His first priority was to take care of Tara. She was still under the impression that Bennett was dead, and it was heartbreaking to see her lying dazedly on the ground, holding his severed arm.
I needed to clear up the misunderstanding and confirm that Bennett and Niolle were both still alive.
Direct connections to the past and the future were possible, since the Outer God was an entity that could distort time and space, there was no concern about inconsistencies in the setting. The idea was to use the window as a medium to continuously reflect and cooperate with each other.
The fucking troll of an Evil God seemed to have vaguely noticed what I was planning.
The Evil God added all sorts of delusions in the window to try and sabotage it. It included scenes where Bennett and Niolle cursed Tara in hell, where they kissed each other and got married, etc.
>Settings Input : Because she liked humans so much, she had prepared several human appearances as her incarnations to hold her own fashion show in front of the mirror. When she dresses like an emo, chuuni school student, she acts as a girl with an alter ego called the 『Bringer of the Abyss and Darkness』 and⋯⋯.
Although it was quickly suppressed by me, the Evil God had already driven a wedge between them.
"⋯⋯This is… just an illusion. Mere tricks like this won’t⋯⋯."
Tara bit her lips and shattered the window. She looked like she was genuinely hurt.
With that, it seemed like the Evil God was trying to mentally damage Tara⋯⋯ and sabotage my plan at the same time. It tried to make all the images shown on the window to invoke as much despair as possible on Tara, making her doubt whether Bennett or Niolle were even alive.It was a pretty smart move, but that didn’t mean there was no way to deal with it. From here, let’s⋯⋯ lighten the mood with some comedy, first let’s calm them down a bit.
I slightly raised the perceived temperature to make it feel warmer and made some adjustments to the surrounding scenery. Let’s put an out-of-place blooming flower between a crevice in the asphalt where they can’t see.
It would contrast pretty nicely with the gloomy landscape of a corpse-strewn apocalypse. Should I also arrange the dressing table mirror as if it had been abandoned? It would be a familiar object to women and would catch their eyes.
I thought it would be a great idea to add some decorations to remind them of the good times, so I brought the teacup model that was used in Abraham's mansion, tossing it to the Tower Master.
“Please break this and put it in a garbage bag. Make sure the pieces face up, so even with a casual glance, they would say ‘Ah, this looks similar to the teacup Abraham used.’“
“Uh, eung⋯⋯!"
She created it in an instant and placed it.
Wasn't the place where their journey began and where they first met Abraham also a garbage dump? Right, then I should try to put a streetlight next to it. Nice, it’s not bad.
Now for the other side⋯⋯ Bennett and Niolle. Bennett, who had maintained his sanity thanks to his company and his background as a Black Wizard, seemed stable enough. Let's lighten the mood here so that the gloomy Tara would be hit by that sweet domino effect.
100 years into the future⋯⋯.
For Bennett and Niolle, it must have felt like they had just been dropped into a wasteland. It was necessary to let them know that, according to the setting, this was set 100 years later, which was actually pretty simple. All I had to do was to put similar buildings together and make them look a little older.
And I would leave traces and hints around the area for Niolle to pick up.
They would think it was a wasteland, but if they looked closely, there would be traces of life. It would suggest that despite the apocalypse caused by the Evil God's descent, people were still surviving──! So, following this vibe, I had to make it more peaceful than expected.
I erased any signs of threatening monsters and mutants in the vicinity, relocating all the dangerous enemies to that snowy mountain over there so they can feel safe and relieve some of their tension.
Let’s add traces of livestock farming into the mix. I don't think adding some unusual objects to brighten up the atmosphere would be a bad idea. Then let's do it with panties.
I scattered panties in front of Bennett's path.
"⋯⋯I don’t understand your thought process.”
“You don’t have time to chit chat, Tower Master. Model this, that, and this too. I’m not sure if we’ll use it or not, but this as well.”
“Eugyaaa⋯⋯!"
I dumped an endless workload onto the meddling Tower Master. Bennett looked at the handmade panties made of wool and probably deduced that 1) They must be raising sheep. 2) They could collect wool and make it into clothes.
And here, I just need to land a decisive blow to lift their spirits⋯⋯.
“Oooh.”
"⋯⋯What?”
“Let’s commission a stone statue to honor Bennett, Tara, and Niolle.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯??"
“Model it.”
Tower Master became drenched in sweat as she modeled the stone statue.
===============================================================
Niolle deduced from the topography, geography, and remaining buildings that this place was approximately 100 years into the future. The soil, once fine and soft, had become crumbly, and the remnants of civilization were cut in half—but it wasn’t as bad as she had thought.
She expected everything to be swallowed up by the void, and turned into a living hell── creating monsters that tortured people. But it wasn't like that.
