(EP-220.2) #3

220 – Great Escape #3

I was pretty sure the Aira here would be the main body, and the one left behind at the event was made of some sort of magic.

I just couldn’t feel at ease without keeping an eye on this variable-filled existence, uncertain of what problems or events she might create.

Aira then blamed me.

“Theo, I’ve always thought that you don’t know how to rest properly, and that’s why you’re talking about quitting whenever you get the chance.”

“That’s….”

“You seemed a little more relaxed in the dream. I think you were taller, too.”

“You remember that?”

“I am the Queen. There is nothing strange about having a better memory than most, even if it was just a dream.”

Seureureuk-.

As Aira reached out into the air, everything around her began to shine brightly.

The world gradually lit up, as if colors were being painted onto a black canvas or someone was mixing paint with a brush.

“Theo, do you know what my innate magic is?”

“Isn’t it Photon Manipulation?”

“You seem to know well, despite me not telling you. Yes, I have full control over all the colors and lights I see, like this.”

Seuk, seuk-.

Aira beckoned to the air a few more times, and before I knew it, a white table, plates, fruits and flowers appeared in front of me.

Though the faces of the people sitting and chatting-laughing there seemed familiar, when I tried to recall their names, they would vanish.

And yet, they felt so vivid, as if I had stepped into a movie or painting, occupying a seat at this serene and warm table.

━Have some yummy, yummy strawberries.

━Unnie only eats strawberries every day-.

Listening closely, I could hear people chattering, and I could even smell the flowers on the table exuding fragrance.

Still, this was an illusion.

An enchanting magic that captivated my eyes, nose and mouth, and finally my mind and soul. It must be similar to the final, ultimate magic that Aira showed to the main character’s party.

As Aira gazed at them with scrutiny, she spoke softly.

“My sister, Anise, was a beautiful bride. She received a large bouquet from our sisters. It was a secret, but she promised to throw it to me.”

Yet she couldn’t.

I heard she collapsed before exchanging vows with the groom.

Seureureuk-.

Just then, someone brushed past me, a woman who looked very much like Aira today.

━Were you all waiting?

If it weren’t for the fact that she had her hair tied back and had freckles, and was wearing a pure white dress, I would have thought she was Aira. She’d also got a developed chest.

She was probably Aira’s older sister, Anise Von Tarantera, whom I did not see in the dream. This was her.

“I didn’t want my Unnie to get married. Her partner was just an ordinary man. I didn’t like the idea of her leaving my side. So, I guess I haven’t let go of that yet. But now, I suppose it’s time to finally move on.”

Anise’s illusion passed through Aira, stepping quietly across the thick velvet carpet on the floor.

It was then that I realized, this was the next moment in the time loop that had been repeating endlessly in the dream.

The wedding in the Witch Forest… But without the terrible tragedy that was supposed to happen.

Finally, she and the man who appeared to be her groom held hands and kissed. People clapped around, and Aira caught the bouquet.

Looking at the flowers, I wondered if this was fantasy or reality because of how lifelike they were.

Then Aira said.

“It was so simple.”

Seurrrrrrr-.

Finally, a wind blew in from somewhere, sweeping away all the illusions around us. Even the bouquet in Aira’s hand wasn’t spared; it vanished like a handful of sand caught in a gust.

All that remained were me, Aira, and the quiet pond. But rather than feeling lonely, there was a refreshing sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Still, there was a lingering unease in my heart. So, to clear my mind that had been troubled for the past few days, I asked Aira.

“Did you fall asleep because of me? Because I asked to quit….”

“Theo.”

“Yeah…?”

“One day, I just found a huge hole inside me. A big, gaping abyss that couldn’t be filled. It grew wider with each passing day, until it became something I could no longer control.”

‘A hole?’

Was she talking about that strange darkness I saw in the dream?

Seureureuk-.

Aira gracefully placed her hand on the island in front of her. She continued speaking.

“But Theo, when you’re around, I feel strangely full inside. I feel as if something I’ve lost has come back. And so I ask you, did you mean it when you said you were going to quit?”

“I believe I was sincere in my own way. But-.”

“I couldn’t answer you last time, but not today. I reject your application to quit.”

Before I could finish, Aira replied first.

She rejected it.

“If you still insist on quitting. I’ll have to resort to coercion. Do you know what this is?”

Seureuk-. Aira reached into the void and pulled out something square and solid. My eyebrows twitched at the unfamiliar sight.

“What is that…?”

It was a bundle of papers. Judging by the fact that it was something I had never seen before, it seemed to be Aira’s secret item.

“You’ll find out when you hear it. It’s yours, without a doubt.”

Flip-.

As Aira unfolded it and began reading line by line, my mind went blank and felt all the blood in my body drain away.

… It felt cold despite the hot summer weather.

“Year XX, X month, X day. Estimated. The rise of the Black Robe. Caution, spartan local slave rebellion.”

“That’s….”

“Rebellion following Belmott’s execution. The Dawn Society ascends from the fringes with Belmott’s slush funds. Belmott Douglas’ daughter is located in the rocky mountain near Kel’thas.”

“…….”

“The most interesting part. Aira’s defeat and execution after failing to suppress the rebellion. The subsequent collapse of the barrier.”

It was a list of episodes that I had previously recorded as I remembered them…

Edited by: faker