Thunk. Pero saluted sharply, and I returned the gesture with a simple nod.
"I’ll fill in the remaining gaps! Leave it to me!"
"Alright. I’m counting on you to take care of the rest."
The larger areas were already coated, leaving only the detailed sections, like corners of buildings, to finish. Staying on this floor any longer would just be a waste of time.
Before opening the door to move on to the next floor, I asked,
"So, are you giving up? On your romance, I mean."
"...I’ll keep trying until I get rejected three times!"
"That’s the spirit!"
I plan to create an opportunity for her to meet the princess. I don’t know how it will turn out, but at the very least, I hope she’ll walk away with no regrets, even if things don’t go her way.
I gripped the handle and pushed. Light, filled with memories, seeped through the crack in the door, welcoming me. As I ascended to the next floor, I realized I might catch another glimpse of the past.
Could this be the story of what happened after Yuna made her first friend?
I already know how this story ends: in tragedy. But I pray it won’t be too tragic. I hope, even in the midst of pain, there was at least a small shred of solace for her.
Let’s move forward.
As time passed, the petals were plucked away, one by one.
Every effort to find life and happiness dissolved like foam, meaningless and futile.
Yuna’s heart could not reach anyone. The false accusations stemming from the Golden Ticket snowballed, and the same heart that had led Yuna to cheerfully rally the children was now twisted into a source of misunderstanding.
"How... How can you smile like that? How can you still be smiling...? Ah, I see now. That’s what it is. You’re one of them, aren’t you? You’re in league with the mages! That’s why they’re not torturing you like the rest of us. You’re mocking us!"
It was bitter hatred.
But in a way, even that hatred was better.
The child who had framed her with the Golden Ticket died. The child who lashed out daily, needing someone to hate just to survive, died too. And by the time the child who’d completely lost their mind and bashed their head against the wall died...
Silence.
An eerie stillness, as if one had been abandoned in the vast emptiness of space, crept up Yuna’s spine. It was so cold that she couldn’t help but tremble uncontrollably.
In the end, only two test subjects remained alive.
Yuna and Alice.
"I wish I could become a butterfly. If I could, I’d just fly away, fluttering far, far away."
"Butterflies... aren’t they a little creepy?"
"As long as you don’t look at them up close, they’re fine."
The two girls stared at the wall that wouldn’t open, imagining the sky that must lie beyond it. But it had been so long since they’d been confined to the tower as experiments.
"...What color is the sky again?"
"Sky blue."
"So, what does ‘sky blue’ look like...?"
They couldn’t quite picture it anymore.
As Yuna tried to recall what the clear sky might have looked like, Alice suddenly remembered her past.
"You know, I used to be a pickpocket, stealing wallets in back alleys. I thought my rat-like life was the worst it could get, but... I figured out too late that it wasn’t."
"Me? Well... I was a noble."
Alice’s eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t fathom how someone of noble blood could end up as a test subject in the Violet Tower.
She cautiously asked,
"...Did you, uh, come from another branch or something? Are you illegitimate?"
"...My parents cared a lot about honor. When a mage came and said I’d be taken as an apprentice to the Violet Tower, they were overjoyed and sent me off. They don’t know what’s happening to me here. And even if they did, I doubt they’d care."
"Guess being a noble isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Damn... If we ever get out of here, you should do something big. Make them pay."
"Yeah."
How precious it was to have a friend who could care for you.
Even when their stomachs ached from gnawing hunger or their heads spun from malnutrition, talking with a friend made things ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ bearable.
The two girls whispered and shared stories—about themselves, their families, their hobbies, and... their dreams.
"I... I’m definitely going to get out of here. When I do, I’ll take revenge on these people, and after that... I’ll get married. I don’t care who it is. Even if they’re ugly. I just want a normal life."
"Even if they’re really ugly?"
"...If they’re really ugly, I might have to think about it a little. What about you?"
