Everyone on the continent… no, all life, or all existence, is time-dependent. Every existence is bound by time and is based on time. Life is about getting time, and death is the end of that given time. Therefore, time is an absolute bond that entangles even the smallest natural object…
Epherene was not included in the providence of nature, as she was not subject to time, nor constrained. She was a mutant drifting away from the line of time that no one else could escape from. She belonged to interval, not time.
The beginning of that interval was the moment Sophien’s Regression entered her. And the end of that interval was… the operation of the Lighthouse. In other words—
The destruction of the continent. An end existed, and Epherene was repeating the time between the beginning and the end of that interval infinitely. You know, like the repeat button on a music player. Epherene had already spent decades alone.
Rustle—
She was somewhere in the empire. A fetid wind blew through the city center, sending a pile of newspapers fluttering around her ankles. Epherene lifted one with only a glance.
[Commander of the Imperial guard, Deculein, on the verge of being kicked out.]
The headlines were concise.
Deculein’s fall. He who always showed his dignity, was falling apart. Everything he built up was in jeopardy. The Magic Tower, the Round Table, and the Floating Island gathered to criticize him, and the Imperial Palace remained silent.
Epherene had no choice but to just observe.
“…”
Taking her gaze away from the newspaper, Epherene moved again. Her purpose was simple: confine as many people as possible in Quay’s Painting Prison. Whether it was ten thousand, a hundred thousand, or a million… by locking them all in, even if the continent were destroyed, their lives would be spared.
A comet would surely fall. The destruction of the continent was a fixed fact.
—Barcious…
At that moment, a small ringing whispered in Epherene’s ear. Immediately after recognizing it, mana rose from a gap in space-time and seized Epherene. It forcibly pulled her back. However, she wasn’t surprised.
Rather, she expected it.
“Yes. I’ll die like this.”
Epherene was aware of the events related to her drifting. She also vaguely knew that the Floating Island’s failed attempt to kill her had occurred.
[Epherene’s File]
She had obtained such a file. All the killers who chased her were dead.
“…It’s not that they died. Did I kill them myself?”
Perhaps, I killed them. If I hadn’t killed them, I would’ve died.
But she couldn’t tell about the Floating Island’s case unless she went there herself, so it remained a mystery.
“I’m going to find out now.”
Until now.
Epherene entrusted her body to the great magic current that drew her in.
* * *
…Fixed at a specific time, or more precisely, captured according to their purpose, Epherene was standing at the edge of a cliff and admiring the scenery.
Gwooooh-
The mana of the killers filled the air with murderous intent. The mana particles scattered like embers burning, so sharp they scratched a thin line across her skin when they brushed her cheek.
Stomp-
She didn’t have time to enjoy the view. She always had too much time, so it was a bit funny to say that she didn’t have enough.
“…Is it you?”
Epherene’s heart hardened at the voice approaching from behind. However, she didn’t show it. She faced him as if nothing had happened.
“…Yes. It’s me.”
The conversation she’d been longing for over the decades. The moment when they talked to each other, faced each other, tears welled up for some reason, and she felt as if she were choking.
“I wanted to be alone with you.”
Epherene smiled, relaxed.
“There are a lot of uninvited guests.”
Their murderous intent was endless. How was it possible to exude such hatred for a fellow human?
“What did you call me for?”
Epherene asked, even though she knew everything. Deculein also answered, knowing everything.
“Are you responsible for the unusual kidnappings taking place across the continent?”
“Yes.”
Epherene didn’t hesitate. Denying it to those who already knew everything wouldn’t change anything.
“…”
For a moment, Deculein’s brow furrowed, and he raised a hand to hold back those raising their mana behind him.
Deculein asked.
“Why?”
“Because the future has been decided.”
Saying that, Epherene took a step closer. She wanted to be close to him. Even a little more.
“Is the future decided?”
Deculein asked. As always, with an arrogant look, with a face that said, ‘How dare you, someone lower than me.’
She missed even that.
“Yeah. I can only go back and forth between the future that exists. I can’t go to a future that doesn’t exist. And there is a future that does not exist.”
For Epherene, time was based on probability, and it was about staying in the time with the likeliest probability. However, that future was cut off after the Lighthouse’s reconstruction. With the shockwave of a comet hitting the continent and the final light washing over the world, Epherene’s future disappeared.
“The continent will perish.”
That’s why Epherene’s will was firm.
“Ha.”
Still, Deculein snorted. He didn’t believe it.
“The continent will not perish.”
“It will perish.”
“Who do you think you are to say so with such confidence?”
“Because I saw it. With my own eyes.”
Epherene pointed to her eyes. Deculein twisted his lips into a sneer.
“Your eyes must be wrong.”
“…This is ridiculous.”
“The killers here consider you a greater danger than that destruction.”
Deculein pointed behind him. Then, he struck the ground with his wooden staff.
Booom-!
A vibration spread through the mountains.
“…Because of your foolish delusions, people who do not even know magic are trapped.”
Epherene clenched her teeth.
‘I missed you so much. I wanted to talk to you, but how can you make me so angry when we meet? Was this the reason I killed all of them?’
“You’re still suspicious.”
