Chapter 63: The One True Thing in This Fake World (Final)

The world around her shattered, the fragments reassembled into a different scene. In the blink of an eye, Selene found herself in a tent, a soft rug on the floor, a lantern at her feet. She was alone in the tent.

Selene searched the ground, then examined the lantern, finding nothing unusual.

She hesitated, deciding not to lift the tent flap. Although she was curious about the outside world, it was better not to seek death unnecessarily. Common sense dictated that night represented the unknown and danger, and fire and light represented safety.

So, should she sleep now?

Selene looked at the rug and the blankets.

Based on the pattern of the changes that had occurred before, they needed Jose to fall asleep to move forward. But if that’s true, it should be daytime, since Jose had fallen asleep several minutes ago… So, the condition might be that everyone needs to fall asleep? Or perhaps, the three outsiders?

If they took turns resting, could they gain more time to rest, organize information?

Selene sat down and pondered.

She didn’t feel tired at the moment, though her mental and physical energy had been somewhat depleted, it wasn’t to the point that she needed to rest. Richter had arrived shortly after her and should also be fine, but Louise might need to rest…

Wait, what’s that sound?

Selene suddenly looked up, hearing a commotion outside the tent.

She could distinguish many sounds: the roar of wild beasts, the howl of the wind, the crashing of rocks against the river, explosions and booms, the thud of footsteps on the ground, heavy breathing… It sounded less like a forest at night and more like a chaotic battlefield.

What’s happening?

Selene instinctively stood up, approaching the tent flap, hesitating whether or not to look outside. A moment later, a strong smell of blood reached her, and a blood-soaked Richter fell into her arms.

The sudden event stunned Selene for a few seconds. She reacted, first glancing at the tent flap, which hadn’t been opened or damaged. Then, carefully, she embraced Richter and put him on the ground.

He was still breathing… He didn’t have any obvious wounds, no external injuries on his chest or abdomen, nothing unusual about his neck or head… His right hand… his left hand… Selene tore open his clothes and saw a bloody gash on his forearm. Muscles were exposed, and she could vaguely see white bone.

Stay calm, don’t panic… She took several deep breaths. Her limited medical knowledge told her she needed to stop the bleeding. She could use her clothes and blankets as makeshift bandages, but how would she immobilize his arm? Go outside and find a branch? But there was clearly a significant danger outside. That would surely be a two-for-one deal…

Selene crouched down beside him. She didn’t touch the blankets under him, but tore a piece of cloth from his sleeve and tightly wrapped it around his left arm, then pressed down on the wound. Her eyes darted around the tent, searching for something to use as a splint… Selene suddenly felt the impact of her amnesia. If she hadn’t lost her memories, she would have been able to handle this more effectively.

“Iron…” Richter hadn’t lost consciousness. He was simply exhausted from the chase.

His face was pale, and he was clearly in great pain, but he was still conscious and controlled his movements, not thrashing around.

“I’m here. Do you have anything to help stop the bleeding? Holy water, bandages…” Feeling the blood soak through the makeshift bandage, staining her hands crimson, Selene looked even worse than Richter.

“Unfortunately, no. First, listen to me. I know the truth about this world in the box, at least part of it…” Richter tried to move his right hand but was stopped by Selene’s gaze. He had no choice but to remain still.

“Let’s talk about that later. What can I do now? I can’t just stick his bones back in, can I?” Selene tilted her head slightly, preventing the sweat from dripping down.

Richter glanced at his arm, a subtle smile appearing on his face.

“No. In this situation, the best thing you can do doesn’t involve magic or divine spells… Well, there are two things we can try, but I can’t guarantee they’ll work…”

“Get on with it.”

“The ring. The ring on your left hand can control blood flow… Forget it. You’re too tired to control the flow of blood. You’d probably end up breaking my bones. Let’s try to make your blood flow in reverse… Then there’s divine magic. The basic divine spells of the Lord of Glory and Mother Earth have healing properties. You don’t need to practice them, but you need to have some affinity for those deities… Don’t stare at me like that. It’s just my way of talking. I feel better when I explain things thoroughly.