"Me? I... um..."
Dreams.
It was such a vague, hazy word that Yuna quietly shook her head.
"I don’t know."
"I thought, since you’re always trying so hard to save others, maybe you wanted to become a paladin or something. No dreams, huh...? Then I’ll share mine with you. You should get married too. Marry someone rich and capable, and live a normal, happy life."
Yuna closed her eyes for a moment and let her imagination take over.
Marriage, huh? That would require a man first. What kind of man, though? The imperial family was said to have golden hair—what about a prince with blonde hair and blue eyes? Hmm... It didn’t feel right.
Something more... ordinary might be better. Yuna decided to leave the imagined man’s face blank for now, shrouded like a cloud.
Then they’d have a wedding. They’d vow eternal love, and there’d be... that thing. That brief lip-to-lip contact ceremony. Afterward, they’d fall asleep under the gaze of the moonlight.
What would that be like? It sounded like it could be happy.
Suddenly struck with an idea, Yuna muttered hoarsely,
"...I’d like you to come to my wedding."
"Of course. That’s obvious. We’ll be each other’s guests. I’ll go to your wedding, and you’ll come to mine. We’re friends, after all."
"Yeah, friends."
Yes, because they were friends.
The kind of friends who meant the world to each other.
"Only one of you will survive. In one day, the god with scales will choose which child has more faith. Use the time wisely to decide."
Because they were friends.
Drip, drip. Rain fell steadily, so I created an umbrella and held it above my head.
A hundred years later, Crownhall was nearly half-destroyed. The ground and buildings had been obliterated indiscriminately, leaving behind something resembling a cluster of floating islands in the sky.
Sitting cross-legged on the roof of a floating inn, I gazed down below, where there was nothing. If you fell, you’d likely plummet forever.
As I waited silently.
Whiz—Thud!
A hook shot through the air, expertly latching onto a chimney. Along with the taut sound of a wire, a graceful woman zipped through the air and landed smoothly.
Clad in a skintight suit, she was a striking beauty. Her flawless appearance made me wonder who had sculpted her, as if she were a perfectly designed model. There was no need to hide it—it was Sentra.
"...Creator, why are you using an umbrella? The sun is out."
"It’s raining, so I was using it."
"...You must’ve had a sad dream."
"It wasn’t mine, but damn, it was heart-wrenchingly sad."
Now that Sentra had arrived, preparations were complete. I pushed myself off the roof with my knees and stood up.
I already knew the condition for clearing this floor. It was to collect and view Yuna’s memories. Mirror Yuna, it seemed, was eager to convince me of something.
"The 'Great Monster' form is excellent, but it can’t fly. Moving between the floating remnants of the world on my own would be too difficult... That’s why I needed your help. Let’s go, Sentra. Over there, toward the 'Golden Door.'"
"...Should I carry you?"
"Of course not. I have my manners and dignity."
Using the transformation device Dreaming Mirror , I shrank myself into a hamster-sized form and leapt onto Sentra’s head, clutching her hair tightly.
"There. No unnecessary physical contact. Now the prince won’t scold me."
"If you can transform, why not just become a bird and fly?"
"It’s like texting while driving—dangerous. If Yuna’s memories suddenly come flooding in while I’m flying, I’d crash straight down and die."
"True, considering it’s raining..."
Ping—Clink. Whizz—!
Sentra fired a grappling gun, gracefully leaping between buildings as she carried me toward the Golden Door . The sight of the world, slowly vanishing as it was absorbed by Mirror Yuna, felt futile.
There are stories that are painful because you don’t know their ending, and there are stories that hurt because you do. Yuna’s story was the latter. She ends up alone.
If only this story had been an illusion. If only I could touch it, direct it, and turn it into a tale where everyone could laugh together.
"The past can’t be changed."
I know. That much is impossible.
"Even we, who can change the past... the Creator didn’t change ours."
