Ser told us not to worry, but the anxiety blooming in my heart wouldn’t vanish so easily.
As if reading our thoughts, Ser let out a deep sigh and said.
“I wanted to keep this a secret, but seeing you two look so distrustful makes it easier to just say it. Tsk. Noah, Rubia. The truth is, I’ve died once.”
“…What? Ser, what do you mean…?”
“…D-died?”
“You might not remember, Rubia, but Noah must have seen it through their perception. When the Nameless One pierced my heart. Do you remember? I died at that moment. But as you can see, my soul did not die. Just before death, I hid my soul within Noah’s consciousness. Explaining all that process would take quite a while, so I’ll skip it. Hmm… Without that, I have nothing to explain. Anyway, I reconstructed my body based on that hidden soul, my memories, and Noah’s perception. It’s easier to think of it as being completely newly made.”
Rubia’s hand, which was covering her mouth, trembled violently.
I was also shocked to the point of forgetting to breathe.
Ser… has died once?
“Why are you two so shocked? For those living in this incomplete world, the body is merely a shell. You both know that, right? So there’s no need to be shocked. And there’s no need to feel guilty. As Noah said, it was not you, Rubia, who killed me. And the same goes for you, Noah. The death of my body was something I desired, so do not feel guilty.”
“You wanted… the death of your body?”
“I wanted to be killed by a highly ranked opponent. Anyway, now I’ll answer Rubia’s question, so listen well. My soul was created as an emergency key to complete this world. My body was the vessel to hold such a high-ranked soul. Therefore, my body held a very high value. Moreover, that high-ranked body was invaded by the Divine Power of the Nameless One, was it not?”
“So, that body…”
“Yes. I offered that body, now infused with the Divine Power of the Nameless One, as a price to stop the collapse of my soul.”
Ser shrugged her shoulders.
“What do you think? This is the result of the brilliant mind and meticulous design of genius Ser. Isn’t it amazing?”
“…It was reckless, but… I’m glad it worked out,” Rubia sighed in relief.
However, I still couldn’t relax.
“So… what’s behind this complete transformation…?”
“It’s a magic created with my unique ability.”
“Magic…? What’s the price?”
“The price was Sirin’s accumulated causality until now.”
Ser stretched out her hand. A smaller golden orb rose above her palm than before.
“To add an explanation, I absorbed Sirin’s soul. Her causality as well. Thus, I could offer Sirin’s causality, which has now become my own. Of course, the absorbed soul can always be returned to Noah.”
“By any chance, did you sacrifice your lifespan or something like that…?”
“No. That is not the case.”
Ser smiled.
Just like always.
“By the way, was perception as uncomfortable as this? I tried to mimic Noah’s perception, and while it seems quite helpful in combat, in daily life… it seems very inconvenient.”
Ser clicked her tongue while looking around with her eyes closed.
Then, with a swish, she turned back to us, her face no longer wearing that awkward smile but a natural one.
Even hearing Ser’s response and seeing her natural expression, the clouds in my mind didn’t clear away.
It felt like a thorn had lodged somewhere in a finger.
I didn’t know what the problem was, but it didn’t feel good.
Instinct kept sharpening its senses.
What on earth was making me uneasy?
While I was deep in thought trying to find the reason.
“So, how does Rubia’s real face compare to what you felt and imagined through perception?”
Ser’s pointless question lunged at me sharply.
“…Huh?”
Caught up in so many complicated thoughts, I couldn’t respond.
“Seeing your delay in answering, it seems I was right—how disappointing to see your face and be disappointed. I didn’t expect you to be that kind of person, Noah. Quite a disappointment.”
Ser began to lead my delayed response in a strange direction.
“…What do you mean…? That’s not it! Ru-Rubia! You… you’re not believing that, right?”
“Aha ha… of course, not.”
Rubia awkwardly nodded.
Then she murmured very quietly.
“I guess… I was a bit ugly when I cried…? I probably had snot running, and my face got all distorted…”
“No, that’s not it—”
“Then why did it take you so long to answer?”
“Eep… that’s…”
In the suddenly complicated and awkward atmosphere, I stole a glance at Rubia’s face.
The face I had seen countless times in game screens, in visions.
