NoveLight ™
5 years and 4 months.
After a massive 64 months of ongoing gunfire, the sound slowly began to fade. Over bases in San Diego, California, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle, enormous shields, which had not been used for months, finally lit up.
The corpses buried under snow or frozen like stones throughout the winter began to decay in the spring sun, emitting a stench so overpowering that any living human would find it unbearable. The survivors who had endured years of war had long ago figured out how to seal off the smell using the shields.
But this year, it was different.
Countless drones were still ferrying intact bodies back to the rear, and the parks had turned into national cemeteries. Spaces were provided for those who had passed first to rest comfortably, and thousands of headstones, each bearing a name and a simple record of life, were planted above their graves.
The city began its full-scale recovery.
The remnants of the war that hadn’t been cleared away were now gradually disappearing. The cars that had clogged the arteries of the city, its streets, were moved to vast open spaces. The drones, dropped by transport planes at regular intervals, began to repair the railroad network that now wove through the U.S. like a web.
From New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, even some of the farms that fed parts of the American agricultural sector were beginning to grow dairy and food crops again. America’s first industries, which had been half-stalled and forced into motion for so long, had begun to function once more, albeit partially.
Negotiators from Russia and China, who had flown across the Pacific, set foot in New York. Though numerous pre-negotiated treaties could have shackled their countries tightly, Russia and China had no choice but to accept them, having already lost millions of their forces to the U.S.
The consequences of refusal were obvious.
“…We accept.”
“Good decision.”
Russia’s army and navy had literally evaporated.
China’s Three Gorges Dam had been obliterated by a nuclear bomb, and cities like Yichang, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai had become underwater ruins. In such a situation, should a third or fourth world war break out, these two nations could very well disappear into the pages of history.
And so, while the sun of victory rose for some, a humiliating morning dawned for others, and the world quietly but surely moved forward toward the next chapter.
Zzzzwoooooosh!
“Ugh, I can’t believe you two left us here for a week. Seems like you’ve lost most of your fear, our little rookie.”
“I did come home often though….”
“Now you’re making excuses?”
Eugene, a criminal in the eyes of the law, sentenced to 15 years of confinement for neglecting polar bears and sharks (though it was more of a joke), had only served an hour and a half. But still, as it goes, those two had their share of playful taunts. And they seemed quite comfortable despite it all. Rumor had it they’d eaten meals and swam in the pool when they were bored. When they were extra bored, they went outside.
Perhaps it was for this reason...
“What is this?”
“I went outside and had some fun.”
These two had spent their time in Korea, enjoying the country thoroughly while I was in the middle of a pivotal moment where history’s page was turning. It was especially the case for Laurentina, who, just three days later, was heading to a naval base in the East Sea.
In any case, with my now sore cheeks and tail tucked in, I checked the remaining schedule. In two days, I would be hosting a housewarming party, and a week later, my parents would be returning from their long-term work in the U.S. to come home. And tomorrow... well, I’d think about it later.
“Did you finish all your work, rookie?”
“Of course. Henry crushed the bones of both countries.”
“Hmm.”
The contents of the treaty floated in the air.
Ballistic missiles were placed all over the flattened North Korea, the allowance for U.S. military presence in the Chukchi region, and the decision to pour funds from a nonexistent national budget into the construction of the Bering Strait underwater tunnel.
Military goods and personnel would move through a tunnel constructed using Russian and Chinese money. But that wasn’t all; there were also plans to gather the scattered remnants of the Allied forces in Alaska and Canada and send them back to their home countries.
Additionally, the full disclosure of nuclear facility locations, war reparations, and other provisions were included, but they all pointed to one thing.
“We should send something congratulating His Imperial Majesty Henry I of the Sacred United States.”
“If that were true, someone would already have a hole in their head, you fool.”
“Haha.”
Then came the continuation.
“Henry is slowly being considered for president here too. The August convention is nearly meaningless, and the Republican Party is completely floundering, scattering votes everywhere.”
“I thought that would happen.”
“He completely crushed the other candidates in the last debate.”
A pop-up video from just three days ago showed Henry delivering an impassioned performance at the debate.
Promoting the slogan Uppermost Solid America, he naturally focused on security, and the other candidates, realizing the costs involved, fiercely criticized his approach. Yet Henry countered with irrefutable facts.
“If this methodology is applied, it would save approximately $420 million annually for the state of New York. Moreover, the creation of 380,000 new jobs through the development of drone industries would follow. Additionally, to solve the unemployment issue…”
Having reviewed hundreds of industry reports and understood the mechanisms and technologies required, Henry was able to break down his opponents with facts alone.
The real question, though, was whether those jobs would materialize. Henry had already passed a bill two months ago regarding IT company support and employee training, albeit primarily to indirectly support think tanks.
And so, the situation surrounding the U.S. presidential election was as follows.
“Quite busy, huh?”
“Yeah.”
With that, I leaned back on the couch.
For some reason, in that moment, everything I had accumulated in this world flashed through my mind. After returning to a world that was both similar and different, I had unknowingly started a broadcasting career, which brought me fame and led me to meet the Dagger Team. Through that, I began to unravel the secrets of the game, my past, and this world. I met a country’s defense minister and a presidential candidate...