In the future, had the Evil God already withdrawn?
There were traces of people. The fact that the terrifying being had descended here and life managed to survive, gave her an eerie feeling.
Niolle had her abdomen wrapped in cloth. Originally, it was a serious injury that was untreatable with just that alone, but did the remaining power in the Goddess's Crystal have a final healing effect?
Although the wound hadn’t completely healed, she was able to move around with simple first aid.
100 years into the future, she couldn’t hear the whispers from the Evil God, perhaps it couldn’t reach her?That alone made Niolle feel better, she said as she looked around thoughtfully.
[Have they⋯⋯ not perished? Humanity?]
“It looks like they still survived. Some of the buildings still appear to be in use⋯⋯ hm?”
Bennett picked up the woolen material rolling across the cracked asphalt. Unfolding the crumpled fabric revealed it to be women’s underwear, handmade within the last ten years.
Additionally, the faint smell of detergent touched Bennett's sensitive senses. It seemed like it hadn't been that long since it was last washed.
[I think there’s a place where people live, not far from here⋯⋯.]
“Don’t let your guard down. There’s a possibility that it might be a monster leaving human-like traces to lure people in.”
Although first aid was completed, Bennett's arm was cut off, and Niolle had a hole in her stomach. Even if they were all in perfect condition, they still needed to be aware of their surroundings. Now that they were injured, they needed to be even more careful.
Niolle looked around carefully, then wrote with her finger on Bennett's broad back.
[Still, I don’t see any traces⋯⋯ of violence.]
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
They proceeded cautiously.
The weather was nice, and the blue sky with the sun shining made them feel refreshed. Although they were in a serious situation where he was sent away by the Cult Leader's last spell and got separated from Tara, the sky was so blue that it made him feel guilty.
It was a funny thought, but it made him think about what it would have been like if Tara had also been caught in it.
Then, they finally encountered the mirror. The storefront window had managed to maintain its shape until now. The reflected image crackled violently, and when they noticed it, it started shifting to display a completely different image.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Bennett and Niolle tensed up and glared at the window as if there was going to be a monster popping out of it. Beyond the window, nothing other than the past was reflected. A pitch-black city where the stars look down and mock you. A city swarmed by monsters.
[⋯⋯I can see the past, could this be a hallucination?]
“I can see it as well. As expected, the likelihood of it being a hallucination is hi⋯⋯ Is that?”
[Tara?]
From there in the distance, on the other side of the window, they saw Tara bloodied, slashing through zealots with a thorn vine they didn’t recognize. Given her characteristic attire and the demonic sword in her hands, it was undeniably her.
Her expression was distorted with extreme agony and regret. Bennett frowned unconsciously. That expression doesn't suit her, though.
[Wait, Bennett. Look.]
While Bennett was concentrating on the image reflected in the window, he turned his head when Niolle tapped his shoulder urgently.
"⋯⋯What… is… that…?”
There was a strange phenomenon happening here. The neighboring building crackled with noise, and the large crack that was present moments ago vanished. Flowers bloomed, and the broken glass was repaired.
They were able to get a clue about this unknown phenomenon in the next instant.
The moment when the Tara in the window threw the Demonic Sword and nailed the fanatic to the outer wall of the building, a scratch in the shape of a sword appeared on the wall of the same building
“⋯⋯Is the future being altered in real-time based on events from the past?”
[Could the disappearance of the fissures be a result from Tara killing the fanatic? If so, we need to tell her.]
“If she can see us from over there, we might be able to communicate. Since the window appears to be the medium for this phenomenon, let’s find a glass that’s near her.”
Bennett and Niolle ran. It was just a strange intuition. But they thought maybe⋯⋯ there might be something they could do if they made good use of this phenomenon.
After wandering around the city, they were able to meet Tara at an old dressing table.
===============================================================
When Tara turned a corner as she killed yet another fanatic, an out-of-place flower caught her eye. An unknown white flower swayed in the wind.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
As she shifted her gaze to scan for her next prey, she noticed a half-collapsed trash bag leaning against the wall. A teacup, broken on the inside, sparked. It was the kind Abraham used to brew his cocoa. Could it be from the same brand?
Her attention finally landed on the abandoned dressing table. Tara frowned deeply as she looked at the mirror. It was too late to turn away now. Once again, she confronted the reflection.
Again.
Again and again, those damn illusions.
Bennett and Niolle were looking over the dressing table. Tara clenched her fists. What kind of words of resentment will I scream out this time? How were they going to try and break her heart now?
Even though all she had to do was break the glass before the voices reached her.
When Tara considered this course of action, she found herself hesitating unknowingly, wanting to capture their faces and voices in her eyes one more time. Even if the apparitions only spewed sharp words, she longed to see them.
