Stalls stood packed along the stone-paved path, exuding an atmosphere of the good old days that felt as if time itself had been rewound.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the lanterns were lit, and Alicia and Machina walked along the road, bathed in their pale, flickering glow.
“The timing was perfect. To think there was a festival happening so close by...”
“There are so many people... Between the crowds and these yukata, it feels like we’ve stepped into a different world.”
“Well, you’re right about that. This specific atmosphere is quite unique.”
After a few days of sea travel, the two had finally reached Japan. They began their stay at a high-end hot spring inn recommended by Alicia. Hearing that a festival was being held in the vicinity, they had dropped off their luggage and ventured out to play.
Clad in the yukata Alicia had provided, Machina walked with her eyes darting around in curiosity. Though her Omniscient power allowed her to acquire knowledge instantly, the sensation of actually being present and walking through a place herself was a fundamentally different experience.
After watching her with a warm smile, Alicia purchased some food from a nearby stall.
“Alicia, what’s that?”
“Takoyaki. Want a bite, Machina?”
“U-Um, I’d like to, but... having eaten various things with you, I’ve realized I have a serious ‘cat-tongue.’ I think it would be better if I waited for it to cool down.”
“Hmm... Machina, say ‘ahhh.’”
“Eh?”
Despite having just declined the food due to her heat sensitivity, Machina reflexively opened her mouth when she saw Alicia’s mischievous grin and heard her command.
Immediately, Alicia tossed a piping hot takoyaki into her mouth with masterful precision.
“Gnyaaaah!? It’sh ho—it’sh hottt!?”
It was a disaster for Machina. Crying out, she discarded all sense of public decorum and began rolling on the ground. Even so, the fact that she clamped her hands over her mouth to prevent the takoyaki from falling out was perhaps her final act of resistance as a lady.
After a moment of thrashing on the stones, Machina stood up and approached Alicia with a fury like a blazing fire.
“What was that for!? That was cruel, Alicia!”
“Oh? Was Machina a cat-tongue? Wow, sorry, sorry, I didn't notice.”
“I told you! I said quite clearly that I was sensitive to heat!!”
“Ah, don’t worry. I put up a Recognition Inhibition spell, so no one noticed your embarrassing display.”
“...If you could be considerate enough to do that, I wish you’d been considerate in other ways. When I finally master my Godly Power, the very first thing I’m going to do is cure my cat-tongue.”
“Ahahaha, that’s quite a decadent way to use divine power.”
“Hmph.”
Seeing Alicia laugh so joyfully, Machina puffed out her cheeks. She wasn’t truly furious, but letting the matter drop so easily felt unsatisfying.
Machina quickly snatched the container of takoyaki from Alicia’s hand and spoke as if to return the favor.
“Alicia, say ‘ahhh.’”
“Ahhh.”
“...”
“Hmm, that’s quite delicious.”
“Why are you fine!?”
“Well, it’s not like I have a cat-tongue...”
“Muuu... Take this! And this!”
“Ah, wait, hold on! I still have food in my mouth...”
Unfortunately, the counterattack failed. However, Machina’s desperate retaliation of pinching Alicia’s cheeks seemed to have a minor effect.
“...Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I’ve healed the burn on your tongue, so let’s find something else to eat. There are plenty of things that aren't served boiling hot.”
“Hmph. Alicia is... mean.”
“I said I’m sorry. Oh, look, Machina! They’re selling cotton candy! That isn't hot at all!”
While apologizing profusely to the sulking girl, Alicia bought some cotton candy at a nearby stall and handed it over.
Machina wore a dissatisfied pout until she took a bite... and then her eyes sparkled.
“It’s delicious! This is amazing, Alicia! It’s so fluffy!”
“...And her mood is fixed. She’s either incredibly easy to handle or just very low-maintenance...”
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“No, nothing. Come on, let’s keep moving!”
“Whoa, don’t pull so hard... These clothes are hard to walk in, I’ll trip.”
After enjoying the festival, they returned to their inn and decided to soak in the hot spring before dinner.
“Haaah, this is the life...”
“Fwaaa, the water feels so good... But this room is incredible. It has its own little garden and a private bath.”
“It’s the top-tier suite in a super-luxury inn, after all. Dinner is going to be world-class, too, so look forward to it.”
“Fufufu, I see. I can’t wait.”
Gazing at Alicia as she spoke brightly while they soaked, Machina naturally broke into a smile. They sat close enough for their shoulders to touch in the steam, a clear sign of their deepening bond.
