When I came to, the first thing I saw was a canopy of trees.
"—Good morning, Oliver. Are you in any pain?"
As I tried to turn toward the voice, I realized my body was pinned.
Chains of mana? ...Ah, right.
Seeing the black links formed of raw energy, the situation came rushing back to me.
I turned my head just enough to see the speaker. It was Orun.
His eyes had shifted from their usual lapis lazuli to a deep, void-like black. It seemed he was still maintaining the state with his seal released. Considering the very real possibility that I might go on another rampage, it was the only logical choice.
When he had been wielding that black mana sword earlier, only his right eye had turned black. That must have been the result of him forcibly prying open only a portion of his Sealing Magic.
Forcibly breaking his own seal, huh...
Now that I had remembered everything, I understood more than ever that Orun had always been an outlier—back then and even now.
"Yeah, no pain. —So, which Orun am I talking to?"
Orun’s eyes widened at my question.
"...You figured it out? That I’m the personality from the past?"
Deciding I was no longer a threat, he dispelled the chains binding me.
"After seeing you fire off magic like that, I’d have to be an idiot not to notice."
Up until a few moments ago, I had been rampaging against my own will, but my memories of the event remained vivid. What in the world was I doing...?
I felt so pathetic that I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry.
As for my power... yeah, it was suppressed. For now.
"Firing off magic? It would’ve been impossible to handle you in that state without it, so of course I used it. ...Actually, how do you even know about my magic? I shouldn’t have ever shown it to you. —Wait, did the future me tell you?"
"I'll explain all that. I need to organize my own thoughts, anyway. —First, a confirmation: what's today’s date, as far as you know?"
"...According to my memory, it’s October 20th, Year 619 of the Four Holy Era."
I see. So it really was that day.
It made sense. If he was going to pull an Orun from the past, it would naturally be the personality from when he was at his strongest.
"Today is June 5th, Year 629 of the Four Holy Era. To you, this is a world ten years in the future."
"Ten years..."
"Do you understand what’s happened to you?"
"...I’m eighty or ninety percent sure it’s [Time Rewind]."
"I’m inclined to agree. Shion once told me that [Time Rewind] couldn't return a person to the past with their current consciousness intact... but to think he would rewind the time of the consciousness itself to summon a past personality into the present."
"But why was I called? I don't see any benefit in bringing out my past self."
"Normally, there wouldn’t be. But for the 'future Orun' you know, there was one massive advantage."
"And that would be...?"
"There isn't much time, so I’ll keep this brief. Your last memory before coming here... it was losing a mock battle to me in The Village, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, around then. My memory cuts out right after I saw Shion off."
"Just as I thought. To you, this is the first time you’ve ever released your seal in front of me. But for me, today is the second time."
"..."
Perhaps sensing that my story was approaching the heart of the matter, Orun’s expression sharpened. That look of his—the way he focused when things got serious—never changed, no matter how many years passed or how many memories were lost.
"A short while after you saw Shion off that day, the Cyclamen Cult launched a surprise attack on The Village. —And every person there, except for you and me, was slaughtered."
"...Slaughtered...?"
Orun’s pupils wavered.
"That's right. And then, we survivors had our memories rewritten by Philly Carpenter—a special ability user of [Perception Alteration]—to suit the Cult’s needs."
I proceeded to give him a rough chronological account of the last decade, organizing my own thoughts as I spoke. Orun looked like he wanted to interject several times, but he held his tongue and listened until I was finished.
"And today, I lost control of the power overflowing within me and went on a rampage. I was heading toward the Guild, destroying the city as I went, until the future Orun stopped me. But the Orun of this era didn't remember the Sealing Magic. He couldn't possibly have beaten me while I was in that state. If things had continued, I would have killed him..."
I felt a profound guilt for the destruction I had caused and the terror I had inflicted upon the people. But more than that, the fact that I had nearly killed Orun was the one thing I found truly unforgivable.
For me to lay a hand on Orun—our hope—was a sin that should never have happened. His power is indispensable if we are ever to correct this false history and achieve true peace.
