“Hmm? You still haven’t given up, huh?”
The Goddess of Time, who glanced at me, lightly walked towards her companions.
“It’s really unfortunate that we can’t have any more conversations. But just look at them.”
Faces filled with joy, relishing the thrill of survival, the result of the continent’s unity, the victory snatched from the battle with the gods.
“In the end, everyone is happy now. Why can’t you realize that? If time flows again, will there be anything that can make them happier in their future lives?”
The Goddess of Time questioned, asking if this moment, filled with pride for saving the continent and the desire to survive, wasn’t the happiest.
I didn’t even feel like rebutting her.
Unless something changed in her, no matter how much we talked, our positions would remain parallel.
I passed by Arni and Ares, frozen like a masterpiece. The vibe of Kurika and Elise savoring victory brushed against the worn-out Shakallim and Eris beside him.
Eris was still holding Yggdrasil’s staff.
“……”
When I halted time with my ability, Yggdrasil’s staff still had consciousness. In other words, it meant my abilities couldn’t affect the staff.
Now, the staff was eerily silent.
I felt a tingling at the back of my head.
I knocked the tip of the staff gently, but still, there was no response.
“It was quite a tricky staff.”
The Goddess leaned in closer, puffing her cheek before explaining with a bright smile, as if she found it amusing.
“The tree known as Yggdrasil is so ancient that it had a resisting power against us, and when it merged with the unique mage called Sharcarl’s mana, it was able to resist my powers.”
Sharcarl’s mana is distortion.
Though it has a nature similar to mana, it is indeed his unique ability. Merging with Yggdrasil’s powers amplified its might.
“When I saw you overturning the authority I granted you, I was truly surprised. You probably had a similar thought. Could that be a variable?”
She pulled her head back and spun around, resting her hand lightly on Eris’s shoulder.
“So I blocked it. I put quite a lot of effort into this Elf and the staff.”
“……”
“I can think of the variables you think of. I know how precious this Elf is to you, but is it possible you trusted too much?”
Heh heh.
A smile free of impurities.
The Goddess of Time genuinely found it fun and, leaning into Eris, caressed her cheek with her finger.
“Isn’t she quite lovely? I think I understand a bit why you accepted her confession back when you were a Sherpa.”
“……”
At this point, anything I said would just be a means for the Goddess to tease me. Perhaps bored with such reactions, she puffed out her cheeks and sighed.
“You’re not just going to stand here, are you? That would be foolish beyond ignorance. Since time has stopped, you’re not aging. The option of dying an old age is out of the question.”
“……”
“So let’s leave here now. Do you remember the suggestion I made before? You can live in the Divine Realm as a demigod! The God of Life and I will welcome you!”
Bam-pa!, she cheered, raising her hands in celebration. However, as I showed no reaction, she groused and turned abruptly.
“Fine. You probably have lingering feelings, and you must need time to sort them out. Since time has stopped, you can become a demigod anytime!”
With that, the Goddess of Time vanished.
As the noisy voice that had just been buzzing in my ears departed, a heavy silence remained.
No common sound of wind, no squelching footsteps on the ground, no chirping of birds or buzzing of insects.
Only an overwhelming emptiness lingered in the gray world.
I was gazing at Eris alone.
*
“Are you still at it? Aren’t you bored?”
Time has stopped, so I have no idea how long it’s been. My physical growth has halted, and I wouldn’t know if my hair was growing or if I was sprouting a beard, losing track of time was a swift process.
However, seeing the Goddess of Time come, I felt like enough time had passed to assume I might give up.
I sat still, still looking at Eris.
“Haah, I almost forgot that your time is also frozen.”
After saying that, she swished away.
*
“Ugh, gross. Is sorting out your feelings really that hard? Just sitting here like this, do you think some answer will just appear?”
With a hmph! and hands on her hips, the Goddess of Time snapped at me.
“Do you think I’m coming to help you because you’re doing this? The continent is already out of my hands. It’s not like I can make time go back again as my will desires.”