That’s true. I didn’t. I could have created an Abraham who had never experienced tragedy or a Sentra who had never been part of the resistance.
But that wouldn’t have been Abraham or Sentra, just separate individuals entirely.
"In the end... those who are alive and breathing must look to the future."
"That’s right."
We have to move forward. There’s no other choice.
Swoosh, thunk.
Sentra set me down in front of the Golden Door . Returning to my human form, I turned to her.
"Thanks. It’s too late to play territory games on this floor, so I’ll open the path to the lower floors. You should head down."
"Creator."
"...What is it?"
"A loving couple, as long as they support each other, can overcome any hardship. I’m living proof of that. So... please, go ahead."
"......"
Is that so?
Fine. If a couple, despite their species or circumstances, can love each other so deeply, who am I to doubt it?
I’ll love fiercely. Enough to make the rain finally stop.
Creeeak—
I opened the Golden Door and witnessed Yuna’s final memory.
Alice wanted to live more than anyone else.
To increase her odds of survival, she had been obedient to the mages from the very beginning. When they demanded she change her religious beliefs, she memorized their scriptures with an almost obsessive fervor.
She never so much as glanced at the obvious trap that was the escape route, suppressing even the faintest temptation to take it. She intentionally reduced her weight, adjusted her diet to survive on minimal food, and conserved energy by lying still all day.
Hers was a life stripped bare, dedicated solely to survival.
She was willing to abandon most of what made her who she was—just to keep living.
But she broke her own rules. When she saw that golden-haired girl, who insisted on moving forward even in this hell, being strangled... she lost control.
When she came to, her hands were gripping a blood-stained chair.
"...Damn it."
Though she showed no outward emotion, she regretted it. She should’ve let the girl die. She shouldn’t have drawn attention to herself.
But she couldn’t bear it. She couldn’t let some tantrum-throwing, pathetic excuse of a human extinguish that noble light.
Because Yuna was Alice’s star.
Alice found hope in Yuna’s resilience, her refusal to give up on humanity despite the despair.
As long as that star existed. As long as Yuna was there. Even if Alice had to sacrifice everything to survive... she felt she wouldn’t lose sight of what she’d thrown away.
But she hadn’t expected to end up alone with Yuna.
"I only need one survivor. Tomorrow, the god with scales will choose the child who believes in them the most. Use this time to discuss your final moments wisely."
She hadn’t anticipated having to choose between the two of them.
After a long silence, Yuna spoke first, softly addressing her dearest friend.
"...I’m not very smart, you know. I couldn’t memorize the scriptures well. Hehe."
"......"
A lie.
Alice had known for a long time how smart Yuna was. She could probably recall every page of the scriptures she’d glanced at only once. Yuna was planning to give Alice the chance to live.
"Don’t... Don’t do this, Yuna. Let’s... let’s just compete fairly."
"If only one of us can live, I think the one with a dream should go. It’s okay, really."
"......"
Alice was flooded with emotion, but what surfaced most was self-loathing. Because, deep down, she felt relief. She knew Yuna would keep her word. She knew Yuna was sincere.
I won’t have to die. That thought comforted her.
But still, she couldn’t bring herself to say:
"I’ll die, so you go..."
"...Ugh, hic... sob..."
"Don’t cry. It’s okay. It’s okay, Alice... I was happy to have you with me."
Cowardly, Alice accepted Yuna’s sacrifice.
The time came.
"Verse 32 of Chapter 3."
"I don’t know."
"The Black Dragon Emperor proclaimed that the name of the imperial capital shall be eternal, engraved on unchanging stone so its sound and shape will never alter through time."
Each time the Goat questioned them, Yuna said she didn’t know, while Alice answered correctly. When the long recitation ended, the Goat spoke.
"Excellent. The Yurensto test subject failed entirely, but you answered perfectly."
"......"
She lived.
She had survived. She had.
