Chapter 591 – The Stolen World (6)
—
– Elena
Since the ark started causing rapture phenomena all over Earth, the order of reality has completely begun to crumble.
“Repent! Repent!”
“I am a sinner!”
“Lord… please don’t forsake us!”
—
As soon as I opened the window, cries echoed from all directions.
Some people were busy flagellating themselves in apology to a god whose whereabouts they didn’t even know.
Among this unprecedented chaos, some sought out the Administration Bureau, but what did that even mean? They were the very ones who created the ark!
It’s truly the end of days!
“Is Kain okay?”
“Yeah?”
“That place run by Iktus, Sunrise—wasn’t it helping fill the sun? Now that the world is half-destroyed, surely their business—”
“Actually, they’re prospering even more.”
“Huh?”
“Why would a religious organization go bankrupt during an apocalyptic crisis? Iktus has been openly holding gatherings these days, you know?”
“…”
So what used to be a multi-level marketing company reverted back into a doomsday cult when the world turned upside down?
Talk about flexible doctrines, and what a free-wheeling leader they must have!
“I’m glad we teamed up with Ryan. Without that guy’s help, getting on a flight would have been a struggle, and we might have had to fly using the sun’s energy.”
“Thanks to that, we made it to Australia easily.”
—
In a world where an apocalyptic atmosphere spread like a disease, even pilots and flight attendants had quit their jobs to seek salvation. It made flying a huge hassle.
Ryan’s group seemed to have prepared as if they anticipated all of this.
Well, considering they are returners and have dealt with the ark several times before, being prepared is the norm.
Thanks to that, we made it to Australia without a hitch.
“My head hurts just thinking about the future plans…”
“You’ve almost figured out the position of the stone tablets with your clairvoyance, right? We just need to know how to deal with the tablet and save Ahri!”
—
The upcoming plans can probably be summarized into three main points:
1. How to save Ahri.
2. How to manage the ark and the Administration Bureau.
3. Ultimately, how to deal with the moon.
4. And have a happy ending!
Kain managed a wry smile.
“I guess we need to think about how to tackle that ‘how.’”
“How to figure out the ‘how,’ huh?”
Seems like Kain is having a lot on his mind, but I’m not worried.
“I believe in you, Kain.”
Besides, can I really find answers just by thinking?
The trick is to trust someone who can find the answers!
“… Thank you.”
At this moment, while everyone was gearing up for a showdown in Australia!
“Oh no, oh no!”
“Elena?”
“Stop! We’ll only be inside for half a day… no, maybe a day or two!”
—
My urgent shout made Kain and even the distant Ryan and Patrick tilt their heads in confusion.
“K-Kain!”
“Elena? What’s going on—”
“I sensed the power of Justice somewhere—”
Before I could finish speaking, Kain placed a hand on my shoulder.
“The Status Window seems to be very busy right now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems Miro is doing something from afar. Elena has already been summoned, and I will be summoned soon, while I’m busily working on something.”
—
*
– Miro
“I’m going to tell you the third story. It’s about your crush.”
“…”
Immediately flinching at the word ‘crush,’ I started to panic.
Yes, Ye Ji! This is about the current moment, right?
It’s still pretty close to just a crush!
There’s no way I got back from seeing the future only to find out my feelings never crossed over—
“I’m sorry.”
“Ugh! Why are you apologizing?!”
“Because in the area I understood…”
“’Because’ what?!”
“Right, this isn’t the time to talk about that.”
—
If it’s not the time to talk about it, then don’t start at all!
And this story is quite important too!
“The issues related to the moon ultimately connect to Kain’s sins.”
—
Apparently, Kain was a returner even before entering the hotel.
There’s speculation that Kain might have committed a major sin a long time ago.
Is Ye Ji going to explain this part?
“Can you elaborate a bit more?”
“The current events are about atoning for or dealing with the sin Kain committed in the past.”
—
Is what we are experiencing right now the atonement for Kain’s past accident?
“Oh really! Can’t you put it simply? I already know something weird happened in the past! Just tell me what it was!”
—
Ye Ji’s eyes clouded again.
“I’ve seen it plenty of times… but… I don’t know well enough.”
“Are you kidding?”
“If I relate it to what you can comprehend, he was in a position similar to a high-ranking researcher within the Administration Bureau a long time ago.”
“Oh?”
—
Now that’s starting to sound “plausible.”
“He released a chaotic entity that the Bureau was isolating into the world, triggering all these events.”
“W-wait, is the moon what Kain released?”
“No, at that time, the moon was ordinary.”
—
Kain did say the moon was a normal satellite above Earth, right?
“Then—”
“But it would not be wrong to say he provided the cause for the moon to transform into a demon.”
“…”
So, Kain was once in such a high-ranking position but he forgot that part of his past?
Did he release a dangerous chaotic entity and set in motion the transformation of the moon into a demon?
This is starting to sound like Kain deserves to be punished a hundred times over by the Administration Bureau…
—
It feels like I’m on the verge of understanding something.
Connecting bits of information I heard before feels vaguely familiar, but also conflicting.
Now, I think I understand what Ye Ji meant about going back to the primordial era to restrain the moon.
Didn’t that mean going back before Kain created his ruckus to prevent the moon from becoming a demon in the first place?
But now it’s too late.
Suddenly one question popped into my mind.
“Why? Why did he release it?”