“You still don’t know? Doubt is the virtue of a wizard.”
“…”
Epherene stared down Deculein. It was incredibly unfair, but he was still Deculein.
“…As expected from you, Professor.”
Deculein nodded. As if that was the signal, the Killers’ mana formed a sure weapon as a magic circle glowed below them. They were enhancing their bodies for hand-to-hand combat.
“Haah.”
Epherene sighed. Then she shook her head and gathered her mana.
“You cannot defeat them, Epherene.”
Deculein said.
“No. I can beat them.”
“The reason is?”
Deculein asked.
“…I saw it in the future.”
“Your eyes must be wrong.”
“…”
He said the same thing again. Now it was just funny… Epherene’s eyes widened.
“What else did you see?”
Epherene watched his movements carefully and answered.
“…You’ll fall.”
“Is that so?”
He took off his coat. So far, it was normal, but the next thing was surprising. He threw his coat to the ground. Of course, time at the foot of this mountain had stopped, so there wouldn’t be any dirt on it, but…
“The reason is?”
“…You’ll be betrayed. First by the Floating Island and then the Magic Tower.”
“Then.”
Deculein took off his watch and tossed it beside his coat.
“Why will I be betrayed?”
“…That must be something you know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I want to tell you too. But if I get too close, a contradiction arises.”
She wanted to tell him; she wanted to change that future. But even that was part of the contradiction of time, and it was unavoidable she was helpless.
Deculein nodded.
“Don’t be so sure if you don’t know the details.”
And as he said that, Epherene felt a painful headache. Was it born of anger? Or frustration?
“The future you see is only a phenomenon.”
Deculein rolled up his sleeves and loosened his tie. He lifted his hair without leaving a single strand behind.
“The most important thing is you, who interprets the future, Epherene.”
Deculein’s words touched a certain part of Epherene’s heart.
“Epherene. You said you kidnapped people into the picture because the future was already decided, but that’s not the right answer. It was such a stupid answer that I was shocked.”
Deculein pulled a vial from his pocket. Epherene looked into his eyes. Everything around them didn’t matter now. Neither the great magic that seized her nor the murderous aura of the killers who cried out as if they were going to attack at any moment.
Only Deculein and herself.
“I’ll ask again.”
Deculein looked at Epherene and asked.
“Why are you kidnapping people?”
“…”
After swallowing, Epherene took a deep and shaky breath.
…Indeed, it had been decades. Having been alone for decades, she thought she’d grown up a bit.
“…Because I believe that they can be saved by doing so.”
“No. You’re on the wrong path.”
In front of Deculein, who cut her argument down so coldly, her heart still trembled. She wondered if she might be thinking wrong.
“The method you have chosen is wrong.”
The person she trusted the most denied her. It was painful to bear and difficult to stand up, but Epherene could manage it now.
“No.”
Against his words of denial, she could protect herself. Her belief was stronger.
“This is the right way.”
“…”
Deculein lowered his gaze. The sharp corners of his eyes were frightening for some reason. It was the same as before when she was a young and stupid college wizard.
“Are you sure that the continent will perish?”
His speech was really like they were in a class. Trying to correct her shaky self…
No, it was a class to explain why Epherene was still shaking.
“It’s not that, and I am kidnapping them to prevent this destruction.”
“The reason is?”
“Even if the continent is destroyed, if there are people left, it won’t be the end.”
Epherene replied. Was it the right answer, or was it not enough?
Deculein looked at her silently and put the syringe in the reagent bottle.
“There’s nothing we can do, Deculein. It seems there’s no way to convince her.”
Killer Mayev said.
“There is no other way but to kill her.”
With those words, Epherene prepared for battle.
She was relieved for some reason. In the intervening time, her eyes were growing cloudy. With this one short class, she felt like she was back again. It felt like she had returned to her sanity. It was strange, and it also hurt. These memories of the past.
The nostalgia of those days that she can’t go back to.
“I see.”
Deculein shook his head. At that moment, Epherene flinched. It was nice to face him in reality like this, but all of a sudden, more questions arose. As Deculein taught, the future was the product of interpretation, not outcome. In addition, the subject of the interpretation was herself, not anyone else.
…But.
If so, what would this situation be now? Epherene was caught in stagnant time; seventeen killers and Deculein surrounded her. And-
“Adrienne is waiting for the bombing. If we do not succeed in our mission, she will blow up the entire mountain.”
Adrienne was waiting nearby.
“…”
How can I win? How will I win and survive here?
“Well, I have to try.”
It was a very desperate situation, but Epherene’s mind instinctively started calculating. She dismantled all the magic of the killers and prepared a counterattack. As such, Epherene was now very different from those old days.
“Epherene.”
But Deculein called to her again. Back in the old days, just like the voice that called her stupid Epherene.
“Yes. What?”
Epehrene replied as before.
“You always say things that no one can believe, and even though you’re a very unreliable student…”
Then he inserted the syringe into his arm. The purple liquid rushed into his veins.
“…But.”
Up to that point, Epherene was determined to fight Deculein. No, she thought that Deculein would attack her first.
But.
“I will believe in you.”
—Those inappropriate words for the tense situation.
…A question mark popped up above Epherene’s head.
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