Chapter 19: Chapter 208

✠

A shadow cast over Muriel's face as soon as Ailette and Tesilid left. Lost in thought for unknown reasons, the woman's eyes didn't reflect her age. As a person who had watched the sun rise from the east and set in the west almost a million times, her gaze was heavy with knowledge that stretched far beyond normal human comprehension. In this world existed six of the most powerful individuals before Reed and the Divine Emissary came to be, although there were only five currently in this Loop, since the magic tower master, Hikeem Sarmatan, was dead.

They were as follows: Grand Duke Aaron Jake Heathfenrir, aura master and deacon; Marchioness Romina Lecandro, headmaster of the Knight Academy; Moriphys Marcellion, the Chimera Researcher, Fleagel Night, the guild master of Nighthawk; and lastly, Myu Elinas, the Divine Watchmaker, who had been asleep for five hundred years in a holy resting site of Order and Goodness.

Muriel was her alter ego. Normally she would have sent a body double in her place, but she was forced to take a more proactive approach because there had been too many changes in the world.

Muriel quietly murmured to herself, "Oh, no... The watch is completely broken. What should I do?"

She knew that this world was a World of Return that was abandoned by its god, but she couldn't remember any of her previous lives. Truly, this was a relief. She was grateful that her god was merciful enough to not burden her with as horrific a calling as to be the timekeeper, forced to remember their past. She had to fulfill her own calling if she didn't want to end up in a truly pathetic state.

Pushing her immediate concerns to the side, Muriel turned toward Clovis and Rex, gracing them with a charming smile.

"Let us be on our way."

✠

⟬«System» Transported to Wevrille Island, located in the far west of the Vinchester Kingdom. Time zone has changed to the local time.⟭

"Wow!"

Tesilid and I arrived in front of a quaint, secluded brick house by the beach. I could see the sparkling sand and turquoise water over the cream-colored wall that ran along the perimeter of the property, and behind us was a thick forest of tropical plants. We were in the far west of the continent, a low-latitude region, which was why the climate had changed so drastically. It was refreshing to be in a completely different place, so much so that the memory of running into Muriel had already been wiped away from my mind.

Tesilid also seemed to like this place quite a bit. "This is lovely. But are we the only ones here?"

"I think so. Let's go inside the house."

We stepped into the house that Lord Voice had prepared for me and were greeted with a neatly decorated space that reminded me of a cottage.

«It has everything except for a small garden,» Agnes said.

"You're right." I looked around the interior, then asked Tesilid, "There are a lot of fresh ingredients in the kitchen. I'm hungry, so should we eat first? I'll cook."

"Let's cook together."

Whipping up two plates of spaghetti aglio e olio with tons of garlic and shrimp, thanks to Tesilid's effort to peel them, we finished every last bite and even treated ourselves to some sweet sorbet. With our stomachs full, there was only one thing left to do.

"Allie, do you want to go to the beach?"

"Wow, I was going to say the same thing."

"Let's go."

We quickly changed into clothes that were better suited for the beach and stepped out.

«Ah, the sea breeze is so nice.»

The air was simply moving through Agnes' phantom body, but I didn't correct her because anyone who was at the beach would want to enjoy it to the fullest. Fastening my wide-brimmed hat with a string, I gazed upon Tesilid and noticed his white shirt flutter around his bare body. He somehow still looked incredibly handsome and regal, even when he wasn't wearing his uniform.

"Should we walk along the beach?"

"Sure, sounds good."

There was a significant time difference here, which gave us the opportunity to watch the early morning sun shatter over the sea, the reflection of the sky becoming a colorful mosaic against the water. Everything that I could see, hear, and feel was refreshing.

"It's been a while since I've been to the beach."

"Let's watch the sunset tonight, then go to the other side in the morning and watch the sunrise."

"Sounds good, Allie."

"Should we also go fishing?" I suggested. "This place would be perfect since there are a lot of rocks here. I can make pasta with the sardines you catch."

Tesilid frowned and asked, "Why do you think I will only catch sardines?"

"It's an educated guess based on your previous performance."

"Ugh, I should've caught that striped marlin."

I couldn't help but laugh as I heard his long sigh. The rueful smile Tesilid had shared with me suddenly fell from his face.

"Wait, Allie."

He bent down and reached toward his feet, pointing to a small tropical fish that was stranded in a tide pool. Cupping his hands, he scooped up the fish and hurried toward the sea to release the little creature back into its rightful home.

«What a good guy,» said Agnes from the necklace.

Surely anyone could have performed such a simple act of kindness, but I felt a bit emotional as I watched him jog to the shoreline. I knew this act wouldn't be converted to seven heavenly virtues points, which meant he did it only because he wanted to spare the tiny fish. Despite the unrelenting cruelty he'd received from this world, there was still a piece of him that cared about it.

