The remaining six successful infiltrations were refinements of the initial route, each time enhancing my approach. Of course, I’d often reset completely, starting from the very beginning, but all those smaller rewinds were countless in comparison.

Yet, I’d achieved a reliable route to success.

“Is that so?” Jennifer murmured, pondering my report. “You’ll rewind this time, too, I assume?”

“Yes,” I replied quietly, watching my breath drift into the cold air.

“Honestly, even knowing about your ability, it’s incredible. The fact that you could destabilize that kind of fortress alone…”

“I only stirred up confusion inside. Without the Empire’s forces advancing, success would’ve been nearly impossible, even with the ability to rewind.”

Having it confined to trenches was a blessing; no matter how many enemies there were, their visibility in the trenches was limited. It was dark, and taking out the lights was straightforward. A grenade was enough to destroy any illumination in a section.

“Fail until you succeed.”

Jennifer remained silent for a while before she finally spoke, her voice hesitant, as if releasing thoughts from deep within. “When I first heard you were being sent, I couldn’t believe it,” she said, almost as if sharing a guarded secret.

She sighed, almost laughing, but it was tinged with a hollow sense of absurdity.

“My grandfather reassured me, saying His Majesty must have a plan. But I thought it meant we’d been abandoned, left for ruin. I’d assumed politics had finally prevailed over loyalty.” She chuckled, but there was an edge of bitterness in her laugh that faded as she spoke.

“Does His Majesty know about your power?”

“No, I’m certain of it.”

Jennifer glanced at me with a half-smile. “Well, hearing you can turn back time makes it obvious. A while ago, you looked only a bit tired, but now… you have the look of someone who’s been to hell and back.”

“Is that so?”

Jennifer turned to look at me, her gaze steady. “Though I’m the one who brought you here, I still think… with your ability, you could just leave. Go somewhere far from the Empire, live a simple life. With time on your side, you could avoid everything.”

I didn’t respond immediately, instead staring out into the distant fog surrounding the bunkers. “I’ve heard that before.”

Jennifer looked taken aback.

“I see.” We stood in silence until I spoke, surprising her. “Thank you, truly.”

Jennifer’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. “Is… is that also something I’ve said before?”

“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “This is the first time I’ve said it.”

“Ah.” Jennifer’s face softened, and a smile found its way to her lips.

---

Would starting over even be an option for me?

Jennifer knew only parts of my past, and only a select few understood the “game” as I did. Claire, Leo, Baron and Lady Grace, and a handful of others were aware of my history. And they, too, would likely agree that even if I reset, I’d end up right back here. 

There’s no escaping someone like Lucas, who’s been watching me from the start. As “Sylvia Black,” I was a construct, not a natural part of this world. My knowledge of the story’s future had likely been embedded in me, meaning I wasn’t here by accident but by design.

Whoever—or whatever—brought me here surely anticipated my use of time. My ability had been woven into the narrative.

So, “Doesn’t that mean I’m free to do as I please?”

Lying in bed that night, I gazed up at the ceiling and whispered into the dark. As expected, no answer came. Whether it was some god above or the goddess of the Church, their silence was telling.

And silence could be taken as consent.

"Fine."

In that case, I’d interpret that silence as freedom, throwing off the binds of expectation. I sat up, feeling a familiar exhaustion in my limbs, lingering from my recent missions. Even my body, aching from a lack of sleep, cried out to return to rest.

But I didn’t have the time. Claire would come looking for me at four in the morning, and that deadline was fast approaching.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, recalling my master’s lessons.

Focus the mind to restore the body.

Ordinarily, this would be absurd. In my old world, no amount of calm breathing could replace sleep. But here, in this world, it was different. I could will my body back to strength.

I closed my eyes, emptying my mind of everything but my goal, and released the last of my hesitation with a breath. When I opened my eyes, I felt ready.

Time to go.

I had a debt to settle.