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The voice was coated with sympathy. Was it directed towards me or Isha?

“…You were once her too.”

(That’s why I’m saying this. Elroy, you must live happily. It was Isha’s last wish, the desire she held onto even as she imprisoned herself here forever.)

“Are you relentlessly pushing like this to make me give up?”

(Yes.)

“…”

I turned to where the light that had grown a bit was now receding. I tried to move my feet, trying not to lose sight.

(Struggling won’t help. As you gradually give up, the light will slowly drift away.)

“Since when did I give up?”

I ignored the voice’s words. However, the light was receding faster even after I ignored her. Faster than my steps, the light dimmed, and I chased desperately even as my legs slowly gave out.

(Leave. There’s no end on this path. You can only chase forever. You can’t reach it now.)

Was the voice trying to plunge me into despair? I didn’t want to know. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought that the voice was a villain, an entity trying to make me give up. The moment I stopped to question the truth, I feared that my legs might come to a halt.

(Elroy, why won’t you listen to me?)

“Don’t call me as if you know me.”

I replied and accelerated even more. Then, the tone of the voice, which had been patient until now, gradually began to carry anger.

(Do you not understand Isha that wanted to save you so desperately…!)

Changes began to occur in the path I was running on. I leaped over a crack that appeared in front of me. As I did, stone pillars sprouted from the ground, attempting to stab me. I stepped and jumped over them, continuing to run. I could hear the sound of the pillars collapsing behind me, and I saw a massive rock falling towards me.

(Do you want to run like this even knowing the truth? All of this was never your true will. You were designed to protect this world against the Seven Disasters, and you’ve been moving according to that design! There’s no reason for you to act otherwise.)

“Why would there be no reason?”

I heard the voice’s teeth clench. Simultaneously, a rift appeared in the empty space.

(Even if you did nothing after that, the world wouldn’t have perished! Isha would have protected you and humanity eternally from beyond. How many times did she warn you not to overexert yourself? Would Isha be happy if you destroyed your physical form?)

Along with the voice’s roar, the space exploded. I whimpered briefly, being thrown back and rolling on the ground. This time, cracks started to form again below me. I immediately got up and staggered forward. Just after I took a step, the ground I had been standing on wholly collapsed.

(Isha wished…for you to live…I wanted you to live…like any other ordinary human.)

The voice’s words had now become like rambling, incoherent muttering. It was an unstoppable stream of words. I called it the voice, but it was essentially the remnants of the first world’s failed Isha. Yes, that voice was her. It shouldn’t be ignored, but it wasn’t the real Isha either.

(I wished for you to eat, drink, and sleep like any other human. Make friends, travel, try studying. Have a job, experience chaos at work, earn money….)

As the words continued, they became incoherent. With a voice full of moisture, the voice continued.

(I wished for you to experience everything in the world that I couldn’t.)

The path exploded once again. This time, it was a multitude of stone spears branching out. I plucked one and pushed forward. I sliced through the first spike and let the ones falling from above pass. I shoved away one while leaping to avoid another.

Spears fell, and fragments of stone scattered.

(I wished for you to love someone.)

Ten, then twenty, then thirty. Once again, the ground split, and stone pillars and spears sprouted. I used the stone pillars as stepping stones to leap again, deflecting the pouring and flying spears. Hundred. Counting seemed meaningless as an infinite number of spearheads began to rain down.

(I wished for you to reflect on the meaning of life. Feel love, be loved. Get married, blush at the bride’s face, raise children, and find joy in living. And…and…)

My body moved before my mind could process everything. I grabbed a flying stone spear and threw it into a stone pillar. I then swung off it to continue forward. I grabbed one similar to a sword and continued running. The attacks ceased when I leaped over all the stone pillars and landed back on the path. The dim light seemed farther away. Isha’s ramblings were shaking and unsettling me.

(And above all….)

An ominous sound echoed. The entire space was vibrating. The voice was now distinctly sobbing.

(I hoped… you could be happy.)

The rising stone pillars and spears were merging into one. Feeling the undeniable presence behind me, I turned around.

“…Hoping that I could be happy.”

(So…before it’s too late…I’ll send you back to the original world.)

A compressed, massive spear was aimed at me. I gripped the stone sword and breathed heavily. Without warning, the colossal construct descended. I raised it straight up and then swung it down.