“Clasp your hands in front of your chest. Say this—I implore the Lord of Glory, the God of the First Light. I beg you to send down the primal light of water, to grant us the fire of the darkness…”

Selene followed his instructions, and the bandages on his arm tightened, cutting off the blood flow to his left arm, preventing more bleeding.

After a minute, Selene lowered her hand.

“It didn’t work.”

“…” Richter seemed surprised. “Okay, place your right hand on your forehead and your left hand on the wound. Imagine a forest, a river, animals in your mind. The more vivid the scene, the better. Then say this—I implore the Mother of Life, the Goddess who embodies all of creation. That’s it.”

Selene tried again. The strange sounds outside the tent had stopped. The world was suddenly silent, only their breathing and the somewhat unnatural sound of her prayer remaining.

Half a minute later, just as they thought it wouldn’t work, Selene’s left hand suddenly felt a surge of warmth. She looked over in surprise and saw pale green mist emanating from her fingers, covering the gruesome wound.

“It worked!”

Excited, her fingers trembled, and the green mist dissipated quickly, unable to remain.

“Whew… I’ll try again.”

The pale green mist appeared again. This time, Selene concentrated, maintaining the gesture until her strength gave out, passively ending the spell.

“How does it feel?” She felt somewhat relieved and turned to see Richter with his eyes closed, seemingly in a trance. She called his name a few times, but got no response, and decided to shake his head.

“…” Richter jolted awake, heard Selene repeat the question, closed his eyes, and felt his arm. “…I really want to explain the wound thoroughly, but you probably won’t let me. So, the conclusion is that the spell has done all it can, but it can’t completely repair the bones and muscles.

“So… you should put the exposed muscles and bones back in place. Then use the spell to reconnect them. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect. What’s your expression?

“Crude and simple? It is. But if you can’t achieve your goal through simple and direct means, how can magic be called magic, and how can the gods be worshipped? Alright, hurry up.”

Having explained the situation, seeing Selene’s determination, and lifting the bandage from his left arm, Richter said jokingly,

“I’m suddenly a little scared. Should I just bite down on your hand?”

“Just don’t bite your tongue off,” Selene glared at him and pulled a piece of cloth from her clothes, stuffing it into Richter’s mouth. “Let me do this, and don’t yell in pain… Just kidding. Yell if it hurts.”

If only you were this gentle when you weren’t fighting.

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Richter thought to himself, gritting his teeth against the intense pain in his left arm.

He could feel the contact between the foreign object and his skin and muscles, and the pressure from the size of the wound… It must have been his wrist that broke. It must have taken incredible force. If that had hit his head or chest, he would have died on the spot… Damn, it felt like I’m being dissected. The tools aren’t scalpels or forceps, but hands…

The situation outside was… although discovering the true nature of this world was unexpected, the “truth” suggested that Jose had his own goals… But at least they had a lead… When talking to Louise, she had said that there wasn’t much of a time difference, maybe a day, meaning we still have two or three days to stay here. It would be best to find another way out…

Richter, lost in thought, suddenly realized that the pain in his arm had lessened.

Selene was carefully searching the bloody wound, trying to push the muscles and bones back into place… She placed her hand on the wound, and pale green mist emanated from her fingertips again.

Richter noticed her fingers trembling slightly, unsure whether it was from maintaining a single position for too long, or from the discomfort of moving the muscles and flesh in someone else’s body. She was clearly trying to control her movements, but quickly lost control and lowered her hand.

“Enough,” Richter placed his right hand on Selene’s hand, which was about to rise again. “Rest for a while. The wound is fine. The bones aren’t visible. The bleeding has stopped… You did enough.”

Selene, her eyes bloodshot and her eye sockets red, glanced at Richter’s left arm and nodded slightly. Then she abruptly turned, leaned forward, and vomited several times.

…Too much pressure. She’s terrified. Is she worried about me?

Richter touched Selene’s shoulder and patted her back.