—
Why did Kain unleash the chaotic entity long ago?
“… Back then, I thought it was out of sympathy or ethical beliefs. Perhaps he understood the stories of the confined being and felt pity for it.”
“Sounds like he had a tragic backstory, huh?”
“Exactly. It was definitely a pitiable existence.”
“…?”
—
“As time passed, I’ve seen more, and I started to think differently. Now, Miro, you answer this.”
“Huh?”
“The young man you love, what kind of person is he?”
“W-What are you—”
“Does he seem like the kind of person who would feel pity for a demon and feel bad about it enough to set it free?”
“…”
—
I was at a loss for words.
Remembering the things I heard about Kain in the cursed chamber,
He’s known to fill his soul without remorse under the divine sun if it’s needed, right?
Even if he claimed self-restraint in reality, when the crisis hit, he sent his minions to set up a cult.
I do like Kain, but…
—
Liking him doesn’t mean he has a good personality according to the average person!
That kind of guy is supposed to quiver with pity and free the root of all calamity?
I can see why Ye Ji is confused.
It looks like I really need to make Kain a better person.
“My observations suggest that his nature remained similar across many lives. He didn’t mind a bit of cruelty along the way, as long as it was for a righteous purpose.”
“…”
“Infinte dreams you’re perpetually hung up on, not caring about the hell you go through—that noble personality is rather reminiscent, hmm?”
“What are you even saying?”
“I think he must have had some ulterior motives rather than sympathy. Something only he could know, which is understandable. Alright, that’s enough.”
—
— Boom!
Just then, a thunderous roar echoed from above again.
This was the conclusion of my third conversation with Ye Ji, my last conversation.
At that moment, what struck me was not about Kain’s sins or anything of the sort!
“Ye Ji!”
“I have something to say—”
“You, you don’t know everything either!”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t know everything! That’s why you failed!”
—
In the end, I saw Ye Ji, praying desperately with a sorrowful expression at the doom of the moment.
“True. Yes.”
“You’re just speculating! Don’t presume our tasks willy-nilly just because you couldn’t finish yours!”
“… Miro, I can’t grasp what you’re trying to say—”
“It’s not just a crush! I’m going to achieve everything I want!”
—
At that moment, Ye Ji’s eyes went wide.
She looked utterly astonished as if she could never have imagined I would say such a thing in this situation!
“See! I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d be saying this now!”
—
The girl who had been floundering around suddenly smiled brightly.
“Yeah, Miro, you’re absolutely right. I hope you achieve everything you’re after.”
—
— Rumble!
In an instant, darkness swallowed the surroundings.
The clarity of consciousness Ye Ji regained temporarily reverted back to the far-off chaos once more.
This is the last memory with Ye Ji.
—
*
– Paaaw!
I woke up feeling rather ‘awakeningly’ weird.
This is, therefore, the ark’s—
“Don’t be afraid, just approach.”
“…”
“Miro, you can handle Ye Ji’s madness. There’s no reason to be scared.”
—
Amazingly, the reality I’m experiencing is still before I even entered Ye Ji’s capsule!
Wait, am I in a sense returning before I even entered despite having seen everything?
-…
Suddenly I grew curious about something.
Who is more future—Ye Ji within the capsule or Ye Ji at the end of days?
At first glance, it seems like the end of days version would be the future, but since the world is repeating, can’t really conclude that way—
Let’s stop that thought right there.
Just pondering these thoughts might not be good for my mental health.
—
— Beep!
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed from the capsule.
“Eh? Wh-what’s going on here?”
—
Flustered, the overseer scanned the surrounding equipment.
“Y-Ye Ji is dead! Miro, what is going on?!”
Instead of answering, I bowed respectfully toward the capsule.
This is simply the respect toward the previous participant who came closest to the domain of the divine that I know.
“Miro!”
“I’m not dead.”
“Wha—”
—
Ye Ji hasn’t died.
She’s already departed somewhere beyond the boundaries of life and death.
The only reason she left any traces in reality was to meet me.
“Miro, what on earth did you do? Did you… learn something from Ye Ji already? Then, what does this mean for us—”
—
The overseer had been acting strangely close since the moment I awakened.
Initially, I thought perhaps they were a familiar face before losing their memories as an agent.
Ironically though, the past me was intending to eliminate every “Silent One”!
—
What a lie that was.
The overseer didn’t have confidence in handling Ye Ji’s madness, so they were just pretending to be friendly while seeking to throw the dangerous job on me instead!
So now what am I supposed to do? Call my comrades?
Let’s not forget!
This is the ark, a place where whispers crowd the air and compel people to pray.
Calling comrades who lack mental resistance would be pointless.
Kain or Songee or—
Elena after the power of Justice activates!
“I’m off!”
—
Rocket tackle!
I dashed straight toward the overseer, throwing them off guard completely.
“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?! Are you saying you’ve gone mad after Ye Ji—”
“Argh! Agh!”
—
I bit down hard on the overseer’s hand!
“Damn you!”
—
As the overseer was left totally flabbergasted, they gripped my collar at that moment!
— Click!
The needle turned halfway.
The stored version of Elena appeared at noon!
“Ugh, what is that sound? Sounds like—”
“Elena! Help me!”
“Huh? Miro?”
“This guy is trying to strip me!”
—
Let’s at least shove this leech off first.
From now on, I’m the captain of the ark!
—
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