The girl called Gaea twisted her charming face into a mocking smile as she looked at Oko, as if Oko’s words were amusing to her.

"Oh my, whatever could you mean by that?" Gaea replied, her tone dripping with feigned innocence.

"The half-baked abominations you created," Oko retorted. "You made them to make direct interference difficult for me, didn’t you?"

With a gesture from Oko, the destruction caused by Gaea began to reverse. The knights who had been annihilated were restored, and the divine beings and knights returned to the state they were in just after they had joined my call for peace.

Both sides now exchanged apologetic glances, their aggression dissipating as they retreated from the battlefield.

What on earth had just happened?

I had seen the divine beings pierced by the Spear of Longinus and the knights obliterated by Gaea’s power.

"I’m not sure what you’re talking about," Gaea said coyly. "But is it really okay to wield such immense power so recklessly?"

"At least when it’s to undo the messes you’ve created," Oko snapped back.

I didn’t fully understand Oko’s powers. She had never properly explained them to me.

"Still," Gaea continued, "I envy your ability to see only what you want to see."

Was this what had just happened? Had Oko rewound time because she didn’t want to see the current state of affairs? Or was her power even related to time at all?

Thinking back, I could understand why Oko avoided explaining her abilities. Perhaps she feared that revealing her overwhelming powers would create a distance between us.

My suspicions seemed to be correct as Oko glanced at me with a slightly sorrowful expression.

"Raydan…"

Her catlike eyes softened into a tender expression.

Knowing Oko’s abilities didn’t change how I saw her. She was still Oko, the same person I knew.

"…Oko," I called her name.

"Yeah?"

"With such an amazing and unique power, how could you not tell me about it until now?! Wow, I feel so betrayed," I said playfully, feigning indignation.

Oko’s face registered clear shock, the exact reaction I had hoped for.

"Are you keeping secrets from me again? Hah, Oko, you always tell me not to hide things from you!" I teased further.

"N-no, that’s not it…"

"Too late! I’m totally sulking now, Oko," I said, turning my head dramatically.

"R-Raydan?!"

Oko’s flustered reaction was adorable, especially given her overwhelming power. For someone so mighty, her vulnerability to my teasing made her all the more endearing.

It was proof of how much she cared about me.

"Alright, show me some of your cool powers after we sort all this out, and I might consider forgiving you."

"…F-fine, I’ll do it."

Her reluctant agreement made me smile brightly. Truthfully, I wasn’t upset at all. I had only acted this way to ensure Oko wouldn’t feel distant from me.

No matter what, to me, Oko was just Oko.

"…Well, I guess I’m just decoration here," Gaea interrupted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ah, right. I’d almost forgotten we were still in a standoff with her.

Looking around, I noticed the knights armed with the Spear of Longinus now surrounded us, their weapons pointed directly at us. The Knight Commander stared at me with cold intensity.

"Anyone who aids a traitor is a traitor themselves!" he declared.

Despite his words, it was clear he had no intention of harming Gaea. Even with an actual divine being standing before him, his hostility was entirely directed at me.

The truth was clear.

"…It’s you," I said, glaring at Gaea.

"Me?" she replied with mock innocence.

"You were behind it all from the beginning. You manipulated the Emperor, provoked the Empress’s jealousy, and orchestrated this chaos."

Gaea smiled as if entertained by my accusation. Her smile morphed into quiet laughter before she burst into full-blown laughter, her voice echoing around us.

Oko and I watched her, our expressions filled with disgust.

When Gaea finally stopped laughing, she maintained her mocking smirk.

"So, what will you do now that you’ve figured it out?" she taunted. "The humans are already consumed by rage, and the divine beings have retaliated. Do you really think you can stop this on your own?"

"…Gaea," Oko interjected, her voice unusually serious. "Why are you doing this?"

I was curious too. The divine beings and humans had coexisted peacefully until now. There was no reason for such animosity.

Gaea’s expression shifted, her smirk replaced by a cold, serious demeanor.

"You wouldn’t understand, as a mere Observer," she began. "But I’ve been watching humans for a long time, and I’ve come to a conclusion."

"…And that is?"

"Of all the life forms I’ve created, humans are my greatest failure."

Her creation? What was she talking about?

Before I could even begin to process her words, Gaea continued.

"Humans are creatures drenched in greed, convinced of their own superiority. They expand their territory without thought for the world around them, destroying ecosystems as they go. Even when they have enough land to live on, they claim more, ruining what they don’t even use."

She let out a bitter laugh.

"When I created the solar system and Earth, I never imagined I’d come to regret it so much."

In the moment Gaea began explaining her powers, I understood something critical.

She must be one of the four supreme beings Oko had once mentioned.

The sheer magnitude of her abilities was comparable to Demeter’s, if not greater.