Though it was a crying face now… it was the face of Rubia, whom I knew well, better than anyone.
That face of Rubia, seeing her true self for the first time was.
It was as beautiful as I had thought before. The dazzling silver hair, the slightly sharp, yet soft gaze when looking at me, the blue eyes contained within them, the perfect nose, the pink lips that were tightly shut, the jawline, and the flowing silver hair.
Every single detail, whether examined closely or casually viewed.
Was simply too beautiful.
So… I answered, following my instincts.
“Y-yes… you’re beautiful… I thought Rubia was beautiful.”
I was asked why I was late, but why did I give such an answer? I didn’t know. I didn’t know, but… it seemed to work out well.
“Is that… so? Hoo, hee hee… Well, that could be true.”
Rubia’s crying face slowly brightened, and she eventually hid her face, looking somewhat shy.
Ser, too, with my answer, lost her mischievous smile and had a slightly surprised expression.
For a moment, though, Ser returned to her mischievous smile and asked me a new question.
“Hmm, Noah. Then, how about me?”
“…Huh?”
“I don’t think I have a face that would embarrass me anywhere. My figure, my calm voice, my natural scent. Collectively, I think I might be as pretty as Rubia, if not prettier. What do you think?”
With a swoosh, Ser stepped toward me after finishing her words.
Her slightly darker milk-colored hair flowed. Though it might not be visible, the amethyst eyes looking directly at me were dreamy. Her thin nose, softly curved lips, harmonious.
“…Um.”
I had seen Ser’s face quite a lot, both in the game and in visions, but.
Certainly… she was prettier in person.
If Rubia was extravagantly beautiful, Ser was elegantly beautiful. And unlike Rubia, who had a slightly sharp appearance, Ser had a softer… vibe?
Anyway, Ser was beautiful too.
Just as I was about to answer Ser’s question.
“Um, well… um… Ser is—”
Time seemed to stretch. Thoughts accelerated. A chilling feeling rang alarm bells.
Amidst it all, my instincts screamed at me that answering like this was dangerous.
Eventually, the instincts, which had been screaming loudly, issued me a command.
Say it like this.
“Se-Ser is beautiful too, but for me… Rubia is more beautiful…”
“…Huh.”
“Hmm?”
Rubia and Ser were startled.
I was surprised too.
It was so cheesy…
But it seemed Rubia liked it… which surprised me.
“…Hehe.”
Amidst the ensuing awkward silence, I smiled.
With a light heart, I thought.
No matter what Ser was thinking or what she intended to do, it didn’t matter now.
Even if Ser tried to sacrifice herself in my place, I felt confident that I could stop her now.
Because the pieces of the key, once permeated within my soul, had been completed into a perfect key.
According to Primavera, it was said that Sirin’s soul was necessary to complete it, but I didn’t know why it had been completed.
However, I didn’t feel like going out of my way to find out.
I felt it was a waste of time to spend trying to figure out the reason.
There was even less time to enjoy this moment, which would never come again.
So, I cleared my mind and tightly held Rubia’s hand. I smelled her scent. I felt her warmth. I heard her breath. I captured her lovely appearance in my eyes.
No matter what happened, even if I died, or disappeared from this world without a trace, I wanted to at least remember Rubia’s face, so I looked and looked again.
“Hm… I thought I’d tease you a bit since you seemed to have some impudent thoughts, but I’m a bit disappointed.”
In the meantime, Ser sighed, seemingly disappointed, and turned her back.
“Well then, just one last question.”
Last?
Before I could ponder the meaning of those words, Ser slowly walked forward and spoke.
“Do you still think I appear arrogant, Noah?”
“…Huh?”
“If you carefully observed the magic I used and the results it produced, you will understand that I, Ser, am definitely not arrogant.”
Step—Ser turned her back after walking a little distance.
“But… I think you seem arrogant, Noah. Arrogant, obnoxious, and foolish.”
She smiled slightly and spread her arms wide.
“Do you really think you can stop me with just that? Trying to deceive me, your friend, and even Rubia?”
Creek—the scale tipped.
“Even if it were a pure Rubia, to deceive a genius like me, you would need to be something like a god.”
Creek, creek—the scale found its balance.
