Chapter 251
Daphne
"System!"
I internally scream the word and, like clockwork, the world bleeds into monochrome. All sound dies. Even Nima's lips—mid-question, mid-plea—hang parted in a frozen expression. The only movement is the slow drift of the purple orb materialising in front of me.
I drag a hand down my face. "I'm sure you already know what's happening here." I gesture at Nima's frozen form. "She's remembering, isn't she? The previous worlds?"
[Scanning.]
The orb flickers, streams of violet code scrolling across its surface.
[It is the same soul. Cross-referencing records: Jiang Yuxi, Evelyn Callum, Estella—]
"Yeah, no shit," I cut it off. "I asked if I'm allowed to tell her."
[Host, you asked me a question—]
There's no tone in the robotic voice, but I swear I can hear sarcasm.
I glare. "So the good little, perfect system behaviour was just an act, wasn't it, 404?"
The blob drifts in a lazy circle.
