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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Moment of Truth
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Actually, if I were to look at the end result, everything I've done until now has been to prevent the world's destruction.
But here I am, facing destruction right now.
"....."
I was sitting on the rooftop ledge of the building, my legs dangling in the air.
I just stared down at the world below, waiting for Stardus to arrive after calling for her.
Meanwhile, the world visible in my wide-open view was diligently collapsing. Everything humanity had built was crumbling down.
But well, I wasn't particularly concerned. It was all going to be a momentary dream anyway. Whatever I said, whatever I did here, it would all be undone.
In other words, the scene before me only evoked the thought, "I'd better work hard to prevent this mess from happening..."
Actually, I had originally planned to just go to sleep.
But then, Stardus kept coming to mind.
As someone who remembered her suffering immensely during this period of destruction in the original story, I simply couldn't leave her to it.
That's why I called her via broadcast. Since the timeline would be reset anyway, I wanted to tell her not to worry too much and just rest.
...Actually, I wondered if she'd believe me—no. I even wondered if she'd come here at all. But I had to try.
And after that wait.
"....Hm."
She arrived.
"Egoistic..."
"Welcome, Stardus."
Against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, with black smoke rising amidst the scenery, and humanity's civilization collapsing in real-time—from the rooftop of a tall building overlooking it all—I offered a slight smile and a greeting to Stardus, who was looking at me, her long blonde hair fluttering in the wind.
She floated in the air, looking at me with slightly trembling eyes.
With the sound of explosions continuously echoing in the background, I continued speaking in a calm voice that felt out of place with the situation.
"...Thank you for coming. I was actually worried you wouldn't..."
"...."
"Anyway, since you're here, I'll tell you. The truth behind all this mess."
I said this, still sitting on the ledge in front of her.
...Actually, I had been worried that, given her accumulated stress, she might attack me, thinking she had to deal with me herself. But instead, Stardus was floating before me, nodding, with an expression more peaceful than before.
Reassured by her reaction, I began to explain the situation.
I actually explained it at length, but to summarize it in one line...
"Stardus. This is a timeline that will be reset by an ability user anyway. Everything will be undone. You won't remember anything that happened today, either."
I elaborated on it. ...How some ability user seemed to have caused all this. How a time-manipulating ability user in America would turn back time. Things like that.
"Most likely, neither you nor I will remember this conversation we're having right now. It will all be as if it never happened. This crumbling world will also return to normal in a few hours."
"So, until time resets, let's just rest together."
With that, I finished everything I had to say. Fortunately, Stardus listened to my words quietly, without any particular interruptions.
...But would she believe me? Now that I've said it, it feels like I've made a highly unbelievable statement. Come to think of it, it's stranger that I know all this.
"Haha, well. I understand if you don't believe me. After all, coming from a villain—"
Just as I was saying that to her, her voice came from in front of me.
"I'll believe you."
"—there's no credibility... Huh?"
At that moment, hearing her voice from in front of me, I instinctively raised my head straight to look at her.
Then I saw Stardus, quietly smiling and looking into my eyes.
And with a faint smile, she said to me,
"Not anyone else. But you. I'll believe it. All of it."
At that moment, I instinctively held my breath for a moment. Was it because she looked so beautiful, her shining blonde hair fluttering against the sky as she smiled slightly and gazed at me? ...Or was it because she said she would trust me without a shred of doubt? Whatever the reason,
"...Uh, thank you?"
That was all I could say.
"Can I sit next to you?"
"Huh? Oh, yes."
By the time I answered, she was already sitting beside me on the ledge. She was still smiling faintly.
As I, still unable to fully grasp what was happening, was still searching for words,
Sitting close, right beside me, she placed both hands on the ledge, looked at the sky ahead, and spoke to me.
"...So, time is going to reset anyway?"
"...Yes. That's right. Everything that's happening now will be undone. You won't remember it either."
"Hmm..."
At my words, she simply dangled her legs slightly in the air without any particular reply.
...I expected her to immediately ask how I knew all that. But she didn't ask any such question.
Instead, Stardus posed a different question to me.
"But then, why haven't you and I gone crazy like everyone else? We're both perfectly fine."
She asked me, as if that was what she was most curious about. I answered Stardus.
"Because the source of our powers is different."
"The source of your powers is different?"
At my words, she turned her head from gazing at the sky ahead, looking at me with curiosity, as if intrigued.
...Hmm, if I delve too deeply into the theological details, it'll take all day. I'd have to start by explaining the three primordial gods.
So, due to time constraints, I offered a moderately concise answer.
"Yes. Unlike others, the origin of our powers is different. Since our very foundation is different, we, whose powers originate from a different god, aren't affected."
Right. Let's just explain it like this for now. ...But it would get a bit awkward if she asked who that god was.
Fortunately, after hearing my words, she asked me something else instead.
