thought it was just a coincidence with the name.
A subordinate of the Celestial Race that invaded the Pharaoh’s Empire, Desertum, aiming for something.
I had planned to extract information from that guy imbued in the sword and hand it over to the Pharaoh, but that name was something I couldn’t just overlook.
“Why?”
─…How would I know something like that? I’ve become this way myself.
“……”
─Rather, I want to ask you. Why are you here?
Krudduk!
─Ugh…!
“Don’t lie. If you don’t speak clearly, I’ll kill you.”
─It’s true! That woman’s name is Lily Elbrite!
“What else? Spill everything you know.”
I heard countless stories from the being called ‘Kaums’ embedded in the sword.
He said his hometown was a place called the Ancient Island.
There, he committed all kinds of evil deeds until Lily… Elbrite showed up and, after a fierce battle, was sealed in the sword.
Even though she was sealed in the sword, her consciousness was intact, so I could see various aspects of Lily.
Lily wielding a spear while traveling with Hatzling.
Lily swinging a hammer to vanquish enemies.
Lily teaching something to rare human warriors.
Lily playfully laughing and joking around.
And then.
“…Camera?”
─…Kurgh. Was that thing called a camera? That woman is always looking at something in the air and talking to it, likely conversing with beings from another world.
“……”
─I don’t know exactly either. In the first place, the Outsiders are immortals, and it’s unclear where they come from…
It’s been quite a long time since I arrived here, but I still remember the culture of Earth.
People enjoying a normal life instead of fiercely fighting, dying, and being resurrected again.
Among them are those called celebrities.
They broadcast their images on camera, sharing various stories and amusing actions to entertain the viewers.
‘But why?’
Why is my future ‘self’ doing such things?
It makes no sense.
Though I once lived as a Saintess, it wasn’t for fame or attention.
It was to save people and return to Earth.
Even after quitting being a Saintess, I quietly continued my rescue activities while hiding my appearance.
That’s not something I did before becoming Lily.
But future Lily laughs and jokes around as if she has no worries, just like a carefree clown.
‘But I am suffering right now.’
“……”
It’s fake.
It must be fake.
Even though she is a member of the Celestial Race, it is said that among the Demons, some imitate the Celestial Race, playing with people and conducting experiments.
Sometimes, they say there are cases where one plays around and experiments.
Probably just to mess with me.
Until I collapse.
To deceive and mock me.
Yeah, that’s right.
‘It has to be that way.’
“Kaums.”
─…What is it?
“From now on, tell me about the world you lived in. Don’t leave anything out.”
It’s time to peel away the false deception.
■
“…Is it going back?”
“Yes.”
Two years later, before the fall of Desertum.
I nodded while looking at the Pharaoh clad in armor like a warrior preparing for battle.
Since that day, I remained in Desertum, endlessly questioning Kaums.
They said two years, but it’s not just two years.
In this world, there are spaces with a significant time difference.
One of the spaces I got hit from ‘him’ was one of those.
At least, I think it was a time much longer than two years.
For a long time, he was in a panic and had seizures frequently, but he eventually succeeded in extracting all the knowledge he possessed.
Kaums’ words were true.
“…Not only am I possessed by a game, but now, another game.”
It’s funny. Very funny.
Kaums was from a place that originally existed.
To be precise, he was one of the NPCs from “Devil of Angel” thousands of years in the future of this place.
Devil of Angel is a virtual reality game full of adventures and dungeons, where anyone can enjoy without the pain of death.
Lily is playing that game while doing an internet broadcast.
Even now, she is receiving the attention and cheers of countless people.
‘……Ha.’
Of course, this information is not permitted to NPC Kaums.
I obtained this information by learning the truth from him and extracting the memories he saw with his own eyes.
In the process, Kaums’ mind was greatly damaged, though.
─…If this clears your curiosity. Take it…
Kaums thought it would be better to show me once than to be asked multiple times.
Of course, even if he didn’t show it, I would have forcefully seen it.
Anyway, I saw the truth, and I also saw the real side that NPCs cannot see.
[Current□ Interference■Power – ■■]
Is it because of me being influenced by Lily?
Or is it because of some other differing system?
The letters are broken, but I see what future Lily sees as well.
But I cannot approach it.
[Interference is not possible.]
[■■■ ■■■■■.]
My past self can only watch; it’s a system I cannot access.