How vast is his innate goodness to still be so kindhearted after all that he's endured? I couldn't even attempt to understand it, being the self-centered person that I was, and I most definitely could not understand why this world was constructed to hate such a man. I almost felt like questioning why I was struggling to save a world that rewarded evil people while punishing virtuous ones.

"Ha..."

"Why are you sighing?" asked Tesilid as he returned to my side.

I stared at him in silence for a while, then answered, "Because I hate this world."

He looked surprised by my blunt response. "Why?"

"Why do you think?"

He tilted his head.

"Forget it," I said, waving my hand to brush away the moment. "It doesn't matter."

I began walking again, however Tesilid remained frozen where he stood for a moment before he caught up to me. The sound of our feet stepping over rocks and sand hung between us. For some reason, it seemed neither of us could think of something to say. An uncomfortable silence was about to engulf us, but thankfully Agnes spoke up.

«Ailette, I think it's time for you to tell Tesilid why you really came to this island.»

"Oh, you're right."

Tesilid also looked like he was curious to know, for he must have figured it was unlikely that I would come all the way here just to enjoy a vacation.

"We're here because there's a dungeon we have to clear nearby."

"There's a dungeon here on Wevrille Island? I've never heard of such a thing before."

"Well, there is one, but I don't know where exactly. I plan to walk along the beach today and scout things out."

"I see. What's inside the dungeon?"

I shrugged and said, "We'll find out."

"You don't know?"

"No."

"Never did I think you'd be in the dark about so many things at once, Allie." The genuine surprise in his voice slightly bruised my pride as a transmigrator who read the original story several dozen times.

"So many things?" I asked while crossing my arms defensively. "It's just two. Also, it's because this dungeon suddenly appeared."

"I see," he said, but it sounded like he was placating me.

"I mean it."

"Then, can I ask a question?"

"What?"

Thinking that this was my opportunity to restore my honor as an all-knowing transmigrator, I leaned in and pressed my shoulder against his, ready for whatever he might ask me.

"Allie."

"Uh-huh."

"How much do you know about Muriel Phylise?"

Ugh... I can't control my expression. I lurched to a halt and stared at Tesilid, the main lead, who was showing a blatant interest in the saintess of the original story.

He also stopped walking and waited for my reply.

⟬The Scale that Judges Souls is judging whether now is the right time to slap him.⟭

⟬The Advocate of Confidentiality is ready to pull out the yellow card.⟭

I took a deep breath, and then organized the thoughts in my head. Let's understand the purpose of that question first. Be calm when you ask, Allie. Very calm. Just be normal and ask what he means by that.

"Are you in love with her?"

Whoops.

"What?" Tesilid croaked. Given how stoic he usually was, Tesilid took this opportunity to impress me with a wide array of facial expressions, which he seemed to be attempting to wear all at once. In the end, he looked utterly shocked and confused. He quickly blurted out, "Why would you ask me that?"

"Umm..." I stuttered. It was a fair question. "Well, aren't you asking me about her because you fell in love with her at first sight?"

"Ha, I can't believe this..."

"So... No?"

"No, never."

Apparently, it was so ridiculous that he couldn't help but snort. He almost looked aghast. "What could possibly make you think that?"

"Well..."

Because you did in Loop Eighty-Six of the original story. I reflexively opened my mouth but closed it again. I didn't want to become a second-time offender of confidentiality by revealing the future, which would result in the sealing of the Three Great Powers and Divine Advent for well over a day, not to mention buckets full of bloody vomit.

But is it worth the penalty? Should I just tell him? Go ahead and do it? A fierce battle was taking place in my mind, but Tesilid wasn't simply waiting for my answer because the way I was thinking about so intensely was an answer on its own.

With a confused voice, he explained his theory. "Allie, wait. Do you think the future me was interested in Muriel?"

He really picked the perfect time to call her by her first name.

"Not just interested, Tesilid," I exclaimed, then quickly bit my tongue.

⟬The Advocate of Confidentiality remains silent.⟭

Huh? I received no warning or penalties. Why is that?

I was feeling confused as to what was going on, but before I could make any guesses, Tesilid was pushing me for more answers. "Who was she to me in the future? Tell me, Allie."

Tesilid urged me frantically—he looked so upset that it bordered on desperate. Deciding to take the risk considering Lord Confidentiality's unexpected silence, I carefully replied by using vague words.

"You guys become... You know."

Seeing that I still had not been penalized, I decided to push a little bit further.

"You enter the saintess's bedroom to share your life force with her because she was dying, then... you, uh, you stayed the night."

The original story mentioned that when the morning came, the birds sang outside the window. Considering the genre, that left only one possible interpretation of what could have happened.

Tesilid's face began to redden.