༺ Clue (2) ༻
Renee raised her head.
A slightly more mature and composed version of Renee was captured in his eyes.
“I was thinking for a moment.”
“About what?”
“About what lies ahead.”
His feet moved involuntarily, leading him towards Renee.
“Why don’t we think about it together?”
His hand reached out and touched her cheek.
Renee placed her own hand over his and replied.
“I’ve checked if we’ve missed anything, so please don’t worry too much.”
“You worry too much,” Vera said.
“I like to be thorough.”
“Talking back again, huh? Anyway, I haven’t thought about losing even once.”
“Do you hate that?”
Renee smiled ambiguously.
Vera replied with a chuckle.
“Not at all.”
What followed was…
‘…!’
Their lips naturally met.
Suddenly, Vera felt dizzy.
‘What’s going on…?’
He was confused.
He immediately understood the meaning of this scene.
‘In my past life, too…’
He and Renee had this kind of relationship.
Sharing their love, they continued their journey together.
An obvious question followed.
Then why did Renee distort all of his memories?
Why did she alter all his memories and make him regress?
In the midst of his growing confusion, their lips parted.
Renee, whose nose was within touching distance, spoke softly with a smile.
“What if, just in case…”
“Hmm?”
“What if our journey ends in failure? We should also have a contingency plan.”
“Ah, you’re talking about that again.”
As if they had this conversation many times before, his response to Renee seemed nonchalant.
Renee continued speaking.
“You never know.”
“Eh… Alright, let’s hear it. What’s your contingency plan?”
Vera felt Renee’s hand stroking the back of his own.
Gently and warmly, almost as if cradling a child, Renee spoke.
“I am thinking of a way to turn back time.”
Vera’s breath stopped.
“…What?”
“It’s a last resort in case everything becomes irreparable.”
Renee continued, laughing off Vera’s stunned expression.
“If we can’t stop Alaysia, I will rewind this world.”
“Is that even possible?”
“There’s nothing impossible for me. Am I not the one who governs fate?”
His gaze pierced through Renee.
Vera could tell that his body was reacting in this way to gauge Renee’s intentions, just as his past self had done.
A moment passed, and the answer followed.
“…It’ll have severe consequences.”
“Yes, it is interfering with time, after all.”
“Then why are you talking about it so casually?”
“It’s truly nothing significant, so I can only put it that way.”
“Is it not significant if something dangerous happens to you?”
“If it can save countless lives, then it will not matter to me.”
It became silent.
His hand tightened.
Vera felt it. This was anger.
“What about me?”
“I will save you, too.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. Have you ever considered how I would be if something happens to you?”
“Will you be sad?”
“I get angry every time you’re like this.”
“Well.”
Renee lifted her hand that had been on her lap and placed it on Vera’s cheek.
She caressed his face.
Renee meticulously brushed his face, as if trying to draw his appearance. Then, she spoke with a radiant smile.
“Nothing you’re worried about is going to happen. Even the me who rewinds time won’t remember the future because I’ll make it like none of it ever happened, so there will be no consequences for me.”
“…What’s the point? If you can’t remember the future, won’t the same events just repeat?”
“Why do you think I’m telling you all this?”
“…”
His mouth shut tight.
Vera’s fingertips trembled.
The answer came right after, accompanied by a wry smile.
“…You’re planning to leave my memory behind, aren’t you?”
“More precisely, I will hide your consciousness within the you that has rewinded in time.”
“In other words?”
“I’d like to utilize your power.”
His gaze pierced Renee again.
After contemplating something while caressing Renee’s cheek for a while, Vera spoke.
“…Ah, I see. You want to use the coercive aspect of my power to call the present me into that timeline.”
“Yes. You won’t be able to stay for long, but during that time, could you tell that me what we’ve figured out so far?”
“It’s certainly a good idea. But you’re overlooking one thing.”
“What is that?”
“What makes you so certain we’ll be together at that time? Even if my consciousness awakens, if you’re not by my side, it will all be futile.”
“That’s an unnecessary concern.”
For the first time, a harsh word came from Renee, who had always spoken softly.
“No matter what happens, you and I will be together. You’re worrying about needless things.”
Renee, who had been caressing Vera’s face, suddenly pinched his nose between her thumb and forefinger.
“Haven’t I told you? I am a very greedy person and can’t let go of what is mine. So be careful when you confess to me.”
Renee smiled playfully and continued.
“I’ve decided after much thought, so it’s fine. You won’t be able to get away from me in the slightest, even if you try.”
For a moment, Vera felt as though he was seeing the current Renee in her, speaking in a playful tone.
He had the strange thought that her forceful manner hadn’t changed a bit.
As these thoughts continued, he subconsciously opened his mouth.
“…You have me completely under your spell.”
“Do you hate that?”
His thumb caressed Renee’s lips in response to the recurring question.
His gaze focused on the delicately fluttering white eyelashes.
“Not at all.”
