A terrifying silence hung over the night sea. Floating above the water, Eden gazed vacantly at the moon as she began to recount the story that connected to the present.
"If the premise changes, the essence changes as well. That is the answer to your second question, is it not?"
"Yes... My second question was about the summoning magic circle. Shallow Vernal-sama prepared it nineteen thousand years ago—a mere thousand years after we invaded the God Realm. I couldn't understand her motive for going that far."
"Even I cannot fathom Shallow Vernal's true intentions. However, if you are satisfied with what is strictly a hypothesis, shall I explain?"
"Please do."
For the sake of her beloved Kaito, Alice wanted every piece of information she could get. With a grave expression, she urged Eden to continue.
"It is likely that Shallow Vernal's objective changed once. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say it evolved."
"Evolved?"
"Yes. I believe that when she first created this world, Shallow Vernal was lost—or perhaps perplexed. Until that point, she was a mere phenomenon; a heart did not exist. Or perhaps it did, but she was unaware of it. In a manner of speaking, when this world was newly made, Shallow Vernal's heart was like a newborn baby letting out its first cry."
"I see. So you mean Shallow Vernal-sama was confused by her own heart?"
"It is merely a conjecture. After creating the world, Shallow Vernal did not know how she should proceed. That is why she created her other half and left all the decision-making to her. However, Shallow Vernal's state of mind eventually changed, and she accepted the existence of her own heart."
"During the battle twenty thousand years ago..."
Eden's guess was likely correct. Shallow Vernal had been bewildered by the concept of a heart and had entrusted her fate to Kuromueina's judgment. But through that battle, she acknowledged her own feelings. That was where it all began.
"What Shallow Vernal sought next was Kaito Miyama. I do not know what kind of future she saw, but that premise is the most vital factor of all."
"..."
"Have you never wondered? Shallow Vernal's obsession with Kaito Miyama is abnormal. It cannot be explained simply by her developing an interest in him."
"I certainly had my suspicions."
Alice was one of the few beings Shallow Vernal had ever taken an interest in. Yet, the goddess was not obsessed with her; she had barely remembered her name. The same was true for the First Hero, Hikari Kujou. Shallow Vernal clearly viewed Kaito as something special.
"That is only natural. If my hypothesis is correct, she has been seeking Kaito Miyama for nearly twenty thousand years. While the future is a shifting, fluid thing, certain events can become fixed if the right factors align. Shallow Vernal likely acted countless times to ensure Kaito Miyama would be invited to this world."
"To fix the future where Kaito-san arrives here?"
"Yes, everything leads to that. When viewed through that lens, her past actions fall into place. Think about it: isn't it strange? Shallow Vernal, who had strictly maintained a policy of non-interference with the Demon and Human Realms, heard Hikari Kujou's story through the Supreme Gods and agreed to the Friendship Treaty with surprising ease."
"Wait! Are you saying... the reason the God Realm—the reason Shallow Vernal-sama agreed to the treaty was..."
"Because it was a necessary step to bring Kaito Miyama to this world."
Alice’s eyes widened in shock. It made perfect sense. Everything was connected to Shallow Vernal. The Hero Summoning, the Friendship Treaty—the massive shifts that defined this world's history had occurred only because Shallow Vernal sought Kaito Miyama.
"Again, this is a conjecture, but that was likely the moment the future of Kaito Miyama's arrival was secured. Over the last millennium, Shallow Vernal must have been in an unprecedentedly good mood. She even attended the Hero Festival every ten years, despite having no real interest in it."
"Wait... something is bothering me. Something incredibly important..."
"I told you: if the premise changes, the essence changes. Think based on the premise that Kaito Miyama's arrival was already a fixed certainty a thousand years ago."
"Is that it?! In other words, it was decided that Kaito-san would eventually be caught up in a Hero Summoning and brought here. The magic circle was... it was supposed to eventually malfunction on its own. But that means..."
Alice had finally reached it—the essence of the story revolving around Kaito Miyama, and the great miscalculation of the goddess Shallow Vernal.
"Yes. The future where Kaito Miyama came to this world was fixed. Shallow Vernal only had to wait. She was waiting for that moment in high spirits. However, someone intervened in that desired future. Someone advanced the hands of the clock."
"Because she can nullify Shallow Vernal-sama's power... Kuro-san unintentionally changed the fixed future..."
"Exactly. That is the most crucial detail. This series of events began with Shallow Vernal, was altered by Kuromueina, and now converges once more upon Shallow Vernal."
"..."
"I wonder what Shallow Vernal felt. I do not know exactly what kind of future she sought so desperately. However, I can say one thing for certain: the present is not the future she wanted. That is why she has finally begun to move."
Alice remained silent, stunned by Eden's detached explanation.
A story with broken gears, a future different from the one intended... and the Epilogue who had begun to act to change it.
Shallow Vernal, the pinnacle of existence, now stood before Kaito with an unfathomable obsession. What kind of confrontation would take place between them? And what exactly did she hope to achieve?
Slowly, the stage was shifting toward the Final Chapter.