“I’d actually like to have a bit of Japanese sake here, but Machina is still a little kid, and I can’t very well drink alone.”
“Hmph, that’s not true. Think about it, Alicia. I’ve already become a God, so human laws don't apply to me. There is no legal issue with me drinking alcohol.”
“No, that’s not the point... I meant it’s obvious you’d just complain that it’s bitter or gross.”
“...You can’t know that without trying.”
“Then, want a taste?”
Taking the bait, Machina accepted the sake cup Alicia produced from nowhere.
“Fine. I’m a respectable adult now. A little alcohol won't bother me!”
“If you say so. Well then, here you go.”
“Thank you. Then, right away—!?”
Alicia poured the sake with a wry smile, and Machina downed it in one go. Though she had looked confident a second ago, her face immediately contorted. She bit her lip and began to tremble as if fighting back a physical assault on her senses.
After several seconds of struggling, Machina finally spoke with a look of pure agony.
“...It—It’s harsh... What is this? Is this actually alcohol?”
“It’s Japanese sake. For your information, this isn't even the ‘dry’ variety.”
“...Alicia... do you really find something this painful... delicious?”
“Sake is a drink for enjoying the aroma. Instead of gulping it down, the trick is to appreciate the ‘rising fragrance’ from the cup, then take a sip and let it slide over your tongue while breathing out through your nose to catch the ‘mouth-fragrance.’ You enjoy those two scents as you drink.”
“H-Huh...”
Watching Alicia tilt her cup with practiced grace, Machina mimicked her movements and tried to follow her advice.
When she did, although the harshness remained, she was able to faintly sense the two aromas Alicia had described.
“...Phew... Hmm. It’s still bitter, but... I think I might understand the bit about the fragrance just a little?”
“Well, you get used to it. Maybe after a few more tries, you’ll start to think it’s tasty.”
“Why did you say that like a question?”
“Ultimately, it’s a matter of taste. Also, sake is famous for bad hangovers, so you should alternate it with an equal amount of water. Here, drink this.”
“Thanks... Hmm. Is it because I’m a God? I don’t really feel drunk... But I guess I’m just not used to the taste. The water is much better.”
“Ahaha, as always, you’re cheap to please.”
The expressions of the two laughing together were genuinely happy.
When dinner time arrived, they sat at the table in their luxurious Japanese-style room. Although the furniture was arranged for them to sit across from one another, they chose to sit side-by-side. Neither had suggested it; sitting next to each other simply felt more right.
“...U-Um.”
“Machina? Aren't you going to eat?”
“I-I know. I understand that this is a proper dish called sashimi and that it’s safe to eat... It’s just, well, this is my first time eating raw fish. I’m having a bit of a crisis of courage.”
“Ah, I see.”
Needless to say, Machina’s primary diet for most of her life had been jelly drinks and military-grade canned food. Though she had explored many foods since meeting Alicia, raw fish was a new frontier, and she was hesitating.
Alicia let out a soft laugh, picked up a piece of sashimi with her chopsticks, and held it out.
“Here, Machina. ‘Ahhh.’”
“Ugh... Okay. A-Ahhh.”
“...How is it?”
“...It’s delicious! I thought it would be much fishier.”
“It’s natural to be wary the first time. If the raw texture bothers you, you could always try ‘yubiki.’”
“Yubiki? ...Ah, dipping it into this small pot of hot water...”
Machina tilted her head for a second before searching her Omniscient knowledge and nodding. When she tried the flash-boiled fish as suggested, she looked even more delighted, a blissful expression lighting up her face.
“...Is that green stuff Alicia is using called wasabi?”
“It is... but you should probably stay away from it, Machina. You have a child’s palate, after all.”
“Hmph, I do not! I am a respectable adult... wasabi is nothing to me!”
“Ah, wait, that’s too much—”
“!?!?”
“...And there it is. In a way, you never fail to meet expectations.”
Having shoved a large amount of wasabi into her mouth out of sheer stubbornness, Machina’s face went through a series of shocked contortions before she began to writhe with tears in her eyes. Alicia handed her water with a wry smile, but her gaze was incredibly gentle. She seemed to be savoring the happiness of finding even such a trivial mealtime so enjoyable.
The world tour Alicia had organized on a whim—a journey with no set purpose other than for the two of them to see the world—lasted for ten years.
They traveled harmoniously through countless regions and experienced wonders beyond count, but the journey could not last forever. It reached its conclusion on the artificial island that was both their starting point and their goal—now an uninhabited land with no one left to manage it.
In a corner of the island that had become overgrown with greenery over the decade, the two sat side-by-side under a star-filled sky, just as they had the day they first met.