I couldn’t cut it. I gritted my teeth, trying to maintain the trajectory of the sword.

(Do you think the attack I created is weaker than a mere star?)

At the same time, I started to be pushed back.

(Give up.)

With the voice’s command, the spear exploded, shattering into pieces that rained down. A heap of rocks, each the size of a mountain, fell over me. I looked up at the cascading pile of stones, then lifted the sword again.

(This time, please give up.)

I didn’t reply. Not because I wanted to defy the plea but because it seemed that the ramblings earnestly wished for my surrender. It felt like saying that surrendering was the way to help Isha. Unwilling to entertain such thoughts, I closed my ears. The space began to rumble. The air was getting thicker.

(Stop it!)

***

***

***

I opened my eyes amidst the pile of rocks. The surreal scene of boulders scattered in every direction created an incredibly vivid landscape.

My body’s balance was off. I tried to lift my arm, but it wouldn’t move. My right shoulder was gone. My right arm, still tightly gripping the reed, was trapped under the pile of rocks. My legs refused to move.

(Stop it, please. Your body is all damaged. You can’t recover from anything more, so give up.)

It was a voice that seemed to have cried and then became breathless. I lay back, gasping for breath. My body slowly dispersed from the extremities. Is this the end?

“I couldn’t… save you, Isha.”

(Your redemption is Isha’s redemption. It’s a path that somewhat alleviates the burden on your heart. Do you still not understand? You… you…)

The voice abruptly fell silent.

(Isha thinks that your very existence is her fault. If she created you, she should not have made you with such a purpose, burdening you with saving the world.)

“I…”

I interrupted the voice.

“I have never regretted a single moment of being alive. Even if it means becoming the savior of people.”

(That’s something you realized later. The result is your dying body, isn’t it?)

“Even so, I won’t regret it.”

Countless faces flashed through my mind. Daphne’s laughter, Marianne’s expressionless face, Georg’s scream, Iris’ kindness, Arjen’s determination, Agnes’ kind laughter, Archbishop Andrei’s sly smile, Nella’s angry expression, the students of the Tower and Academy,

“…Even if Isha were in my position, she wouldn’t have regretted it.”

(In that case, go back to those you’ve saved. Don’t leave them behind like this.)

“I can’t leave the one who wasn’t saved behind…!”

I forced my body to turn around. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. If I don’t have a hand to grip the sword, I’ll fight with my teeth if I have to. I pulled the remaining stone from my trapped right hand and held it in my left.

(Elroy, please.)

“Killing me would be much quicker.”

However I was created, the Holy Sword is still the Holy Sword. The past doesn’t matter. What’s important is saving her.

(Do you think you can defeat all the monsters just by being there? Adding one more won’t change the situation!)

“That’s something we don’t know yet. When facing the Giant, the Mist, the Comet, when I saved the people in that village, I didn’t move because I thought I could do it.”

Fueling my uncertainty to move forward, I moved my right leg step by step. The light is still visible. Even if it’s said that I can never reach it, I will continue forward.

(Isha won’t know that you’re going.)

“Lucky for me. I can surprise her when I arrive.”

One step, then another.

I felt like someone was pushing my back, urging me forward.

(If that’s what you choose, I’ll stop you.)

The ground started to rumble again. I gritted my teeth, prepared for the impending pain, and bit down. Shaking violently, I continued on the narrow path.

“…I didn’t originally plan to reveal my true form until the end.”

I felt myself being lifted. I opened my eyes, turning my gaze. I was soaring through the air, leaping over stone pillars, carried by someone with strong arms. Shrouded in darkness, I couldn’t see who was lifting me.

“It would’ve given her a good shock.”

Familiar enough to startle me, I pondered where I had heard that voice before. Meanwhile, the voice seemed to instantly recognize who had appeared, and in shock and disbelief, she opened her mouth.

(You… why are you here?)

“It’s a bit disappointing. Why did you think you were the only one who left traces and came from the first world, Isha?”

The one who lifted me landed on the ground, and I could finally recognize who it was.

“…Me, no…”

Amidst the dimly shining light, I saw a face identical to mine.

“Yeah, we finally meet, second Elroy.”

The Elroy from the first world chuckled and set me down.

“Nice to meet you.”