The Savior Who Brought Her Down (3)
From the moment she descended into the Repentance Cave, Rebekah had been unable to pull herself together.
Her memories... were strange.
- You know nothing, Saintess.
Indeed, in her memory, Asmodeus had said exactly that.
And half a year later, Olivia created a massive barrier over Ikail and drowned hundreds of thousands in the sea.
Then she had said, “Your big sis is sorry.”
She lost consciousness and plummeted to the ground.
Her connection with Olivia ended that day.
This was exactly why Rebekah was so confused.
'...It doesn't make sense.'
That day, she had clearly passed judgment on Olivia.
The image of brilliant white hair scattering and then stained red was vivid in her eyes.
'But... why.'
What had she regressed for?
Had she regressed because Olivia destroyed Ikail?
No.
The crumbling Holy Kingdom.
The holy knights who had frozen to death.
Rebekah had definitely died that day, and regressed.
Reaching out pitifully toward Olivia's retreating back was her final memory.
But why was Ikail suddenly appearing in there?
- I shall pass judgment on you.
The day Rebekah passed judgment on Olivia was the year 993.
- Big Sis, I... yesterday... F-Franz? How long have you been there?!
The day a year later, in 994, when she was caught calling Olivia 'Big Sis' in front of Franz.
- Agares!
The day she hunted a Great Demon together with Olivia was 997.
- Big Sis... B-Big...
And the day she died by Olivia's hand was 998.
Impossible.
The sensation of passing judgment on Olivia was so vivid, so how could their bond have continued after that event?
But as if in rebuttal, the pain of being pierced by Olivia's magic also surfaced.
'How... can this be...?'
It was impossible.
But her senses told her that both memories were real.
Her memories jumbled together chaotically.
- Do you know what happens when human life repeats endlessly?
So, this was.
- Even if no one remembers, it doesn't mean it didn't happen.
This was...
Her head buzzed as if a swarm of bees were flying around inside.
"Are you alright?"
"..."
The weight on her shoulder jolted her awake.
Beyond her blurry vision, a woman with a kind smile was standing there.
"...Big Sis?"
"Um... I'm Eileen."
Eileen. The final candidate for Saintess.
The one who had taken Rebekah from the Repentance Cave.
Eileen placed a hand on Rebekah's forehead.
"No fever... but you don't look well. Wait here. I'll go brew some herbs."
"..."
Rebekah couldn't answer.
Just recollecting the memories of the past days was overwhelming.
*****
Famous for having no windows, the Pharos lighthouse.
On its top floor, two women sat facing each other.
Olivia, who had been tapping the desk, spoke.
"It looks like you lose your reason if you don't kill pirates... is that right?"
It was closer to an interrogation than a question.
A tone someone who knew nothing would use.
Because treating her this way was more advantageous for seizing control of the conversation.
'I can also plant the certainty that I haven't regressed.'
The more she acted differently from the Genocide Run, the more Esti would become convinced that Olivia hadn't regressed.
After hesitating a moment, Esti nodded and said.
"...That's right."
Though seeing her now, it seemed unnecessary.
'The atmosphere is such that she doesn't seem to care whether I'm the same person or not anyway.'
Olivia couldn't understand how that was possible.
Clearly, Esti must have died in the Genocide Run and regressed with those memories.
Even if she had the memories from Clue #3, it was the same. The fact that she died at 'Olivia's' hands and regressed didn't change.
'Given that, why...'
[Esti Aquar]
- Favorability: ???
The favorability was still question marks.
But judging by that reaction, it was at least around 30.
It meant plus 30, not minus 30.
First, she needed to find out why Esti liked her.
"And you need my help to solve that problem."
Esti flinched and looked at Olivia.
'I don't even know what your real personality is anymore.'
Olivia narrowed her eyes and said.
"I'll help you."
"Really? Tha..."
"Before that, let me ask a few questions."
Esti readily nodded. She seemed to think a few questions were a cheap price for help.