“...By the way, Alicia, do you really have no use for this Core?”
“Yeah, I wouldn't know what to do with it even if I kept it.”
“I see. Well, I don't need it either, and I could just destroy it... but perhaps someday, the time will come when you might need its power, Alicia. I think I’ll ‘seal it on this island.’”
Though her physical appearance remained the same, Machina had mastered much of her divine power over the last ten years. She took the Great Evil God's Core she had used to ascend and placed it inside the building that held her oldest memories—her former home. With a light wave of her hand, magic circles manifested.
The house was compressed into a small iron box that could fit in the palm of a hand, and it sank deep into the earth.
“...Well then, if I ever need it, I’ll ‘steal it back’ without hesitation.”
“...Steal it? It was originally yours to begin with.”
“Ahaha, well, I gave it to you, so it’s yours now.”
“Fufufu, I suppose so.”
After laughing together, Machina’s expression turned slightly lonely. Sensing the time for their parting had arrived, Alicia’s expression also grew serious.
“...Are you leaving now?”
“...Yes, I think it’s time. But before I go, I have a request.”
“A request?”
Machina stared into Alicia’s eyes with solemn intensity and created a small cogwheel in her palm, offering it to her friend.
“...From here on, I will travel through many worlds to become a true God. I will see many things and have many experiences. And someday... I will create my own world.”
“...”
“I intend to do my best so that it doesn't happen... but if ever I forget my origin... if I forget love and become a heartless God... I want you to ‘break’ me, Alicia.”
This was the heartfelt wish of the girl setting out to become a divine being. If she were to change for the worse in the process of learning about the multiverse—if she ever strayed onto a path she did not desire—she wanted to be destroyed by the one person who knew her heart.
Hearing those words of heavy resolve, Alicia smiled as she accepted the cogwheel.
“Fine... but in exchange, if you manage to become a God without forgetting your heart, you have to use that Godly Power of yours to help me out, okay?”
As the cogwheel touched Alicia’s hand, it emitted a flash of light before sinking into her body. While fully understanding that this gear was the key to Machina’s destruction, Alicia accepted the burden for her best friend.
“Fufufu, yes. It’s a ‘promise.’ If we meet again and the girl named ‘Machina’ still remains... I definitely will.”
Machina smiled and, after a brief pause, raised one hand to the sky. A massive and complex Magic Formula—the spell to cross worlds—appeared in the night air.
Alicia watched with interest as Machina began to glow and float gently upward.
“...I want to keep talking, but I feel like we’ll never stop if I stay... So... I’m going now.”
“Yeah. It’ll be a long road, but do your best... Machina.”
“Thank you... Alicia.”
Machina ascended slowly as if being pulled into the night sky, but as the distance grew, her body began to tremble, and her feigned composure cracked.
A single tear fell from her eye, and she cried out as if the floodgates had burst.
“Alicia! I’m so glad I met you! I’ll never forget! I’ll never, ever forget about you, or the days we spent together! I love you, Alicia!!”
“...Yeah. I won’t forget either.”
With a brilliant flash of light, the girl who wished to become a God vanished from this world.
At this point, let us speak of a tragic and ironic misunderstanding.
Machina was the only person Alicia had met in the vast expanse of time between the death of Iris and her eventual meeting with Kaito Miyama who could have truly saved her.
Because Machina was originally human, shared a deep compatibility with Alicia, and above all, was an existence capable of walking through an eternity of time by her side.
And in truth, Machina wanted to stay with Alicia more than she wanted to create a world.
Then why did she choose to leave? That was the small, fatal misunderstanding between them.
Until the very moment she left this world, Machina never once used her Omniscient power on Alicia. Because she loved and valued her more than anything, she felt that peek into the secrets her friend chose not to share would be a betrayal.
And because of that, Machina never knew what it was Alicia was searching for. This led her to a single, devastating misconception.
She believed she was interrupting the search Alicia had continued for thousands of years. Coupled with Alicia’s own words—that a search is best done on one's own feet—Machina feared that her presence would only be a hindrance to her friend’s true goal.
Had she asked, Alicia would have stayed with her forever. But Machina believed that would only result in binding her benefactor and best friend. Because she loved Alicia so much, she chose to leave her side.
And the same was true for Alicia.
In her heart of hearts, Alicia wanted to stay with Machina forever. For the first time since Iris, she had found someone she could call a best friend—someone she wanted to be with always.
She felt so strongly that she suspected Machina herself might be the answer she was searching for.
