"You all go in first... I have a few things to discuss with Sampo."
Ron suddenly spoke to the Trailblazing party with a grave tone. March 7th and Stelle scratched their heads, momentarily confused about what was happening. Only Bronya sensed that something was wrong, a sliver of concern showing in her eyes.
Could it be...
She glanced between Ron and "Sampo," understanding clearly that this was a situation she could not influence. Without the slightest hesitation, she grabbed Stelle and March 7th, one in each hand, and began to pull them away.
"Hey? Are we really leaving...? Okay, okay, don't forget to come find us later, Mr. Ron!"
March 7th was somewhat reluctant but was still compelled by Bronya's pull to step into Belobog, disappearing into the vast city...
As Ron watched them go, he turned his gaze back to "Sampo," who had already walked some distance away, and followed with heavy steps...
No, it was no longer right to call him "Sampo."
Aha... [The Elation].
Ron looked at the figure before him—the "Sampo" who now wore a somewhat aggrieved expression beneath a mask and a pitch-black top hat—and a bitter smile touched the corners of his lips.
How had everything devolved to the worst possible outcome... Aha, [The Elation], had actually taken the stage.
It wasn't just that the heaven-defyingly powerful IX [The Nihility] and Terminus [The End] had anticipated his plans and taken action from the very start; now even this damnable Aha [The Elation] had immediately descended, unhesitatingly joining the game...
...Do you Aeons really enjoy meddling in others' affairs so much? Can't you be like Qlipoth, [The Preservation], and just ignore the world, build your walls, and not bother anyone?!
"You speak of the Amber Lord? He's not so quiet. It's true that old fellow stays at the edge of the sea of stars building his walls, but do you know why he's building them?"
As if anticipating Ron's thoughts, Aha [The Elation] spoke softly:
"[The Preservation] Qlipoth builds his walls to face a great enemy yet to come... And though he and Oroboros [The Voracity] put on a joint performance, acting as if they were truly fighting to the death, that was never his true great enemy, Ron."
As He spoke, His tone gradually grew serious:
"His true great enemies are IX [The Nihility] and Terminus [The End]... One seeks to swallow the Tree of Existence and return all to nothingness, while the other seeks to end everything and bring about the true 'Finality.' Both threaten the continued existence of this sea of stars."
"And so... He began to build his wall."
Aha continued, a mocking smile curling his lips. "Don't be fooled by his wall-building that no one seems to care about. He's actually the one closest to success—"
"If he truly completes that wall, fixing the boundaries of this sea of stars completely—tell me, how is the Tree of Existence supposed to sprout?"
"It would be as if the very bark of the Tree of Existence were transformed into steel. Even if the Tree wished to grow, it could not break through its own skin."
"By the same token, the Sea of Quanta would be powerless to completely swallow the Tree of Existence. Everything would fall into a complete stalemate, with only [The Preservation] having successfully preserved this sea of stars, allowing everything to continue on indefinitely in a state of delicate stagnation."
Listening to Aha's explanation, Ron felt not a shred of gratitude, but rather an intense sense of dread.
He couldn't care less what Qlipoth wanted to do, nor did he care if Qlipoth could succeed—he had his own plan, and he had absolutely no need to care about anyone else.
Right now, he cared about only one thing...
Which was... how in the world did this being pry into his thoughts?!
Ron stared at "Sampo," his expression turning exceedingly grim.
It was important to know that Ron himself was an Aeon now... Pom-Pom had been right. Aeons are eternally equal. Even if their power levels differ, their fundamental rank, supported by their Deific Authority, is the same.
Ron hadn't fallen; he was merely the remnant of [Salvation]... Aside from not being fully connected to the Tree of Existence and thus not drawing upon its endless imaginary energy—relying only on the energy he'd skimmed from the Path of [The Nihility] as a former Pathstrider—he was, for all intents and purposes, a full-fledged Aeon.
Yet Aha could still peer into his thoughts... How was this possible?!
Ron looked at the unfathomable Aha before him, a sliver of doubt creeping into his mind.
Is He truly capable of seeing the thoughts in my heart, or is He simply making an educated guess based on His vast experience as an old-timer...
No, I must think of something, something He absolutely could not guess through logic alone...
Ron looked at Aha before him and forced a truly abstract thought to the forefront of his mind—
[The Elation] Aha, is it? If you can really see my thoughts, then prove it. Stop using Sampo's body and turn yourself into a beautiful girl!
"Oh? So that's the tune you prefer?"
A peculiar expression crossed Aha's face. Even with a mask obscuring his features, Ron could tell He was holding back a laugh.
"You're quite the amusing fellow... Fine, you have my ear."
As He spoke, He lightly removed the mask from his face and produced another—a black-and-white fox mask that seemed to carry the faint, sweet scent of a young girl.
He placed the fox mask on His face, but only for an instant. Deep red flames consumed it, and the mask fell to the ground as if He had already departed—
But in the next moment, a dainty and charming young girl materialized from thin air. She wore a waist-cinching dress, a plum blossom marked her collarbone in red ink, and long twin-tails fell behind her, giving her a very lively appearance.
Her pair of slender legs stood bare upon the snow, yet she seemed to feel no cold at all.
She bent down to pick up the fallen fox mask, placed it askew on her face, and said with a light laugh:
"There. How is this model? Do you like it?"