But she felt no joy. Confusion consumed her. She had fought so desperately to live, silently accepted Yuna’s sacrifice, and yet now...
"Take care, Alice. One day... one day, for sure."
Yuna promised an impossible reunion, smiling through her tears.
The guilt tore Alice apart. So much so that—
"You know so much about our god. We’ll use you as material for the Evil God Statue,
Alice." Splurt—!
When the Goat pierced her back and ripped out her heart, Alice actually felt relief. It hurt less than her guilt.
Yes, the god chose the child who believed in them more deeply. But they never said how they would choose. She had been tricked.
But it was fine. Because she died instead.
Really... fine.
With a wet thud, Alice’s heartless body collapsed. Her soul, bound to her heart, became the first Evil God Statue.
"Let’s begin the final phase of the experiment. Reflect the Yurensto test subject through the Mirror and this Evil God Statue, and summon a god obedient to us from the Illusionary Realm. We’re nearly there!"
Multiple magical lines connected to Yuna’s body.
The process of forcibly stretching her soul to create the Mirror was undoubtedly painful, but Yuna sat like a doll, her eyes vacant.
The door opened.
Creak, crack. A cross-shaped fissure split the space, swirling with infinite possibilities. The Goat carefully brought the Evil God Statue closer.
Even at that moment, Alice’s consciousness remained.
It was an unforeseen event. Her awareness should have dissipated, but it lingered, causing the Mirror to reflect an unintended image.
From within the Evil God Statue, Alice prayed. She pleaded to the being trying to cross over from the Mirror.
I don’t know who you are or what kind of existence you’ll be. But if you’re born from me, if my voice can reach you, if you’re willing to grant my wish...
I beg you.
Please, make Yuna the happiest person in the world.
S0. The Never-Sleeping City of Modern Times
Mirror Yuna stood on the edge of the building, continuing her explanation.
"The fact that Yuna’s soul wasn’t completely broken—that was a variable. The mages believed her mind would shatter entirely, but the light you hold remained intact. If self-awareness exists, then she’s a person, not a 'Mirror.'"
"...So the 'Mirror' reflected the closest version of Yuna and also absorbed her friend’s wish?"
"That’s right. That’s how I was born."
A figure created within the illusion by the incomplete Evil God Statue and the incomplete Mirror, existing solely to make Yuna happy.
Something that resembled Yuna but wasn’t Yuna.
"The first thing I did after coming into existence was erase Yuna’s starlight. You’ve seen it, so you know—she endured unnecessary pain and suffering."
"...And after that, you cleaned out the old Violet Tower?"
"Yes. I erased everything. Maybe Yuna would’ve said things like, 'Give the mages who participated halfheartedly a chance' or 'They probably had their reasons.' But that wouldn’t do."
"Yeah, that wouldn’t do at all. At least you got that part right."
She grinned.
Against the backdrop of the moonlit cityscape, Mirror Yuna turned halfway and faced me.
"You’ll become Yuna’s wound."
"That’s wrong. I get where your kind heart is coming from, but you need to know the difference between a disaster situation and peacetime. Your job ends here."
"Before you grow even larger in Yuna’s heart, I’ll erase you completely from this place."
"From now on, I’ll take care of Yuna. If you’re not going to leave on your own... I’ll retire you myself."
Creak, crack, screeeeeech—
The world distorted. Sand from a barren wasteland poured down like waterfalls from the void, buildings grew atop other buildings, and blades rained from the sky.
And... that brilliant, glowing white moon above.
I instinctively knew—it was my beloved Yuna.
"There you are, Yuna."
Just wait a little longer.
Once I silence the president of your toxic fan club, I’ll surely reach you.
With resolve in my heart, I began the incantation.
"The heavens are indifferent. In their gaze, there is no love. If no one understands my heart, I must move forward alone toward that moon."
──With my heart as a brush, I paint the path beneath my feet.
"Jewel Scene – Pillars Bound to the Sky."
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