"Then... is the origin of our powers the same?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Hmm... I see... So that's how it is."
As if satisfied with my answer, she smiled faintly. Then Stardus turned her gaze back to the sky in front of her.
And so, quiet descended once more for a moment.
'.....'
I took that opportunity to catch my breath.
...What is this? Had Stardus ever been this friendly with a villain in the original story? I don't think so. ...I don't know. Anyway, everything happening now will be undone and forgotten, so what does it matter? If I overthink it, I lose. Let's just enjoy it.
So I sat next to Stardus, enjoying the cool breeze that swept across the rooftop.
Of course, the scenery itself was chaotic, with sirens wailing and smoke rising from somewhere, but because it was a 'fake' destruction, I felt nothing. It was like watching an illusion. Stardus, too, quietly watched the spectacle beside me.
A moment later, Stardus, who had been quietly watching the scene, turned her head back to look at me and opened her mouth.
"Hey... Egoistic."
I turned my head in response, then froze as her face suddenly appeared right in front of mine.
Regardless, she continued speaking, looking at me.
"Can I ask you one question?"
"Uh... go ahead."
At my answer, Stardus looked into my eyes and posed a question to me, filled with a certain yearning. As if this question, this answer, was something she had desperately wanted to hear for a long time.
"Egoistic."
"Are you. Really a villain?"
For a moment, I had the illusion that time had stopped.
She asked me that question, her blue eyes meeting mine directly.
...And at that moment, instinctively, as someone who had once been a fan of Stardus, I realized. This wasn't her asking whether I was a villain in a formal sense. This was truly. A question asking whether I was an evil person or not.
At her question, I briefly turned my head away.
Then her words continued.
"All the terror attacks you've committed so far... were they solely to torment people? Were they only for your own selfish gain?"
"...Or."
"Was there another reason?"
She continued to ask, looking at me with a serious voice, filled with a certain conviction.
And listening to Stardus's words, I pondered for a moment. ...Why would she even ask such a question? Could she have been suspicious of me all along? ...Nah, that can't be it. No way. Stardus hates villains so much. She probably just guessed because I knew all about the background of this destruction and called her.
...Still. Since these memories will all disappear anyway. Since everything happening now will be undone. In the end, when time resets, it'll all vanish like a mirage.
Perhaps, just for now, I can tell her the truth.
With that thought, I opened my mouth. The atmosphere had grown a little heavy, so to lighten it slightly, I intentionally put on a playful smile.
"Oh, I've been found out?"
"Huh?"
"Actually, I did it all to prevent the world's destruction. To help you grow and prevent a future that could turn out like this. Haha."
I said this deliberately, as if joking, as if teasing.
"...As I thought, that was it."
"Huh?"
"Haha, I somehow knew it."
She laughed and replied to my words.
"Tell me more in detail."
"Everything that's happened until now."
...And seeing Stardus's blue eyes, shining as she spoke to me, I couldn't refuse her question.
'...Where should I even begin?'
It'll be a bit long, I suppose. But, well, it'll be enough to pass the time.
And so, I slowly began to speak.
***
"....Haa, isn't it a bit chilly?"
"It is."
Shin Haru. A considerable amount of time had passed since she arrived on this rooftop, where Egoistic was sitting.
His words, which she heard as soon as she arrived—that this entire situation would be resolved by time resetting—were hard to believe, yet she believed everything, without a shred of doubt. That was how much she trusted Egoistic.
Indeed. Only at the moment of facing the world's destruction did she realize.
'....Haha.'
That she trusted Egoistic this much. Enough to believe his story instantly and feel immediately relieved.
"It's still chaotic. Phew."
"Yeah..."
And after he finished telling his story, she sat closely beside Egoistic, watching the open view beneath the sky.
However, Stardus's mind was focused not on the scenery before her, but on Egoistic beside her.
Thump. Thump. After hearing his story, everything he had done for her. And after she became convinced that Egoistic was not a villain.
Every time she saw him sitting so close beside her, she felt her heart continuously thumping. And for some reason, her cheeks felt slightly flushed. A smile crept onto her face without her realizing it.
Yes.
At the brink of the world's destruction. Having gained the conviction that Egoistic was not a villain. Sitting beside him, who had specifically called her because he didn't want to see her suffer. Beside him, confidently stating that it wasn't the end, that all these events would be resolved. In that moment, watching his smiling face and conversing with him, she faintly realized her own feelings. Feelings that had been deeply buried, which she would never have acknowledged had it not been for this very moment.
"...Haha."
"Why are you suddenly laughing?"
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."
She smiled, turning to him and replying, and he, though puzzled, returned her faint smile.
Watching Egoistic's smile, Shin Haru thought.
...Right.
For now, let's just focus on this moment.
Even if it's a moment that will disappear.