“What are you doing?”

I asked, approaching Fron.

“……It’s none of your business.”

Fron turned her head, seemingly trying to avoid my gaze.

For some reason, her behavior bothered me.

Was it disappointment?

I was about to complain but stopped, suddenly feeling it was pointless.

The Fron in front of me might be Fron, or she might not be.

Fron and I were friends in reality, but that didn't necessarily apply here.

We hadn’t known each other long in this place, and I wasn't exactly the most likable person.

Perhaps I should be content that Fron wasn’t afraid of me.

But the irritation didn't subside.

I wanted to get angry.

Suppressed emotions, having lost their target, rose to my throat only to retreat, repeating the cycle.

I stared at Fron without a word.

“Wh-What are you looking at?”

Fron snapped, annoyed either by my intense gaze or by the feeling that I understood her.

But it was me who wanted to be annoyed.

Nothing had happened yet that would change Fron.

And that was the problem.

I couldn't stay here forever.

And a disturbing thought crossed my mind—whether I could even leave.

When I saw Samuel's past, it didn't take that long.

But this time was different.

How much longer would I have to spend here?

Could I return to reality?

Or was this not just a glimpse into the past, but reality itself?

Perhaps I hadn’t regressed into the past at all.

Why are you making that face?

I wanted to say those words.

Life here wasn't so bad that I could call it miserable.

Well, I guess it was miserable.

Living in a place without a single ray of sunshine.

And with these young children...

However, through my conversation with Rem, I realized that the children knew nothing of the outside world.

So, even if they yearned for the outside and saw it as something mystical, they didn't wear expressions of misery.

It was only natural.

This situation was their reality.

But Fron was different.

She had eyes that saw the current situation pessimistically.

I approached Fron and spoke.

“You may not know this, but…”

“……What is it?”

“About this space, I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

“Why would you ask me that?”

“Do you truly not know?”

“Yes, I don’t know.”

I narrowed my eyes at Fron.

With my enhanced senses, I could tell to some extent whether someone was lying.

This body may not have been Adel's, but perhaps it was a form of embodiment.

It was strange to call it embodiment since my body had changed, but one thing was clear: Adel's senses had become ingrained in me.

“You’re lying.”

“……Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous. You’re lying.”

“…….”

For a moment, Fron was speechless.

Instead, she looked up at me with trembling eyes.

“Who… Who are you?”

“Well, one thing's for sure, I came from outside. Though it might not be the way you’re thinking.”

“You don’t mean…!”

As if she had realized something, Fron’s shoulders trembled.

But whatever Fron was thinking, her guess would be wrong.

I was someone whose identity she couldn't possibly guess.

Because I was someone who had traveled back in time to get here, Fron couldn't know who I was.

Could she even begin to imagine it?

The fact that I came from the future to help her.

But I just wanted to tell her.

“With my abilities, killing you would be a piece of cake. Perhaps I could even kill all the children here.”

“……How dare you.”

“But I have no intention of doing that. I came here to help you, Fron.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Exactly what I said. Fron, I came to help you. You may not remember, but I made a promise to help you.”

“…….”

Fron’s expression changed by the second.

She looked dumbfounded, then bewildered, then blinked rapidly as if she couldn't understand.

Finally, she looked at me as if I were a complete lunatic.

I let out a chuckle.

“I don't know what you're going through. So, if you need my help, just say the word. I can’t help you if you don't.”

Those were the words I wanted to say to the real Fron.

If only I had spoken up.

If only she had asked for help, I wouldn't have refused her request.

Even though I was calculating when it came to relationships, I wasn't someone who didn't understand basic decency.

It was Fron who had helped me adjust when I first entered Sytan.

Of course, she had said nonsensical things about becoming her slave, but even that was just an excuse to get closer.

“Let me give you a prophecy.”

“Prophecy, you say?”

“That’s right.”

Fron tilted her head, fixing her gaze on me as if to say,

“Let’s hear it then.”

“In the distant future, or perhaps the near future, you and I will become friends. Friends closer than anyone else.”

“……There’s no reason for me to be friends with the likes of you.”

Fron, who had been glaring at me, suddenly locked eyes with Rem, who was behind me.

“Rem? What are you doing here instead of sleeping?”

“I-I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep, and I was bored.”

“Wait a minute. That shady guy didn’t lay a hand on you, did he?”

“No, I would never!”

Even though I was in the body of a seven-year-old, I had absolutely no such thoughts.

Why did they keep pushing me like this?

Was there anyone as ethical as me?

I was unjustly accused, but Fron ignored me and pinched Rem’s cheeks.

“Ow, ow, it hurts. Stop it…”

“I can’t help but worry about you with this guy around. How many times have I told you to be careful of him?”

“B-But he’s been nice. He even shared his food with me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He obviously has ulterior motives. There are a lot of girls here, so he must be planning something.”

“I can hear you both. And I’m not some creep who preys on little kids.”

Personally, I believe that such criminals should be rounded up and burned at the stake.

But what was the point of saying anything? They wouldn't believe me anyway.

Oh, woe is me.

I grumbled inwardly as I pulled Rem away from Fron.

Gently, I stroked Rem’s hair and spoke to Fron.

“So, feeling any better now?”

“……Hmph, as if I care.”

“Still at it, huh?”

“Rem, sleep with me tonight. We’ll chase this guy away somewhere.”

“But I’m only seven!”

This was so unfair.

Physically, I was probably the youngest one here.

Looking up at the ceiling, a thought occurred to me.

If Fron had been here all along, when did the children get outside?

Were the children who subdued Kyle and me actually from here?

I hadn’t gotten a good look at their faces, so I couldn’t be sure.

But that meant the children could get outside.

Wait a minute.

Why hadn't I thought of this before?

“Say, Fron.”

“What is it? And wipe that sly look off your face.”

“Hehe, tonight will be the last time. The last time you’ll hurl such malicious insults at me.”

“……Have you finally gone mad?”

“No, I’m not mad at all.”

“Then how can you say such a thing?!”

“No, just hear me out. If you stay here, the children will starve to death. The amount of bread supplied is decreasing, but the children are growing.”

“We can just… make do with what we have…”

“You don’t really believe that’s all it takes, do you?”

“…….”

Fron fell silent.

Then, she glared at me.

“Fine. Then you should know.”

“Know what?”

“What lies outside.”

What lies outside.

Of course, I knew.

Fron’s mother, right?

As expected, the children seemed unaware of Fron’s mother, but she still remembered.

That meant she knew something concrete about this space.

I could ask her about it later.

Right now, I was strong enough to kill Fron’s mother—or rather, her mother before she absorbed Fron's power.

I smiled.

“Does it really matter?”

“……You, you wouldn’t.”

“Let’s get out first and then we can think about it.”

“You really are insane…!”

Just as Fron was about to shout, I leaped towards the ceiling.

And I poured all my mana,

*Whum-*

Into the black blade I held in my hand.

Along with fighting spirit, a tremendous amount of mana began to surge.

Finally, the enlarged black blade ripped through the ceiling.

*CRASH*

Below, I saw Fron’s shocked face, and the children were looking up at me with wide eyes.

And just as I was about to smile in satisfaction…

The world stopped.

Or rather, it began to rewind.

*Click-*

*Click-*

Like a clock winding in reverse.

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