“All Creation...? Roughly speaking, you mean it encompasses ‘every single thing’ under the sun, right?”
As expected, the name of his Ability didn't seem to quite click with Orun.
“That’s right. I only know the old Orun and the stories I’ve heard in passing, so I don't know the full scope of it. But simply put, it allows you to do anything—so long as it’s something a human is capable of. Though, apparently, there are various restrictions.”
“Doing anything... that’s absurdly broken,” Orun muttered, sounding exasperated.
“It is. That’s exactly why the Cult sees you as a threat, Orun.”
“If that’s true, I can see why that man called me ‘troublesome to the extreme,’” Orun said with a faint, tired laugh.
I wondered what was going through his head right now. I couldn’t tell what was happening in his heart from his words and actions alone, but I knew that Orun was a strong person.
“I’m sure you haven't quite processed your Ability yet, but I need you to listen to what I have to say. This will eventually lead to the answers you're looking for.”
“...I understand.”
After confirming that Orun had swallowed his doubts and nodded, I continued.
“All Creation can even manifest the Abilities of others. I suspect that the Gravity Manipulation you thought was your own is actually based on the Great Hero’s Ability, Attraction and Repulsion Manipulation.”
Orun wore a look of shock, but he listened to my words in silence.
“You see, an Ability is like a foreign body to a human. One so significant that it changes a person’s very structure. Oh, but I don't mean that it changes you physically; it’s more... mental, or in terms of your capacity...”
While I searched for the right words, Orun, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
“In other words, it’s like an evolution that takes place in a short amount of time, right? Just as a human who normally cannot perceive mana gains the capability to ‘perceive’ it by manifesting an Ability that interferes with mana—like Mana Convergence, Seirei Command, or Mana Tracking.”
“Exactly. I guess I didn’t even need to explain it.”
“I’d already suspected as much. Though this is the first I've heard about an Ability being a ‘foreign body.’”
“If we dive into that, we'll get way off track, so I’ll save it for later. What I’m trying to say is that those who manifest an Ability have a sort of foundation created within them to support its use.”
I resumed the explanation, and Orun returned to his silent, attentive listening.
“And I am also a Special Ability User. My Ability is Time Rewind. Because of that, I’ve adapted to the flow of time to a certain degree. For example, no matter how many hours pass, I can tell you exactly how many seconds have elapsed without looking at a clock.”
“That’s incredible. Every Enchanter would kill for a skill like that.”
Being praised by Orun made me feel genuinely happy. Enchanters are required to measure time with absolute precision to manage their allies' buffs. I’d heard that even among A-Rank Explorers, the limit for an Enchanter to measure time accurately is five minutes—ten at the absolute most.
I suppose being able to accurately measure that much time during combat is more than sufficient.
“Thanks. It took a little while, but now that the groundwork is laid, let's connect the pieces.”
Hearing Orun’s acknowledgement, I pressed on.
“I called this place the Hidden World, but the world we were in before coming here is currently in the middle of having its time rewound by Cavadele Evans. I believe that only we, who have adapted to the flow of time through Time Rewind, are able to maintain our consciousness.”
“Wa-Wait a minute! I can’t wrap my head around that!”
Orun raised his voice in confusion, clutching his head. But I couldn't blame him; even I thought I was making a fairly wild hypothesis.
“Like I said before, your Ability is All Creation. Since you had contact with me as a child, you became able to use Time Rewind. It wouldn’t be strange for you to adapt to the flow of time just like me. Or rather, there’s no other way to explain why only you and I are in a place like this.”
“.........Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that what you’re saying is correct, Shion. But what do you mean by Grandpa rewinding time?”
“You know that Cavadele Evans’s Ability was Equivalent Exchange, right? He was an undeniable genius. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his loss was a loss for the entire world. That’s why I believe the trade between his life and the world’s time was established.”
“............”
After hearing my theory, Orun was finally rendered completely speechless. He looked down with a complicated expression, a mixture of swirling emotions playing across his face.
Even so, I was still stunned that Cavadele Evans had been alive, and that he had been by Orun’s side all this time. The records stated he had taken his own life about ten years ago, a few days after the Cult attacked Orun’s village.
Chris probably knew he was alive, too.
Now that I knew there was a possibility she was keeping other things from me besides the matter with Orun, I’d have to interrogate her.
A long period of silence followed.
“‘Listen carefully to the voice of your own heart. My answer is there,’ huh... Thank you, Grandpa.”
Orun muttered as if savoring the words, placing his hand over his heart. His voice was thick with emotion.
“............”
Those were probably the parting words he received from Cavadele Evans. There must have been a bond between Orun and that man so strong it was beyond my imagination. I found myself feeling a pang of envy.
There should have been a bond between Orun and me when we were children. But now, we didn't have that.
“Shion, thank you too. If I hadn’t met you here, I surely would have remained broken. I would have trampled over Grandpa’s feelings.”
Orun directed words of gratitude toward me, looking straight at me with a clear, refreshed expression, as if a weight had been lifted from his soul.
(That look is just unfair!)
I complained to Orun in my mind, feeling the heat rising to my ears.
“Y-Yeah. I’m glad you could look forward again, Orun. ...So, what are you going to do now?”
I asked about his future plans while desperately hiding my agitation. Orun’s expression turned grim as he spoke.
“...I have a few ideas for the future. But first, crushing that man—Stieg Strom, the Eighth Seat of the Cyclamen Cult, the one they call Rasetsu—is a decided matter.”
Orun declared this in a voice laden with a chilling, bottomless rage.
The Cult Executives we were aware of numbered five. I was surprised to learn there were at least eight, but I gathered that this Stieg person was the one who had personally massacred Orun’s unit.
“That said, the situation remains bad. As I am now, I’d only end up getting killed again. That’s why I need power. I need to master my Ability. I don't know how long we can stay here, so it’s a race against time.”
(He really is the same. His core hasn't changed at all.)
Seeing Orun become positive again, a natural smile escaped my lips.
“Shion, would you help me?”
“...Eh?”
My heart was feeling so warm that I had let my guard down, causing me to let out a dumbfounded sound.
“You’re the only one who knows about my Ability, Shion. So, I’d really appreciate your help...”
“Oh, right! I’ll do whatever I can! ...But, I don't actually know enough about your Ability to teach you. Abilities are usually based on intuition, after all.”
My heart had skipped a beat when Orun relied on me, but I felt my shoulders slump as I realized my own limitations.
“—In that case, shall I teach you?”
Suddenly, a man's voice—not Orun's—rang out.
Startled, we both spun toward the source of the voice. There stood a man in his early thirties with black hair streaked with red.
This was the Hidden World. The only reason Orun and I could maintain consciousness was because we possessed an affinity for Time Rewind. There was no way any other human could be here, so who was this...?
“Who... are you?” Orun questioned, his posture tensing with caution.
It appeared he wasn't someone Orun knew, either.
“Hahaha! Of course you’d be on guard after being suddenly called out to by a stranger. I’ll tell you this much first: I have no hostility or ill intent toward you two. You can relax on that point. As for my name—it's August Sans.”
““—!?””
Hearing the man’s name, Orun and I gasped in shock.
But that was only natural. It was no exaggeration to say that there was no one in this world who didn't know the name ‘August Sans.’
For that was the name of the Fairy Tale Hero—the man said to have slain the Evil God that plunged the world into chaos hundreds of years ago.