"...And you know the rest. In a desperate bid to survive, the Orun of this time must have unconsciously pulled your consciousness to the surface. Then you beat some sense into me. Thanks to that, I’m back. —Thank you."
"I didn't really do much... But I see. A lot has happened in these ten years. Even if it's completely different from what I imagined."
Orun’s voice was a low murmur, his face a complex mask of anger and sorrow.
◇
"So, Oliver, what will you do now?"
After a long silence, Orun finally spoke.
"Nothing for now. Even if it wasn't my intent, I still destroyed the city. Call it self-satisfaction if you want, but I intend to atone for that. I’ll take the brunt of the people’s anger myself. If they try to execute me, I might consider running, but I doubt it will come to that."
"...I see. Hey, what's the Great Labyrinth of the South like? The one our ancestors created?"
"The difficulty is on a completely different level compared to the others. Modern Explorers stand almost no chance of conquering it right now. But information is being gathered. Technology is advancing. It'll take time, but it will be conquered eventually. ...Living in Tsutrail makes you realize just how much the Great Labyrinth has become a cornerstone of society. I hate to admit it, but the Cult's method is nothing short of brilliant."
"...It's ironic. It was supposed to be built for the peace of the world, yet the people of today are unwittingly trying to destroy that peace. Well, I suppose that’s a story for the distant future."
"The future you defeated the 92nd Floor Boss all by himself, you know."
"Now that, I really didn't want to know..."
"Heh. In all seriousness, Philly is on the move, and the Great Labyrinth of the West has already been conquered. From here on, things are going to move fast."
"I agree. If the Cult is finally showing its hand, it means they’re getting serious. Using us was likely part of their long-term plan. And more than anything, Amunzaas's current position is probably a direct result of our defeat... To think they’d be labeled a criminal organization, and that Shion would have to get her hands so dirty..."
I knew how much Shion meant to the Orun of the past.
It was gut-wrenching. I felt the same way. Just as Orun said, it was no exaggeration to say that because we lost, Amunzaas was forced into the corner they’re in now. That’s how much momentum the Cult has gained recently.
And yet, looking at him, I had to wonder: Is this guy really nine years old on the inside?
I was constantly reminded of the gap between us. The difference between the original and the replica. But I had come to terms with that a decade ago.
My role was simple: to be the shield that protects the King.
"—Ngh. It looks like my time is up."
Orun suddenly clutched his head, his face contorting in pain. The consciousness of the original Orun was beginning to resurface.
[Time Rewind] is a power that winds back the target’s time. Generally, once something is rewound, it doesn't just snap back to how it was. However, there is a limit called the Maintainable Period, and ten years was well outside that window. Eventually, the spell would lose its hold, and the past personality would revert to the present one.
"Orun, thank you. Truly. Because of you, we both survived."
"...No, thank you. I was told the only way to stop you was to kill you. I thought I’d eventually have to be the one to do it. But even after losing control, you’re still here, Oliver. —We have a mountain of problems to deal with, but let’s change the world together."
"—Yeah. You can count on it."
"Then, see you later, Oliver."
With a look of serene clarity, Orun spoke those final words. Slowly, the black in his eyes faded back to lapis lazuli, and he slumped against the tree, drifting into sleep.
"See you, Orun."
◇
"...Ugh... mm..."
A short while later, the true Orun of this era woke up.
Now came the hard part. Since becoming an Explorer, I had always left the thinking to Orun. But I couldn't afford to be lazy anymore.
Deciding what information to give him and what to withhold... dealing with someone as sharp as Orun was going to be exhausting, but it had to be done. If I laid everything out for him now, I knew it wouldn't end well.
For the time being, a 'wait and see' approach was best.
"Good morning, Orun—"
I called out to him, feeling a strange sense of peace. It was probably the first time since our joint subjugation months ago that I had felt this calm speaking to him.
Ever since that day, I had been haunted by an inexplicable sense of urgency. Looking back, that might have been when Philly’s interference truly began—driving Orun out of the party to isolate him, all while tightening her grip on me.