“I’m fine. I’m not in danger of dying, and I won’t suddenly die in the middle of the night… Don’t worry, take a few deep breaths. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself… Are you crying?”

“No,” Selene took a few deep breaths, blinked, and said with a strained voice.

Richter was momentarily speechless. He didn’t know what to say, so he gently changed the subject.

“Let’s chat. It’s important for the patient to stay conscious… Speaking of which, I’ve never seen you like this. It’s kind of new.”

Selene shifted her body, pulling away her legs, which were numb from crouching for so long. She tried to stand, but couldn’t. Finally, she simply fell to the side, lying down next to Richter.

“…So, what kind of person do you think I am?”

“Ah, you’re a very, very, very strong person,” Richter said softly, “Though this isn’t very appropriate, because I haven’t spent a lot of time with you. But I think you’re not the type who shows weakness, no matter who’s around.”

“Even after what just happened?” Selene asked seriously, “Your companion was suddenly in danger, and entrusted his life to you… you had to endure the pressure, maintain your composure while using divine magic, maintain a single position for hours, and you had to put your hand inside the wound to touch the muscles and bones, while you had to constantly pay attention to your mental state… Even then, I wouldn’t be like this, would I?”

Her words were a little confusing, but Richter understood.

He nodded gently.

“That’s right. But I’m familiar with the you who rarely gets into this kind of situation. Besides being strong, your most prominent characteristic is… your talent. If I’d known you, this wouldn’t have happened… Well, you would probably have taken care of me first, then gone out and fought a hundred battles, returned without a scratch, and then casually healed me…”

“Sounds pretty good,” Selene nodded in agreement.

“So, when I found you, I was… surprised, astonished, confused,” Richter said vaguely. “I didn’t understand why you were like this… But this isn’t bad, either. I think the strong and powerful you was forged through experience. And you can see that now. An ordinary eighteen-year-old girl wouldn’t be able to do what you’ve done.”

Selene was silent for a long time.

“How long have we known each other?”

“A long time. So long that I’ve forgotten what you looked like when we first met,” Richter shifted his head, finding a more comfortable position. “About… ten years.”

“…How old am I?” Selene suddenly became alert.

“Eighteen or so,” Richter replied. Seeing her expression, he chuckled and added, “I’m only twenty.”

“But you look ten years old,” Selene scoffed. “So I’m older.”

“…Should I call you sister?” Richter sighed helplessly.

But he’d never seen her so childlike before. How should he put this? More feminine than usual? Though she had a breathtakingly beautiful face, she usually acted boldly and roughly, almost genderless… He didn’t dislike it, but he preferred her usual demeanor.

While thinking impolite thoughts, Richter heard Selene ask,

“Can you tell me about you and me? But let me ask first, we weren’t particularly close, were we?”

This time, Richter fell silent.

Should he reveal his purpose here? Was this a good opportunity?

The answer was clear.

He shook his head and denied it. He didn’t want to put any extra pressure on Selene.

“We can talk about that later. I need to tell you about what I saw first.”

Selene immediately perked up.

“First, it’s certain that the space in this box is very large, much larger than the caravan and its surroundings. The forest, the river, and the distant mountains all actually exist in this space.”

“Second, this space isn’t divided. It’s a single, continuous space that can be traversed physically… But not all places are safe, or conform to our understanding of the real world. If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, the best-case scenario is that you’ll be attacked by some… strange creatures.

“For example, I left the tent and walked into the night. It was a forest. During the day, it’s completely harmless. We only need to watch out for those brainless people in the box. But at night, there are things moving around outside, things that are shapeless, like blood. They’re aggressive and numerous. You can’t fight them. The only option is to run… luckily, your tent wasn’t that far from mine.”

Selene frowned anxiously.

“Whether it’s those people in the box attacking strangers, or the monsters attacking at night, though unrelated, they have the same effect—forcing outsiders to move along the caravan’s normal route.”

A dark blue light flickered in Richter’s eyes. He remembered how he had exhausted his magical and mental energies performing astrology, even using several spells to buy himself time to breathe before he’d used astrology to get his answer.

