Chapter 117
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Downfall
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I gladly accepted Timeless's proposal.
"Fine. But whether it's true or not, you'll hear it directly from Amon yourself."
Timeless didn't know that I had been reborn.
I could tell that from our previous conversation.
If he knew I was living a second life, he wouldn't be making this offer now.
'Or maybe.'
He might be doing this just to show me the time he proposed earlier.
'But is there any real need for that?'
Timeless rested his chin on his hand, rolling his eyes as if deep in thought, then suddenly grinned brightly and replied to me.
"Very well. Amon wouldn't lie anyway, and confirming it directly is the quickest and surest way."
"Good."
"Oh! And if I'm right, I'd like to change the penalty for you, Berddin."
"Change the penalty?"
"Yes. What would I even do with your tongue if I cut it out? It's utterly useless to me. It would just breed resentment between us."
"Then?"
"If I'm right... I'd like to take some of your remaining lifespan. Say, about five years."
"Take my life?"
"Exactly."
I looked at Timeless and curled up the corner of my mouth.
The conversation was flowing exactly as I wanted.
If he brought up the ridiculous reason of cutting out my tongue, he would surely present what he truly wanted.
This guy was an apostle who extended his own life by stealing it from adventurers, after all.
"Very well. But instead of five years, make it ten."
"Eh? Ten years? Well, if you're offering, I'm happy with that—"
"And I'd like to add one more condition."
"...What is it?"
"The space of time you offered to show me. Instead of one person, I want to see the story of two."
Timeless scratched his chin with a troubled expression.
"That might be difficult. The people in the time you want total three. Two of them are beyond my power to pursue."
"When is the time I want?"
"Well... The year you were born, right? You must have the Strange Family's guardian spirit within you now. So you'd have seen the past through Roys."
How did he know that? Even as the lord of space and time, Timeless couldn't watch everyone in the world. I felt a twinge of doubt but didn't ask. He wouldn't answer anyway, and nothing would change regardless.
I shrugged lightly and turned to look at Cynthia before continuing.
"No, I want to see this woman's childhood."
"Lady Cynthia's childhood?"
"Yes. Age eight, same as me. At the monastery between the North and East coasts, on the day she received her initiation into the Holy Knight Order."
"......"
"I want to see what happened that day. Of the two I mentioned, one is someone else who was there that day, excluding Cynthia."
"Haha... This is tricky. You named a time and person I never expected..."
He scratched the back of his head with a troubled look, circling Cynthia while sighing.
"Hmmm... May I ask why you want to see that time, Berddin?"
"I don't see why I should answer that."
"Well, you don't have to if you don't want to. No take-backs later?"
"...Fine."
Timeless drew a large circle in the air with his fingertip, and the space tore open like paper, revealing the tower's entrance.
"Then I'll be off."
Timeless returned from meeting Amon, dancing around furiously with a frustrated expression.
"Aargh! Aargh! Aaaargh! No no no! This is cheating! When I saw your past, Amon had never mentioned my name, so we made the bet!"
I could only laugh as I watched him.
In our earlier conversation, I had said, 'Amon told me Timeless's name.' And when Timeless checked directly, it wasn't a lie.
'However.'
The time I heard Timeless's name from Amon was in my previous life.
There was no such thing in this life, which is why he made the bet.
"Damn that idiot Amon!"
"So, I win the bet?"
"Ha..."
"Enough lamenting. Now, I'd like my reward."
Timeless glared at me with fire in his eyes.
"If you had that secret, you should have said it sooner. This is totally cheating!"
"Cheating? I never made up stories or lied. Why is it cheating?"
"Because you tricked me—"
"Tricked you how?"
"......"
"You tricked yourself. I never tricked you."
He quickly scanned my party members one by one, then frowned deeply and whispered right next to me.
"Amon telling you my name was from your previous life, right? So in this life, it never happened, which means I win this bet!"
"Don't talk nonsense. I never once said 'this life.' You know who's being unreasonable here."
"...Ha! You're so infuriating, I could kill you."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Compliment my foot."
"Feeling wronged?"
"Of course. What if you were me?"
I climbed three steps up the stairs to put more distance between me and the party, then answered in a voice only Timeless could hear.