It wasn’t just that. I reunited with the Dagger Team and gave them the gift of a true America. It wasn’t exactly a perfect give-and-take situation, but in the end, I had received gifts that were more than I could ask for.
What awaits me in the future?
“I sense you have something to say. Is there something you’re troubled about?”
“No, nothing like that…”
I paused, then continued.
“Now, I feel like I could put a period on it and say that everyone’s living happily, eating well…”
“What are you talking about? Are you making strange comments again?”
Logan patted my head.
“Figuring out what to do next is up to you. Maybe think about what to do to impress the two disciples coming to your house in a few days.”
“Haha, I suppose so.”
“Yeah. That’s enough... Ugh, I’m getting sleepy. I’ve been waiting for you for a while, and now it’s already three in the morning. I’m going to bed first. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, rookie.”
“Good night, everyone.”
And then, one by one, the lights went out.
After turning off the lights above me, I lay down and gazed out at the spacious view of the Han River. I tucked my tail inside the bed and looked up at the ceiling. The accumulated fatigue exploded all at once, and sleep soon overtook me, but the thoughts of what to do next remained, lingering in my mind.
However, as the exhaustion took over, a vague answer began to form in my mind. It wasn’t anything special or the definitive answer, but still, it was something.
And then...
“Nice to meet you. I guess this is the first time we’re meeting face-to-face?”
“…You two look a lot more unique than I imagined.”
The next day, in the lobby café of a penthouse, I sat in a seat where few people came. As time passed, two individuals dressed in ordinary clothes casually sat across from me. The world certainly has all kinds of hair colors and body types, I realized.
Before I could ask if they were manifestors, they spoke first.
“The official updates between the two timelines have mostly concluded as of now. The work isn’t completely finished, so post-support will continue, but there shouldn’t be significant changes.”
“Ah, it’s about that thing you mentioned last time.”
“Correct.”
They continued.
“We’re really glad we could be of help.”
“…I’m the one who received the help, though. Honestly, it feels like I’m still dreaming…”
“Everything in life is like that. And solving this situation has been very useful for us. Helping you has been more than enough, beyond what we expected.”
“If you’re okay with that…”
At the same time, a book was placed on the table. It still rustled slightly, but unfortunately, it had to be returned. As Logan said yesterday, I now had to think about what I was supposed to do in this world. I couldn’t live up to their expectations.
As the other person placed their hand on the book, it vanished as though it had never existed. Our gazes met, and they gave a small nod with a smile.
“If that’s your answer…”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
Then, one of the two took a sip of their coffee and asked.
“So, about what you wanted to ask last time... back at Two Bridges, what was it?”
“A question?”
“You mentioned leaving a question to ask later, something that would give us a reason to meet again. Even if you solved your curiosity, it wouldn’t mean we wouldn’t get in touch.”
Ah.
There was no real need to ask it. I had already guessed the answer through conversations with my parents. What I was planning to ask was: “What exactly is the identity of the manifestors?”
Given that the world hadn’t originally been like this, with hints from the Reverse and others, I considered the possibility that when I moved to this world—or came back—the world itself had altered the past to justify my existence.
It didn’t make sense for someone to have a snake’s tail attached to their backside, so it meant the world had transformed into a place where such beings could exist.
The two across from me nodded after hearing my explanation.
“That’s correct.”
“Exactly.”
“Your logical reasoning is impressive. Now I’m even more inclined to recruit you…”
“Please, hold back.”
We laughed together, and everyone had a gut feeling.
That we would soon part ways, at least for a while.
With empty coffee cups in front of us, they spoke again.
“So, what will you do next?”
The same question I had heard yesterday.
Luckily, that small inspiration that might seem insignificant to others had not faded after sleeping. It wasn’t a difficult thing to say.
After a brief pause, I spoke.
“Well... I guess…”
Then, I touched my watch with my other hand.
As the tricky site loaded, I continued.
“…I’ll probably decide while chatting with the viewers.”
That was my answer.
I quite liked the job of being a streamer.
The expressions of the two across from me subtly shifted, then a small smile appeared on their lips, turning into a light laugh. But there was no trace of mockery.
They spoke, their voices as if they’d heard something amusing.
“We’ll be cheering you on. I hope you continue to bring joy and happiness to your viewers.”
“Thank you.”
With that, I stood up.
For a moment, I wondered what I would have for lunch today—then realized. Time passes by solving these little things. Even without grand goals for the future, the world keeps moving forward.
In the end, the important thing is to take the first step in the right direction and keep moving forward, just like I did when I accessed the Dark Zone in the past.
“It’s a beautiful day.”
The sunlight streaming through the window was particularly bright today.
It felt like it would be a good day.
[ALERT: Case Alpha resolved…?]
"Yes, it’s resolved. Thank goodness... but..."
Pop.
Two holograms appeared in the air, displaying the next cases labeled Beta and Gamma, awaiting attention.
"So, which one do you think is better: the saint reincarnated in the future of the world she once fought to protect, or the magical girl who has returned from the past to the present?"
"I really don’t want to get involved in either of those... And, wait, do we already have work piling up again? This is insane."
"We advanced the Void Timeline by over 10 trillion times to check, so after solving this one, we should have at least 300,000 years without anything to deal with."
"Well, yes... That's our job after all."
Pop.
The holograms vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
Not all matters had been settled yet.