"Fools of a Thousand Faces, playing in the world of men... Ha, she's quite something, isn't she? I like her, at least."
A devilish grin spread across her lips.
"I have fulfilled your request... Now, are you willing to have a proper chat with me?"
...There's no beating you, you bastard!
A helpless, bitter grimace formed on Ron's lips.
Who could have known Aha, [The Elation], was this powerful... This was a complete and utter disaster.
He could actually perceive his will... How was that even possible?!
Neither IX [The Nihility] nor Terminus [The End] had been able to peer into his thoughts; they had never once anticipated his moves and acted against him preemptively...
Of course, Terminus did have the Life Simulation Game as a backup plan. If anyone in this sea of stars could truly read his mind, Ron felt it could only be Terminus.
If it were just that one entity with such an ability, Ron could more or less accept it... but what was the deal with Aha?!
For a moment, Ron's mind was a whirlwind of chaos, but he ultimately let out a resigned sigh.
Forget it... there was nothing he could do about it anyway.
Since Aha, [The Elation], wanted to have a friendly chat, then he might as well chat.
After all... if Aha truly wanted to harm him, if He really wanted to stop him from achieving his goal of burning the Tree of Existence, He would have likely made a move by now.
Judging by Aha's ability to see into people's hearts and tease them at will, if He harbored any real malice, He could have easily crushed Ron before he had a chance to rebel.
Even if Ron, as an Aeon, wouldn't die completely, a loss would still be a loss. He would still face total failure due to Aha's interference.
But for now, Aha hadn't acted and had clearly expressed a desire for a serious conversation...
To that end, He had even indulged Ron's abstract request, transforming into a beautiful girl he'd never seen before to extend the invitation—
Alright, seeing such sincerity, a chat couldn't hurt.
Ron took a deep breath, letting his roiling emotions gradually settle. He looked at Aha before him and spoke in a calm voice:
"...Fine."
"Seeing as you're being so compliant... go on, what is it you wish to discuss with me?"
Aha tucked her hands behind her back, skipping and hopping around Ron, beginning to circle him for no apparent reason—
This held no special meaning. She was simply bored and felt like circling him. She was an Aeon of Joy, doing as she pleased, following her every whim...
...After all, who else's Deific Authority is [The Elation]?
"Don't be so sad, Ron. What's with that long face?"
She looked at Ron's expression, which was like that of a man facing his doom, and giggled as she reached out a finger, hooking the corners of her own mouth up to demonstrate a brilliant smile:
"You should be happy... Smile, see? Just like this."
"I can't smile... Stop wasting time. You should be well aware that Nous, [The Erudition], has already calculated the 'Moment' that belongs to me. I don't have much time left. If all you want to talk about are these meaningless trifles, I can only assume you are here to stop me."
Ron's tone was level, but a sliver of helplessness could still be detected within it.
He was indeed anxious... The Moment of Nous had been calculated, but he had no intention of dying so easily.
So... he had to race against time, to find his chance.
Seeing the resolute yet bitter expression on Ron's face, the smile on Aha's grew even more radiant.
"Oh my... look at that determined little face. I'm starting to adore you, Ron. How could there be such a fantastic protagonist, and such a genius script?"
She put her hands behind her back and leaned her face close to Ron's. A subtle fragrance, like a mix of fireworks and cherry blossoms, wafted into Ron's nostrils, making him realize that the current Aha was like a genuine young girl...
...But not a single inappropriate thought crossed his mind, only pure caution and apprehension.
"Alright, really, stop making that long face... Smile a little. A smile a day keeps the doctor away. Don't you know you're more likely to succeed if you smile more?"
She said, taking a light step back. "Though I don't know what you really think of me, even if it's a misunderstanding, it doesn't matter. I don't really care if you misunderstand me..."
"...I only care whether this grand drama can begin. Do you understand, Ron?"
As she spoke, she unceremoniously fell backward into the snow. Her bright red dress against the pristine white snow made her look like a splendid flower blooming on the frozen ground.
She lay spread-eagled, her fair arms and legs pressed into the snow, which seemed to make her skin appear several shades whiter.
She looked up at the sky of Jarilo-VI, at the scattered stars beyond, gazing at something far more important—
"Just as [The Preservation] only wants to build, and [The Remembrance] only wants to record, [The Elation] is actually the same as them... or rather, what we seek is something even purer."
She murmured softly, and a tiny flame seemed to ignite in her eyes... it was the proof of avarice.
"In this vast sea of stars... I have never cared for its ending, nor do I care for any of those other pointless things."
She spoke, tilting her head as she lay on the ground, her gaze burning as it met Ron's—
"I care only for [The Elation], Ron."
"I seek an adversary worthy of the game. I seek a game to while away the ages. I seek a conclusion where victory and defeat are of no concern."
"I seek side-splitting jests. I seek misunderstandings born of happenstance. I seek ballads where the spirit soars..."
"I am this pure... which is why I am unwilling to see this grand drama, which is sweeping across the entire cosmos, end because of some tiny, insignificant oversight."
She said, pointing behind Ron with a soft voice:
"So... do you understand now, Ron?"
"I've reminded you so many times... Are you really not going to deal with that thing following you?"
"Or is it that..."
A mocking smile touched her lips... but it didn't seem to be aimed at Ron.
"Your 'consciousness' of its own thoughts... has already ceased to exist?"