"Good grief."
They were the Three Heroes of Old—the Hero, the Sage, and the Saint.
The Hero was my ancestor, Laguna Brave. The Sage was the first king, Edward Gran Etherdam. Both were the spitting image of the current Edward and me. But then there was the Ancient Saint: the daughter of the Baron Ocean family, Patricia von Ocean.
"She’s the only one who's different," I muttered.
My head was starting to spin. I’d been certain the Saint was Mariana Ocean. Based on how things usually went, I expected a woman who looked exactly like her to appear. And yet... it was you all along, Patricia? I wouldn't go so far as to call the game world in my head a total delusion, but could the Saint really have been Patricia? No, that couldn't be right. If she was, I had no idea why Headmaster Volsea treated Mariana with such special care.
"You are not mistaken, Young Master," Sebas said, sensing my bewilderment. I’d thought I understood this world, but his words offered a bit of clarity. "Shall we say she is also a reincarnation who possesses the Saint's Factor?"
"So you're saying Patricia is a Saint, too?"
"Precisely."
"That annoying woman is a Saint? Alicia’s way more of a Saint than she is!"
"Now, now, please calm down."
Sebas snapped his fingers, and the images began to play again. The 360-degree pitch-black darkness at the bottom of the abyss served as a screen, and information flooded directly into my mind. By the way, while we were chatting, we were still falling headfirst. Since the fall showed no sign of stopping, I’d eventually taken a seat in a chair Sebas provided. I was now nibbling on cookies and sipping coffee from a table that fell at the same speed we did. It had turned into a literal memory-viewing party.
This scene felt like something out of a comedy skit.
"Surprising that things don't spill when you're falling upside down," I noted.
"As expected, your adaptability is remarkable, Young Master."
"I still can't taste anything, but at least the atmosphere is better."
Tea and coffee were mostly about the atmosphere anyway. The seasoning for such luxuries was usually just whatever mood you happened to be in that day.
"You may have many questions now, but you will understand if you keep watching," Sebas assured me.
"Fine."
I focused on the images while the tasteless snacks kept my mouth busy. The vision showed the ancient Edward relentlessly asking Patricia out.
"Lady Patricia! Won't you go on a date with me?! Look, I've prepared a necklace that suits you perfectly!"
"I... I’ll accept the necklace."
The scenes shifted rapidly. It looked like one of those "passionate appeal" events from an otome game.
"Lady Patricia! A date! Look, I had this ring custom-made. It pairs well with your holy attribute!"
"I'll take the ring."
First a necklace, then a ring.
"Lady Patricia! I had a bracelet custom-made this time. See how its brilliance puts even light-attribute magic to shame? Now, about that date—"
"Thank you. But I have work to do."
Bracelets, earrings... he made advances every single day. Edward lavished her with gifts, never tiring of it, looking as though these moments were the height of his happiness. The only difference from the modern version was the look in his eyes. It wasn't the way the current Edward looked at Patricia; it was a sparkling, yearning gaze, similar to how the modern Edward looked at me.
As I watched, I felt a sense of déjà vu. I realized that every item he gifted her was something worshipped as a Holy Artifact in the game. So that was how they were made. It made me wonder even more why they ended up in the depths of dungeons, but that wasn't important right now.
"I’m impressed he can keep up that much enthusiasm," the past Laguna muttered with an exasperated look. He watched as Edward walked away, looking satisfied just to have handed over a present. "And you... how can you keep wearing all that while giving him such vague answers?"
"It would be rude to accept them and not wear them, wouldn't it?" Patricia replied.
Laguna looked at the accessories that seemed to multiply every time they met. "You’ve got a real piece of work for a personality."
I felt like pushing him away would have been a form of kindness, but since she insisted on wearing the gifts, they just kept piling up. Laguna let out a heavy sigh.
"Hehe. I don't exactly dislike him, so what’s the harm?" Patricia smiled as she watched Edward walk away. "The country is in chaos, and the outside world is crawling with monsters. In the midst of all that, I don't mind watching him struggle because he simply can't sit still."
"Is that so?"
"Doesn't it make you feel like this country isn't finished yet?"
"I guess."
"I still don't know why the miasma suddenly started spreading, but if it's him, I’m sure he’ll lead the people in the right direction."
Laguna didn't deny her words. According to Sebas and history, this Edward was the one who created the barrier using the Saint. The heroes of the past, ignorant of that future, seemed to be dreaming of a better world.
"Well then, Laguna, shall we go?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"There are so many people waiting who’ve been hurt by the monsters. Neither you nor I are good at politics, right? That’s why we have to use our own feet to save as many as we can."
Her face was identical to the modern Patricia's, but her words were completely sensible. I fought the feeling that my brain was glitching as I listened.
"Isn't that different for you? You could handle the nobility if you put your mind to it," the past Laguna said. I agreed with him. The modern Patricia was a powerhouse who could manipulate an entire nation.
"I can't," Patricia replied simply. She looked up at the bright sky—uncovered by any barrier, a symbol of infinite freedom. "When I'm faced with a choice between two things... I don't have the strength to choose. That’s why as long as my feet can move and my magic holds out, I have to fulfill my mission."
"That’s a noble sentiment."
"If you call it 'noble,' then it’s a terribly self-centered one. It’s just self-preservation—choosing not to choose because I can't bear the weight of it."
The trolley problem... a question with no right answer. Patricia looked troubled, but Laguna spoke up.
"Does it really matter? If you save everyone, it's fine."
"Of course, that’s the plan. But..." She stopped herself and shook her head, her face hardening with resolve. "Yes... I’ll find the cause of the miasma and deal with it. That is my mission, after all."
"That’s the most straightforward way to handle it."
"I’m not just counting on Edward, you know. I trust you too, Laguna. Isn't that right, Mr. Immortal Adventurer?"
"I was never immortal. When I die, I die."
"You’re immortal as long as I’m around. I can't fight off the monsters myself, but I have the magic to keep you alive. So, will you keep lending me your strength?"
"Consider it done. It's a promise."
They walked toward the road leading out of town. Patricia suddenly turned back and smiled.
"You know, you’re just like him when it comes to being a sore loser. Persistent, stubborn... you’re two of a kind, aren't you?"
"Don't lump me in with him! That’s disgusting!"
The vision cut off there.
"My, my. A glimpse into the lives of the three heroes who saved the nation," Sebas commented.
"I guess so."
It really was a relationship straight out of an otome game. Edward and Laguna started as rivals but eventually grew to respect one another. As the modern Laguna, it was a bit annoying to see. More importantly, I was relieved to see that no romantic flags seemed to have been triggered between my ancestor and Patricia.
"But it’s not exactly a happy ending, is it?" I asked. From this dynamic, how did he end up turning the Saint into a barrier? Was it the end result of love turning into hate? How could he do it while my ancestor was always by her side?
"Well, you will understand if you keep watching."
"I already know the Sage falls into darkness..."
Sebas spoke casually, but I knew what was coming. If these were the memories in my blood, they matched history.
"Are you not curious as to what caused him to fall?"
"It was probably your fault. The miasma, all of it."
"Oh, dear. So it was, so it was." He laughed, but an "oops" didn't erase the consequences. However, if one went far enough back, it was the greed of the kings before them that started it. A demon only grants human desires; there was no point in blaming him.
"Well, what’s done is done."
This was the past. No matter what I felt, the facts remained. Besides, I only cared because the "move" I needed to resurrect myself lay somewhere ahead. I went back to the images.
"—Damn it."
It was raining. The Hero Laguna stood alone in the downpour.
"Well, that was a hell of a sudden jump."