Gaea’s sinister smile widened.

"So, I’ve decided to set things right. In a way that doesn’t involve me intervening directly, of course," she said.

To “set things right.”

She meant to destroy humanity here and now.

Her growing aura made it clear—an attack was imminent.

I surveyed the area. Around ten knights surrounded us, all armed with the Spear of Longinus. While these weapons were deadly to the divine beings, they were no different from ordinary spears to me, a human.

And with Oko’s blessing, my strength was far beyond human limits. As long as I stayed cautious of the Knight Commander, this was a manageable fight.

"Oko," I said, turning to her. "I’ll handle the knights. Take her down."

"What?! No! That’s too dangerous for you—"

"If we don’t stop her now, all of humanity will be in danger."

There was no time for emotional arguments. This was a situation where we had to act first and think later. Still, knowing Oko cared enough to worry about me filled me with a strange sense of reassurance.

Oko hesitated for a moment before nodding reluctantly.

"Fine. But don’t get hurt."

"Don’t worry. I’ll be fine."

With that, Oko and I leapt into action, each heading toward our respective targets.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed.

Breathing heavily, I looked around the battlefield, now a chaotic mess.

None of the knights were covered in blood.

I had made sure to strike them with the flat of my blade, knocking them unconscious rather than killing them.

After all, it wasn’t their fault—they were victims of Gaea’s control.

No knight was left standing. Confident the situation here was resolved, I turned to check on Oko.

She had pinned Gaea to the ground, holding her down by the nape of her neck.

It seemed the crisis was finally over.

Smiling, I approached Oko. As I drew closer, I caught snippets of their conversation.

"Do you really believe such nonsense? Do you think the nature of the world is so optimistic?" Gaea scoffed.

"Not everyone is like that," Oko replied. "Not all humans are as you describe."

"Do you really believe that? Or is it that you want to believe it—because of Raydan Tantan?" Gaea said, her tone dripping with mockery.

At that moment, Gaea’s gaze shifted toward me.

Her eyes flashed, and an unsettling sensation swept through me. My head felt hot, as though her gaze had seared directly into my mind.

"…What did you do?!" Oko demanded.

"Living beings," Gaea said with a deranged smile, "are slaves to their base instincts. That man, Raydan Tantan, may only treat you kindly because of his primal attraction to your appearance. For all you know, his friendliness is just a guise for his selfish, disgusting desires."

"Answer me! What did you do to him?!"

Gaea’s smile grew more twisted.

"Oh, nothing much. I just erased his memories—both of you and of the present. I was curious about something and decided to test it out."

With that, Gaea grabbed Oko’s shoulder, her grip unnervingly strong, preventing her from escaping.

Oko struggled to break free.

"Why are you doing this?!" Oko shouted.

"Let’s make a bet, Oko Mira," Gaea said, her tone chillingly calm.

Though the situation was dire, I felt an inexplicable pull to leave.

Something—perhaps instinct—told me that others, people important to me, might be in danger elsewhere.

"If he manages to save you, I’ll tell you how to protect your precious ones from the disaster that’s about to unfold," Gaea continued.

"Disaster…?" Oko asked cautiously.

"Did you think I wouldn’t account for all this when setting my plans in motion? It should be starting… right about now."

Snow began to fall.

It was the height of summer.

Yet the skies darkened with thick clouds, and cold winds howled through the battlefield.

"The Empress, thinking the Emperor had abandoned her, neglected their second-born child. That child, growing up deprived of love, has now awakened a power capable of ending the world."

"…No," Oko whispered.

"Ah, ah, no leading questions," Gaea said with a sly grin. "You’ll get your answers only if you win our bet."

The snowstorm intensified. The freezing wind bit at my skin, so cold it felt like my face would crack. Even with my knight’s armor, the chill was unbearable.

If I felt this way, those without protection—like the shopkeeper and the old man—must be in grave danger.

"If you lose the bet, you’ll die here, Oko Mira. And I’ll inherit all your powers. How about it? Isn’t this a fun little game?"

"…There’s no way I’m agreeing to this," Oko growled.

"If you refuse, you can just die. Even better, I’ll restore his memories. Not that I think such a selfish human would sacrifice himself for strangers," Gaea said, her smirk unwavering.

Somewhere amidst the chaos, the Knight Commander emerged, wielding the Spear of Longinus. He moved toward Oko and Gaea.

"You’ll pay dearly for your treason," he snarled at me. Then, raising his weapon, he charged at Oko.

He aimed to kill her.

Oko squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself.

I had a choice to make.

If I left now, I could protect the people I cared about.

But if I didn’t act, Oko would die.

"Die, Oko Mira!" the Knight Commander roared.

And so, I made an irreversible decision.

Thunk.