But this time, it was a little different.
-Tara, can you hear me? We’re alive. It seems like⋯⋯ we got caught up in the Cult Leader's last-resort spell and got sent 100 years into the future.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯Hah.”
From beyond the mirror, Bennett spoke calmly. The sight of his severed arm made Tara’s heart throb painfully.
The Evil God’s illusions seemed craftily designed to disturb her mind in a more cunning manner. Was the intention to foster hope that they were alive, only to painfully shatter it later?
“I’m not falling for it. Fucking⋯⋯ God. I know you’re just an illusion”
-⋯⋯⋯⋯.
“Disappear. Just, disappear. Please. Even if it’s just an illusion in the mirror, I don’t want to break it⋯⋯!"
Bennett appeared perplexed for a moment, then exchanged quick words with Niolle. All their actions and changes were extremely detailed, unlike before.
Tara had to pull herself together. Could they be real? Maybe they’re actually alive.All the hopes that she had subconsciously harbored. She had to deny it and erase her vain hope.
If she allowed herself to believe it, then surely, just like the family in the dream shown by the Crazy Wizard⋯⋯ that illusion would also smile and disappear like it was never there.
-It seems like⋯⋯ she must’ve seen illusions a few times before. Is it a situation where she can't determine whether we’re real or not?
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
-Then, there’s no way to prove it here. We can do nothing but tell her to trust⋯⋯ Huh?
Niolle was about to scribble on Bennett's back but stopped when she noticed Tara's gaze. She picked up a flat board from nearby and wrote on it using Mana that Tara was also able to read.
[What if we say something that an illusion would never say?]
-Like what?
[The Evil God must’ve shown illusions to try and break Tara's spirit. So it must’ve said something that ⋯⋯.So, let’s do the complete opposite of that. How about we compliment her?]
"⋯⋯⋯⋯?"
The conversation was headed in a strange direction. Had the Evil God’s illusions ever said anything like that so far?
-Um⋯⋯. Tara, you are quite adept with your fists. Though there were areas where you could improve, considering the fact that you are not part of a vanguard, it was excellent. Niolle, why are you hitting me?
[Compliment her.]
-Then give me an example.
[Um⋯⋯ so, Tara has⋯⋯ a beautiful figure! So, the sideboob exposed through the holes in your clothes are, um, pretty like water droplets. Mine are needlessly large, so I’m jealous of Tara’s well-shaped boobs⋯⋯.]
-⋯⋯Wouldn’t it be sexual harassment if I said that?
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Is this real?
Also, wasn’t that more of a subtle brag⋯⋯ than a compliment?
Tara started to feel confused. If this was an illusion shown by the Evil God, it was so clever she considered falling for it, even out of pure principle.
-Um, so⋯⋯ the side slits in your clothes are definitely excessive. The last time I saw you, you didn't seem to enjoy other people staring at you. Wouldn't it be better to dress more modestly?
[Compliment her.]
-⋯⋯So, um. Tara, your⋯⋯, um. Butt is… pretty big.
[I told you to compliment her. Not sexually harass her.]
-Then what do you want me to say⋯⋯?!
[Just be honest about what you remember.]
It seems real.
The Bennett she saw on the other side of the mirror was a young man who had wasted his youth while working as a Black Wizard. He groaned for a while before finally managing to squeeze out some words. The most memorable part was when Tara threw out a kick⋯⋯.
-⋯⋯You have a mole on the inside of your thigh. I thought it suited you well. And──
"⋯⋯S-stop! Okay, I get it!”
Tara waved her hands and stepped on the emergency brake. For the first time in a long time, her face turned red, not with anger but with embarrassment.
Tara fanned her hands hard to cool down the heat on her face, then she relaxed her shoulders. Because she didn't think the Evil God could trick her in such detail like this.
She felt like the rope strangling her neck disappeared. Tara placed her hand on her heart and let out a sigh of relief as she thanked fate, managing a faint smile.
"⋯⋯You guys, are alive.”
-Did we worry you?
“Yes, a lot.”
-I’m sorry for making you worry. Could you forgive us?
Tara bursted out laughing at his awkward apology. Why is he asking for forgiveness when all he had done was lose while fighting valiantly?
The tears that had been on the verge of falling due to her laughter now glistened in her eyes. Wiping a tear away with a finger, she stuck out her tongue playfully.
“I won’t forgive you. You idiot.”
-⋯⋯⋯⋯.
Knock knock.
[Ahem. Tara, sorry to interrupt, but we have lots to discuss and tasks to attend to, so⋯⋯?]
Thus, this was how they concluded their reunion.
***
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