Descent
""...........""
A long silence began to flow through the judgment chamber.
"Wh-what's going on...?"
In that silence, Perloché approached the scales with an expression of utter disbelief.
"Why... why are they level? This can't be..."
She muttered in a trembling voice, her eyes shaking, until suddenly she stopped mid-sentence and turned to look at Frey, who stood behind her with a soft smile.
"No way...?"
"......."
"Th-this doesn't make sense. It can't be. Something's wrong..."
Soon, Perloché began talking to the empty air, as if there must be some mistake.
Main Heroines' Guilt and Frey's Love and Compassion Perfectly Align.
Judgment Result: Not Guilty
At that moment, massive text floated in the air, sealing the judgment alongside the scales, now perfectly balanced in horizontal equilibrium.
"Ah........."
Perloché alternated her gaze between the airborne text and the leveled scales.
Then—
She collapsed weakly to the floor, knees buckling beneath her.
"Y-Young Master..."
"Frey..."
The four girls standing behind her were no different.
"So... what happens next?"
But Frey asked the question with astonishing composure, as if he had anticipated this outcome all along.
"I-I... um... ugh..."
Of course, Perloché was still out of it.
The guilt she had nurtured over eons, rationalized solely for this moment's judgment, had erupted all at once.
And on top of that...
"Why...?"
She was left with an incomprehensible question.
"Why did you forgive me, Frey?"
So, still on her knees, Perloché lifted her head with effort, her eyes trembling as she stared at him and began to ask.
"Y-you saw it, right? Our original sins, me and the girls behind me? And what I did during the retries..."
But before she could finish—
Poof...
"......!"
Frey gently embraced the kneeling Perloché.
"Thank you."
As he patted her back, Perloché, dazed in his arms, finally buried her face in his chest and began to tremble violently.
.......Ugh.
"Cast aside pointless guilt, Perloché. Let's start anew."
Looking down at her, Frey said.
"If you ever fear getting swept up in the flow of time, just tell me. I'll comfort you."
"U-ugh..."
"So don't worry. I'll give you—and everyone, including me—the true happy ending you wanted. Of course, before your soul and mind shatter."
He whispered while stroking her back.
"That kind of thing will never happen again. I promise."
Finishing those words, Frey continued to stroke the back of Perloché, who was sobbing into his chest.
"So, what happens next?"
He asked casually once more.
"Th-then... ugh..."
Only then did Perloché lift her head and begin to speak.
"S-since the judgment ended in not guilty... all that's left is returning to reality..."
"...I see."
Frey's expression turned subtly complex at her words.
"After so long in these trials, it might feel a bit disjointed. Well, guess I'll have to deal with that."
Muttering that, Frey—
"Then... shall we head back..."
Quietly helped her to her feet and turned to leave.
But—
"W-wait a moment."
Perloché stopped him.
"Th-there's something I must tell you."
And with an urgent voice, she began.
"You probably saw it on the screen... but to face the 2nd-year DLC story, we all need to gain enlightenment."
"2nd-year DLC story..."
Frey's face grew serious at those words, and Perloché swallowed hard before continuing.
"That's when it really begins. A new story will unfold, new crises will come, and things might get several times harder than now."
"Hm..."
"But with it comes true 'hope.' So... don't worry too much."
Frey nodded, and Perloché wiped her tears, pressing on.
"And I... I'm going into a long rest now."
"Rest?"
"Yes, I'm so sorry, but... my mind and soul have reached their limit."
Her expression was lighter than before.
"So from now on, I'll hide deep in my subconscious and stay by your side as the idiot saintess."
"Perloché."
Frey frowned at that, and she gave a clumsy smile.
"It's not forever. Just resting to recover my soul and mental state."
"...Then that's a relief."
As Frey relaxed, Perloché's expression wavered.
"Frey, what... are you?"
".....?"
"How can a person be so..."
She gripped his hand tightly, about to say something, but—
"...Never mind."
She shook her head.
"Eek...!"
Still holding his hand, she pulled Frey toward her.
Churp.
A moment later, their tongues intertwined.
"Pha..."
Perloché pulled back slightly, licking her lips as she exhaled.
"You always fall for this method."
She whispered sweetly into Frey's ear.
"I love you, Frey."
She murmured, hugging him tightly.
"...Forever."
Lifting her head with a tearful smile, her eyes brimmed with tears.
Drip...
Thus passed an eternal instant.
"...Huh?"
Perloché, letting a single tear fall, suddenly wore a dumb expression.
"Wh-what is this!"