I turn my head from the heavily broken system.
The Pharaoh still sits unwavering on the throne.
“Isn’t it terrible? This world.”
“Doesn’t it seem like that? This world itself.”
“…Hmm. It’s originally like this here. You’ll understand when you live for three thousand years.”
“I don’t want to live that long.”
“But the future you supposedly lived like that?”
“I wouldn’t know. Who knows how long I lived before clearing the main quest?”
And I told all of this to the Pharaoh.
He is related to this incident, and above all, the reason future Lily came here is because of the Pharaoh.
To reclaim the body of the ‘Pharaoh’ that ‘I’ sealed away.
“It’s absolutely not easy to end the war between the two races, is it? There’s a higher existence in the sky, and beyond that dimension, there are the Eight Seats and the Six Demon Kings.”
How much time would it take to kill them all?
Even if I didn’t kill them, I’d need at least the same power to stop their war.
‘Just how much?’
“It’s not going to be easy.”
“…So it’s even more ridiculous.”
Such an existence.
A person who went back to Earth after completing the nonsensical quest to end the war between the two races.
Why is he so weak and comically ridiculous?
Shouldn’t he have transcended even more and become a being greater than them?
I can’t understand.
I shouldn’t understand.
“…….”
At the end, I suddenly got curious.
No, I’ve asked dozens of times before.
“…Why don’t you leave after telling the truth?”
I knew the future of the Pharaoh.
Soon, his empire would burn by demons, and he would barely manage to stabilize Serrek and leave this place.
After that, driven mad by having lost everything, he’d raid the kingdom only to be suppressed by me and ultimately sealed away.
Leaving is the right choice.
Since there’s a ‘certain’ future, unlike the ‘shoddy’ information I brought, I must leave this place.
“Staying here is meaningless─”
“The most important meaning to me is the empire. Lily Elbrite.”
“……”
“You’re leaving? Just where do you think you’re going? Leaving behind the empire that holds my history and everything?”
“…Aren’t you going to save Serrek?”
Having stayed here for a while and listened to various stories.
The Pharaoh cherishes Serrek very much.
Rumor has it that it’s merely affection or close friendship, but the reality is far more than that.
He values her both personally and as a human being.
He smiled.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
“Pardon?”
“Where do you think this place is? The empire of Emperor Pharaoh? The place where the great sun resides?”
Swish.
The golden mask placed upon the golden throne covers his face.
“That’s wrong.”
Two suns rise between the gaps of the mask.
“This is the one and only empire that she and I have built over countless long years. A place that cannot be exchanged for anything.”
“……”
“Even if evil comes, we will not leave. Even if it costs us our lives.”
“I heard you’re planning to escape without dying.”
“……”
“They say you hurriedly moved to a statue while causing chaos, attacking the trading kingdoms—”
“Enough.”
Whoosh!
The sandstorm rages.
For nearly two years, the Pharaoh has not been idle.
After learning the truth, he tirelessly trained and prepared.
He is confident he has become much stronger than the ‘original’ Pharaoh of this time period.
The eyes holding the sun squint in displeasure.
“Don’t talk about experiences I haven’t had.”
“You’ll soon experience it.”
“You think I can’t win?”
“Yes.”
The upper demon race is a far cry.
Perhaps if the Pharaoh lives for thousands more years, things could change.
But time is not on his side.
“…Yeah. I can’t win. Maybe, like you said, I’ll struggle like a bug, clinging to a statue to escape.”
The predetermined ‘future’.
Nothing changes and nothing alters.
Everything is already set.
Yet still, the Pharaoh will protect the empire just the same.
Even facing the brutal truth, even if the past repeats itself hundreds of times.
He will protect the empire, move his body, save Serrek, and escape.
He was born to such a fate.
“…You’re a foolish person.”
“And why are you doing what you’re doing, Lily Elbrite?”
Knowing it can’t be changed, why do you cling to this place, abandoning everything you’ve done until now, including your revenge?
If it’s something that won’t change, isn’t leaving it as it is one way to handle it?
“…I can’t accept it.”
Sre.
‘The Great Lily Elbrite.’
The Eight Seats and the Six Demon Kings.
The fourteen gods who twist the heavens and manipulate the laws of the world.
It was none other than the future Lily Elbrite herself who stopped their fight.
No matter how much she thinks, she cannot comprehend.
“That ‘merely’ I ended everything.”
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