"How about this?"
"What."
"If you show me both times you promised, I'll give you those ten years of my life I mentioned."
Timeless's eyes widened.
"T-Ten years?"
"Yes. But in exchange for my concession, you'll grant one more of my requests."
"Give three, take one?"
"Exactly."
"Would you accept that offer?"
"If the value is equal, taking ten years of life isn't a bad deal. It's twice the five years you first proposed."
He seemed tempted by my offer and paused, lost in thought.
A simple explanation that 'ah' and 'eo' make all the difference was enough to sway him.
"I'll decide after hearing what that request is."
"Simple. Check the life or death of someone I ask about."
"...Life or death?"
"Yes. That's easy with your powers."
Timeless smirked slyly and chuckled.
"You mean that person's status? Then just look at your past instead of Miss Cynthia's—"
"...Enough nonsense. What's your answer?"
"Yes, yes. Deal. I'll show you the two times you want, and check the status of whoever you desire for Berddin."
"Good."
"Alright, contract sealed. No take-backs."
Shrrrrruk!
Timeless's black body unfurled like a vast curtain, enveloping the surroundings.
The party members stirred at the sudden veil of darkness.
Cynthia drew her sword and conjured light with a holy incantation.
Whoosh—
"W-What's this!"
Alfredo closed his eyes and enveloped his body in aura to sense the surroundings.
"Everyone, stay calm. I'll detect the enemy and take them down."
While those two were panicking,
Rox surprisingly scanned the area with a calm expression.
"Berddin, do we have to fight that guy now?"
I met his eyes and asked.
"You heard everything?"
"What."
"Did you hear?"
"...Yeah."
Rox, who spent his childhood with an ogre, had beast-like hearing.
He couldn't have missed it from this distance.
"Keep it secret. Ask questions later if you're curious."
"Got it. But why Cynthia's past?"
"...Need to find something."
"Find something?"
"Yeah."
A treasure of the Papal Court I couldn't find in my previous life.
One of the items capable of fighting the gods of this world.
"I've found the time you mentioned, Berddin."
Timeless's voice rang clearly through the darkness.
"We need to go just before the baptism begins."
"Yes, yes. If you're ready, shall I start now?"
"Yes."
"Does everyone else agree? If anyone doesn't want to, I'll send them outside."
Cynthia and Alfredo looked at me tensely.
I nodded briefly to them, then approached Cynthia and tossed out,
"You heard? If you don't want to, he'll send you out."
"...How did you know?"
"Know what."
"Why I wanted to climb the tower. And exactly which time I wanted through him."
How could I not know?
You and I fought endlessly over this in my previous life.
Back then, it was a request I couldn't fulfill.
I didn't answer her question.
I just nodded with a light smile.
"Everyone has something they can't talk about, right?"
Cynthia blushed.
"Tell me later. I'll tell you everything too."
"...Okay."
With that, I wiggled my finger at Timeless.
The darkness he created began to swirl violently, shaking the space.
Shiiiiek!
"Destination: Noatun Monastery, the day Cynthia joined the Holy Knight Order."
My body felt weightless.
We positioned ourselves close together to avoid scattering and checked our spots.
I had to personally handle Theresia, who had collapsed with her mind breaking.
"Lady Theresia, bear with it just a little."
"Sir Berddin..."
I wanted to explain that everything Timeless showed her was a misunderstanding. But that would reveal I had memories of my previous life.
'If that happens.'
It would lead to no end of troubles.
'Damn it.'
In the darkness, I lightly embraced Theresia and said,
"I promise. I will never kill you, and no matter what happens, I'll protect you. Believe me."
With those words, my vision suddenly brightened, and the surroundings came into view.
A tiny chapel near the seaside. And inside it, a young girl who looked innocent, wearing a two-handed sword on her back.
"When I grow up, I'll sing songs of peace like Saint Joanna Ark!"
A nun in white robes, Saint Joanna Ark, blessing the girl's baptism, replied,
"Is that so? Then I ask you this. If I can no longer sing someday."
Joanna Ark lifted the girl into her arms and continued,
"Deliver the song of salvation to those who seek peace, Cynthia."