He had the divine talents of the God of Wisdom, the God of War, the gods of the Spirit Tribunal, and the God of Order. Though he didn’t plan on becoming a cleric, he could still use basic divine spells.

At that time, in just three seconds, he’d used more than a dozen spells with different effects to buy himself three minutes, and then, using that time, he’d performed astrology, obtaining and interpreting the answer.

His question had been, “The purpose or nature of my presence in this world in the box.”

And the answer had been “Cycle, seal.”

“… I suspect that time in this box is cyclical,” Richter said slowly. “Have you considered what might happen if we keep moving forward, if we allow the caravan to reach its destination?”

“I hope they just let us out,” Selene replied. “Though I have a good impression of Jose, I really want to beat him up…”

“Even if he is the real Jose, beating him up won’t help us get out of here,” Richter tried to dissuade her, then continued with his thoughts, “It’s obvious that this world in the box, though vast, is still incredibly small compared to the real world. It can’t continue to evolve and expand indefinitely. So, after reaching the end, it’s likely to revert back to the beginning… like a book. The story has already been written, and there’s nothing more to see.

“Based on our observations from daytime, the caravan will reach its destination tomorrow, trade with the locals, and then leave the next day. I suspect that the end of the cycle will be the day after tomorrow.”

Selene tilted her head slightly.

“Like a video?”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know. I just said it.”

“Also, I suspect that Jose came into contact with something humans shouldn’t have touched.”

The word “seal” made him think of many unpleasant things. And the combination of “world in a box,” “seal,” “monsters,” and “cycle” made him think of something else that was very similar.

—According to legend, the “Twin Mirror Butterflies,” the envoys of beauty and art, once trapped a monster that grew stronger and consumed more monsters over time in a prison where time flowed endlessly. The prison was a complete world, with its own rules and unfathomable dangers. Those who mistakenly entered it could escape unharmed as long as they followed the rules.

The similarities were striking… To a certain extent, one could even suspect that Jose was deliberately imitating this legend.

And everyone knew that the origins of rituals came from imitation. Imitating the prison ritual would naturally result in a prison. Though there were many gaps in this theory, Richter believed this was probably the truth.

They weren’t in the legendary prison, but whatever had made Jose, a superhuman, choose to seal them rather than kill them, and face this alone instead of seeking help, was definitely something they couldn’t deal with.

“…So, what are you trying to say?” Selene, her mind still a little hazy, asked, somewhat confused.

“I’m saying you shouldn’t get involved. It’s too dangerous,” Richter tilted his head, seeing her turn around. “Just wait until we get out, then leave Schwerdt Town immediately.”

“…What about you?”

I’ll stay here and try to communicate with Jose. If we can handle it, we’ll handle it. If not, then we’ll get more people.

“I’ll leave with you and Louise.”

“…Don’t I have any other friends?”

“Then get everyone you want to protect to leave with you. If you can’t persuade them now, then forget it. Protecting your own life is most important.”

“…”

Richter, getting no response, leaned closer and heard Selene’s soft, even snores.

The “doctor” fell asleep before the patient.

He shifted his gaze, looking upwards.

The strong smell of blood filled the air. The situation was dangerous. Even though he was in the very situation he had longed for, even though the person he cared about was lying next to him, he felt no other emotions, only a gentle warmth in his heart.

He stared at the top of the tent for a long time, knowing that if he didn’t sleep, time wouldn’t move forward.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, the girl suddenly turned over.

Her slender arm reached out and wrapped around him. Even in her sleep, she subconsciously controlled her strength. But clearly, not very well. Her body was pressed against his, her right arm around his injured left arm. She didn’t try to avoid touching him.

Richter blearily opened his eyes. The girl’s warm breath tickled his ear. A soft touch came from his left side, a persistent ache in his left arm.

He could hear a faint whisper, seemingly the girl’s rambling thoughts, vague and unclear. If he focused, he could vaguely hear his name.

…It seems this night is going to be more difficult than I thought.