However,

“Should I take that as you refusing to answer?”

“...Yes, for now.”

“Then let me ask you one last thing.”

I opened my mouth towards Adel.

Something I had always been curious about.

But something I hadn't been able to find out.

“Are Arsene's ancestor and Chaos related to the truth that the God of Gluttony told me?”

“If it's the truth, then I've already told you that your thoughts are all correct.”

“You know I'm not asking about that.”

“…”

Adel remained silent at this question as well.

What I wanted to ask was not the truth that humans were hiding.

To be precise,

It meant the truth of this world.

The truth of this world that the God of Gluttony spoke of.

And the forgotten settings of the original work and the various cities of the Demon Realm that were disappearing.

What was the connection?

I continued to stare at Adel as if to pressure him.

But Adel simply stared back at me, refusing to open his mouth.

Seeing him like that, I let out a sigh.

Ugh.

He won't answer even if I ask.

I had no choice but to give up.

Because I had a hunch.

A feeling that I would find out soon enough, even if Adel didn't tell me.

As I sighed, Adel opened his mouth.

“I apologize. I'm doing my best, but I can't tell you everything.”

“I'm curious about the reason for that too. If you're going to help, help me properly.”

“…That is also related to Chaos. I am not the successor of Chaos, so I only borrowed your power, Creator. Therefore, in order for me to act beyond or reverse causality, I have to pay a greater penalty.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue.

It couldn't be helped.

After all, Chaos meant the power to defy causality.

Since Adel, like me, bore such a penalty…

In the first place, it was partly my fault, as the creator, that Adel was in this situation, so I couldn't blame him entirely.

“Have all your questions been answered?”

“...It's still full of loose ends, but I suppose I can say that for now.”

I nodded.

This was a satisfactory enough conversation.

As if relieved by my actions, Adel gave a small smile and opened his mouth.

“Then I shall return you to reality. May you achieve what you desire.”

“It's not what I desire, it's what you desire.”

“It's the same thing. Aren't we one and the same, you and I?”

“...That's kind of creepy.”

Again, he wasn't wrong, so I decided to let it slide.

Woong-.

I looked around the shimmering gray space.

Crackle-.

At some point, cracks began to appear in the mirror where Adel stood.

Adel gave a faint smile and opened him mouth.

“Do you remember, Creator?”

“Remember what?”

“What I asked of you.”

“...As if I could forget.”

As if I could.

He was asking the obvious.

From the moment I came to this world until now, I have never once forgotten what Adel had asked of me, him wish.

“That's all that matters.”

Adel, with a faint smile.

Soon, the cracks in the mirror began to grow larger.

I flinched.

Don't tell me, you…

“You…”

Adel.

I reached out my hand.

The mirror was about to shatter completely.

Adel, with a faint smile.

He opened his mouth.

“Please, grant my wish.”

The words I had heard before,

The words I had never once forgotten,

Adel's wish echoed in my ears once more.

“…Please.”

And then,

Clang-.

Along with the sound of shattering glass,

I found myself outside the gray space.

Not even a shard of the mirror where Adel had been remained.

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