"First, how did you know my name?"
"...Well."
"If you're going to lie, don't answer. I'll just leave."
Olivia's eyes drew sharp arcs.
If she mentioned regression, she'd keep asking; if not, she'd just subdue her.
As if having made a firm decision, Esti spoke.
"...I have memories of a past life."
Olivia nodded as if urging her to continue.
That much was passable.
"...You believe me?"
"For now. So in that past life, were you close to me?"
Esti spoke in a slightly less confident voice.
"In my own way... I think we were close."
"Past tense. So the ending wasn't good?"
"..."
Esti still looked uncertain.
She seemed unsure whether it was right to say this.
After watching Olivia for a long moment, Esti spoke.
"Because you killed me, Olivia."
Esti pointed with her hand at her chest. It was exactly where her heart was.
"I still remember. I died because I was stabbed right here."
So far, it was as expected.
"...Then shouldn't you feel at least some hostility toward me?"
That was the real question.
She needed to find out why Esti felt goodwill toward her.
"...Why?"
"What do you mean, why? You said I killed you."
"So why does that matter?"
"..."
Seeing Olivia's momentarily blank expression, Esti laughed, 'Ah-ha!'
"I wasn't a person very attached to life. I lived my life bound by a cruel duty, with my free will stolen. And you set me free."
Esti pointed beyond the horizon with her finger.
"You fried all the fishfolk of Aquar with lightning... Huh?"
Esti tilted her head. She had turned it back toward Ikail.
"Wasn't it that? You trapped Ikail in a barrier and then wiped it out?"
Watching Esti rub her chin in thought, Olivia realized one fact.
Esti had both the memories of the Genocide Run and the memories from Clue #3.
The reason for that deduction was simple.
Because the method Esti had just mentioned was the method used to eliminate the 'voice' in the Genocide Run.
'...How is that possible?'
Could it be because she had stopped using the Clue halfway through and come back?
"...Even so, the fact that I killed you doesn't change."
"I told you. Because you killed me, I was freed from that wretched duty. Though I didn't know I'd come back to life like this."
"..."
Indeed, eliminating the 'voice' and being freed from the duty to protect Ikail were different concepts.
Because getting rid of the 'voice' didn't free you from the duty.
There was a separate way to eliminate the duty.
'Still, does it make sense to like someone who killed you?'
She felt a slight chill.
Of course, among the many, there might be those who considered death salvation, but...
"...Then how should I help you?"
"Kill me."
"No."
Olivia answered without a moment's hesitation.
"I can't because I'm a pacifist."
If her disciples had heard that, they would've bled from their Seven Orifices and had a fit, but unfortunately, they weren't here.
"You half killed the Red Tower Lord."
...I forgot about that bastard.
He was a nuisance to the end.
"Anyway, I'm not killing you."
"...Then at least do something about the curse."
"Curse?"
When Olivia asked back, Esti's pupils trembled faintly.
And Olivia knew what that trembling meant.
'As expected, she's testing me.'
It seemed she still hadn't shaken off the certainty that Olivia hadn't regressed.
If she hadn't asked back here, a disaster would have occurred.
Because Esti hadn't mentioned the curse even once yet.
Esti continued as if it was nothing.
"Almost losing my reason just now was because of that curse. Well, more precisely, it's not a curse but countless voices whispering in my ears..."
Olivia pretended to listen, giving vague responses. She already knew the whole story anyway.
Her mind was busy thinking about how to win Esti over.
'...I don't think I need to win her over through the Clue.'
Honestly, the favorability at its current level was enough.
Given there were regressors who drew their swords without warning, the fact that she was even having a conversation was touching.
"...Are you listening?"
"Yeah. I understood everything."
Olivia nodded and said.
"Let me ask one last question."
Kzzzzt!
With intense bolts of lightning crackling in the air, Lightning Energy began gathering in both palms.
"You trust me, right?"