“……”
“Also, I heard about your recent suicide attempt. Sorry, but as the subject of the apocalypse, you’re fixed in death too. You can’t die. The end being a suicide for you is quite nihilistic, don’t you think?”
“……”
“Haah! So boring!”
As the silver-haired Goddess flitted away, I felt the unusual stillness return.
*
“……”
“……”
This time, there was a bit of a delay.
Just as I thought the Goddess of Time had completely given up on me, she returned and silently watched me.
Her expression was similar to mine as we both stared at Eris.
She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly.
After several rounds of this, once I snapped back to reality, she was already gone.
*
“Could you answer me just one thing?”
“……”
“Please.”
This time, the echo of her plea returned more swiftly. Plus, since she was bowing slightly as she asked, my frozen neck turned toward her.
“What’s up?”
I expected a voice like an old trunk falling apart. No, I thought she wouldn’t even be able to speak again.
However, perhaps due to the time of my body being frozen,
my vocal cords seemed just fine, as if we had just been having a lively conversation before.
“Do you really think something will change?”
“……”
“Do you believe that Elf will truly accomplish something? Or is it that you’ve given up and are just doing this because you dislike me?”
“……”
“What exactly do you expect from that Elf to be here like this?”
I had no idea how much time had passed, hence I couldn’t define my own age anymore. But I had been able to ponder and think about it for an excruciatingly long time.
“I want to say goodbye.”
“Eh?”
My sudden response seemed to shock her expression.
“I want to at least say a farewell, an apology, for giving her such a heavy burden.”
“That’s impossible.”
“……”
“You’re expecting too much from that Elf and the staff. Want to know how much time has passed while you’ve been like this? You’d probably be shocked!”
“……”
“Just give up and become a demigod! This decaying state isn’t what they want either!”
Pointing at the companions, who now felt like a mere scenery, she shouted. I glanced at her briefly before turning my gaze back to Eris and replied.
“You’re noisy. Just go away.”
With her lips tightly pursed, the Goddess of Time clenched her fists and shook, before disappearing, just like always.
*
“……”
In front of me, the Goddess of Time knelt, staring intently at me. At that moment, I realized I had lost consciousness.
“I know you’ve been out for quite a while recently.”
“……”
“You’ve been unconscious for almost a week, time-wise.”
A week’s worth of time?
It was unexpected; however, the emotion of surprise seemed to have worn off, and I felt no particular reaction.
Concernedly, the Goddess spoke to me.
“Your body absolutely won’t decay, won’t break, nor rot. But your mind can’t! Too much time has passed for a human to bear. If it continues like this, your self will vanish.”
“……”
“It isn’t death, but there’s a finality that can be referred to as death awaiting you. Let’s stop this now. If becoming a demigod doesn’t appeal to you, at least go to the Divine Realm as a human.”
“……”
“Why not wander around like before? You used to visit different companions every now and then.”
“……”
“Could you at least give me a reply?”
Pleading, the Goddess of Time asked, but I slowly closed my eyes. Listening to her voice made me feel even more exhausted.
In the tranquil stillness, she heaved a heavy sigh and then departed.
Once I felt her absence, I slowly opened my eyes once more. Gazing at Eris brought forth various thoughts, prompting me to speak.
“I’ve had far too much time to think of how to say goodbye.”
Moving my mouth felt so foreign.
I hadn’t mentioned it to her, but in reality, not even a finger could move at this point.
According to her, my body was as it was when time first halted, but it had to be a mental issue.
“Instead, I’ve thought too long and now I don’t even know what to say.”
What I said was probably stuck in this place along with me, but it would have been nice if it just stayed still here.
“So, I suddenly thought, at the end you reach, I might not be there with you.”
My consciousness became hazy.
My eyes began to close softly, falling into sleep like a gentle haze.
Without any forewarning, and quite disorganized, without properly concluding my words, I closed my eyes.
*
Crack!
The already hardened continent where everything had ended.
A scene that could be said to be the largest yet most beautiful sculpture created by the gods.
Crack!
The fingers of the Elf holding the staff slowly began to twitch.