But she could not bring herself to stop her precious friend from pursuing her dream of creating a world. She didn't want to interfere with Machina’s future because of her own selfish desire for company.
It is a cruel irony.
Both had wished for the same future. But because they cherished each other too much, they both averted their eyes from that possibility.
There is no point in discussing “ifs.” In reality, Machina left, and Alicia was left alone once more.
Yet, if we were to speak of the possibilities...
If Machina had used her Omniscience to see Alicia’s heart...
If Alicia had spoken in detail about what she was searching for...
If Machina had asked just one more question...
If Alicia had allowed herself to feel just a bit more impatience with her life...
And above all...
“...I couldn't say it. My best friend finally found something she wanted to do... I couldn't possibly say ‘don't leave me’... or ‘don't leave me alone’...”
Gazing at the sky where Machina had vanished, Alicia continued to shed large tears. If she had been just a little more honest, a future where two girls who transcended humanity traveled through a changing world together might have existed.
From this day forward, the heart of the hero named Alicia began to break at an accelerated pace. She had finally met the existence that could have been her answer.
One might call it the Second Curse. For Alicia, unless someone she met in the future could surpass the standard set by Machina, she would never reach her answer.
An incredibly long winter would settle over her heart until the arrival of Kaito Miyama.
???: “What are you smirking about?”
Machina: “Fufufu. I see. Alicia—I mean, Alice really wanted to stay with me that much. Jeez, she should have just said so! She really loves me, doesn't she?”
???: “Shut up, you Ponkotsu God.”
Machina: “Po—Ponkotsu!? How could you say such a horrible thing! Just so you know, I’m only being friendly like this because I’m in front of Alice. Usually—as Eden—I am a dignified God overflowing with compassion and majesty!”
???: “No, you’re a ‘crazy God full of madness and absurdity’... especially when it comes to Kaito-san.”
Machina: “Haaah, you just don't get it. It’s because my beloved child is just that charming! Exactly. Since Alice is my beloved child’s lover, as his mother, I’ll take this opportunity to thoroughly educate you on his charms!”
???: “Eh? Wait, what are you suddenly—”
Machina: “My child’s charm is multifaceted—physical, mental, and personal tastes—but let’s start with his physical attributes! First is his hair. He has slightly soft hair, so it feels wonderful to the touch; stroking it makes me feel so happy. The color is wonderful, too; that light brown perfectly captures his kindness. Also, his hair has a slight curl. The part I especially want to highlight as a charming point is the part that hangs over his ears! Of course, everything about him is supreme, but the hair around his ears has this slight inward curl that’s just so cute! Naturally, I check it occasionally, so the cuticles are perfect and split ends are nonexistent. Next is his forehead. For me, this is an area I want to lick. His bangs are a bit long, so it’s partially hidden, which only enhances the cuteness when it’s revealed! My top pick is his forehead when his face is turned exactly 38 degrees to the right from the front. It’s so cute I could watch it for hours! Oh, I know what you’re thinking. The forehead at 18 degrees to the left is also hard to pass up, right? I understand! I completely understand! At that angle, his forehead is truly sexy! I agonized for a week over which one to make my top choice, but I think his core charm is his cuteness. So, right 38 degrees is the winner for cuteness. Next, we must discuss his eyebrows. His eyebrows are a bit thin, expressing his ephemeral charm, and the way they taper near the outer corner of the eye is incredibly attractive! The balance—the contrast between the left and right—is perfection. From the front, you can compare the hair density, which is a real treat! Next, his eyes, which are a set with the eyebrows. His eyes are where his charm is truly concentrated! They’re just slightly droopy, which harmonizes with his fragility, but the strength of the will in his gaze creates a perfect balance. His eyes are supreme. People compare eyes to jewels, but that’s an insult. Jewels are just common pebbles compared to my child’s eyes. They are a perfected work of art. Cuteness, coolness, sexiness—you can feel every charm in his eyes! I could stare into them for hundreds of years and never grow bored. In fact, if anyone ever says they’re bored of them, I’ll take it as a personal declaration of war and annihilate them.”
???: “...She’s talking at a terrifying speed with the face of a female in heat! Seriously, stop. You’ve said all that and you haven't even finished half of his face yet!? Wait, hmm? That’s...”
Serious-senpai: “Uwoooooh! Yes, I made it in ti—”
Machina: “In the way.”
Serious-senpai: “—Gyaaaaaah!?”
???: “Se—Senpaaaaaaai!!”
Machina: “Now, next I want to talk about his nose, but first, let’s cover the ears—”