Her face flushed crimson as she shoved Frey away.
"Bad Frey! Beastly Frey! You can't do such shameless things!"
She puffed her cheeks and yelled.
"If you do this one more time! I'll really beat you to death... Huh?"
Then she looked around.
"Where is this?"
She tilted her head blankly.
"Wh-where did you bring me! I was clearly in my dorm..."
Frey watched Perloché, who had been blankly staring before suddenly screaming.
"...Uh?"
He quietly smiled and began stroking her head.
"D-don't... Mmm..."
Under his touch, Perloché's eyes grew hazy, and she quickly fell asleep.
"Phew."
Frey scooped up the sleeping Perloché and headed toward where the main heroines waited.
""........""
They remained frozen, not uttering a word.
"Ha."
Frey let out a short laugh at the sight, slowly taking in the four girls.
"Y-Young Master..."
Kania, with whom he shared the deepest mental bond—now so essential that her absence felt like anxiety. No longer the black mage tormenting him with poison and curses, she was his most trusted, loyal subordinate and partner.
"Um... uh..."
The one who devised soul-swap magic to aid him, even rewriting magic's laws to make this trial possible. No longer a threat targeting his life with overwhelming magic, she was his childhood friend and reliable fighter.
"Frey..."
Clana, who vowed lifelong service and nearly discarded her own personality to become his canary for protection. No longer a rival who would crush him with power, she was a precious being who promised mutual devotion.
"....."
Serena, who never betrayed him in countless loops—except those where he manipulated his own emotions. His first love, she remained his fiancée, as ever.
Screech...
As Frey smiled brightly at the fidgeting four—
"...Hm?"
The motionless scales began to wobble slightly.
"Let's go, everyone."
Scratching his head in confusion at the sight, Frey said.
"A new path has opened. Time to move forward."
With a radiant smile, he headed toward the massive exit that had appeared in the chamber's center.
"Right?"
But the girls remained dazed, so Frey smirked and turned back.
"The future always matters more than the past. So the past... Huh?"
As he walked toward the exit, addressing the girls behind—
Third Trial Cleared!
Clear Reward...
"....."
A system window appeared before him, and his expression turned icy.
Whoosh!
Bzzz...
He raised his fist, and the floating window trembled, retreating slightly.
"From the looks of it, you saw the whole trial too."
Staring at the system window, Frey muttered coldly.
"But what can you do about it? You can't interfere directly with us now, can you?"
Vrrr...
"All you can do is hide behind this system shield and play pranks."
As Frey prodded the translucent window with his finger, it shivered again.
"You're restricted now... but remember this."
Stepping right up to it, Frey whispered with chilling killing intent that frosted the air.
"...I'll come for you soon."
Closing the window, Frey moved to exit with Perloché in his arms—but
Warning!
Only one person may exit at a time!
The third trial was developed for single-player, so please understand.
"...Tch."
Another window popped up, and he scowled in irritation.
"Annoying to the end."
Gently setting Perloché down, Frey—
"...See you soon, then."
Flashed a grin at the girls behind and stepped through the exit.
. . . . . .
"".........""
After Frey exited, silence enveloped the judgment chamber once more.
"...Y-you all."
Breaking the long quiet was none other than Irina.
"Um... hey..."
With a dark expression, she asked the girls beside her.
"Do you think... we deserve to love him?"
The girls' faces shifted in varied shades of emotion.
Frey's desperate final plea before choosing oblivion: to love him.
The scales tipping after he gazed at them with loving eyes.
The lingering guilt.
All these tangled info and feelings wove into silence again.
""........""
In that silence, the girls began scrutinizing each other intently.
Until—
"Yaaawn..."
Perloché, who had been unconscious in Frey's arms moments ago, sat up with a yawn.
"Ah, everyone! Hello!"
Noticing their stares, she beamed innocently.
"But... where are we?"
And at that exact moment—
Rumble...!
"".......!""
The chamber darkened and shook violently.
"Kyaa!"
"Wh-what...!"
The panicked girls scanned their surroundings frantically.
Meanwhile—
".....!"
Perloché's innocent smile hardened unconsciously.
"Hello, everyone...?"
"Y-you...!"
A familiar presence emerged from black smoke seeping through the cracking chamber walls.
"Tch, so it can't harm directly after all..."
Meanwhile, the black figure, who had raised a hand to manipulate something and frowned, muttered.
"Well..."
Then, with a cold glare at the main heroines—
"...Guess it's fine if I'm just here to talk?"
The Demon God Eclipse had descended into the judgment chamber.