His answer was the same as before.
As Vera watched the intimate scene unfold before him, an unfamiliar warmth blossomed in his chest.
He listened intently to Renee’s words on how to engrave his consciousness within.
He listened to his own voice responding to that.
He focused all his senses on the whispered words of love and the touch of each other’s hands.
The more he did, the more it permeated.
He recalled his memories one by one.
Memories that had been distorted, moments he had forgotten, all began to converge.
A journey unintentionally embarked upon, and a path he had chosen with his own hands merged into one.
The mind that had seeped in so imperceptibly intertwined with his mind that was so freshly acquainted.
And then one single mind emerged.
In the long night’s whispers, Vera realized that he was facing things he had forgotten.
And in the end, it was the same.
The life he had vowed for himself in the past and the life he had vowed to live for Renee were one and the same.
Because he was also greedy to the core and because he must somehow obtain what was once his.
What he had chosen in the end was, ultimately, love.
It had always been what guided him.
Finally realizing this, Vera thought.
Just as she said, it seems I really am under her spell.
***
Vera woke up and blankly stared at the ceiling.
It wasn’t an unfamiliar ceiling.
From that, Vera was able to realize where he was.
‘…Oben?’
It was the ceiling of Oben’s annex, the room where he had been staying recently.
It didn’t take long for him to grasp the situation.
As soon as he opened his eyes, the events of his encounter with Nartania during his previous life came flooding back.
After confessing the truth to Renee and collapsing, his friends must have carried him here.
Vera exhaled deeply, sat up, and rubbed his face.
Memories that hadn’t yet been recovered were jumbling his thoughts, confusing his past self with his current self.
He didn’t bother to stop it.
Whether it was the past or present, it was still him. Vera began to slowly sort out the events of his previous life.
While doing so, he suddenly burst out laughing.
“You liar.”
He remembered what Renee had told him in the last life.
I will rewind time, making it as if none of this happened.
And in that rewound world, we will save the world.
It sounded like a wonderful idea, but Vera knew now.
It was a deceptive, cunning lie.
‘What consciousness…?’
Instead of planting his consciousness in his mind, she chose a method to send him wholly back in time with distorted memories.
That wasn’t all.
Despite saying she would regress using her own power, hadn’t she actually used Orgus’s power?
Setting all that aside, the biggest lie was this.
‘…She already knew I would die.’
She said it was a precaution in case of failure, but her attitude was that of someone certain of failure.
It wasn’t a ‘precaution’, but a ‘preparation.’
Vera felt the doubt within him grow.
‘…Even at that point in my memories, Alaysia did not make a move.’
Then why was Renee so sure that Alaysia would target the Holy Kingdom?
How did she predict that future?
Vera made an assumption.
‘…What if this wasn’t the first time?’
If this wasn’t the first time Renee had rewinded time, then it made sense.
It would explain her confident attitude about the future and the various factors he had encountered in this life.
Orgus.
The Grimoire.
And his own consciousness.
It would all fall into place if this was the master plan she devised after rewinding time multiple times, to ensure success in this life.
‘…Why?’
Why make such a choice?
Why did I die?
Why did Renee completely abandon that life and plan all of this?
Vera couldn’t fathom it.
The returned memories were limited to what he had experienced, and if his speculation about her multiple regressions were correct, then there would be no clues in the memories that followed.
The more he thought about it, the more complicated it became.
He had learned a lot, but among all this, Renee’s true goal seemed to be obscured in fog.
‘What a wicked woman you are.’
A laugh slipped out involuntarily.
As the current Renee would say, she truly was a wicked person.
***
“How are you feeling?”
That same evening, while still lying in his bed, Vera responded to Renee who had come to visit him.
“It’s not too bad. I feel slightly weak, perhaps because my past self overexerted, but I should feel better soon.”
Vera stared intently at Renee, whose face was full of concern.
Then, he smiled.
The way she stroked the back of his hand was just like the Renee he knew.
Sometimes childish, yet mature at other times.
Kind to everyone in the world but defensive towards women who approached him.
And so pure.
“Actually…”
“Yes?”
“I think I prefer this side of you.”
She was the Renee he loved just as she was.
Renee tilted her head.
“Are you in pain?”
Since he had made an out-of-context comment, this was the answer that he got.
Vera let out a chuckle and then slyly flicked Renee’s nose.
“Ah?!”
Renee’s head jolted back.
“What was that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Huh? Didn’t you just flick my nose?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Renee frowned deeply and shook her head vigorously.
Watching Renee look around as if trying to figure out what was happening, Vera finally felt a sense of relief.
It could be considered payback for the lies she told.
Although this Renee and that Renee were different, they were ultimately the same person. In Vera’s mind, there was no reason to feel bad about punishing her.
“Vera, is there anyone else here?”
“It’s just the two of us.”
“Really? What’s going on?”
Of course, Vera knew she would be furious if she found out, so he didn’t mention anything.
