I didn't understand.
It hadn't been even a minute since Agetha left and returned. Within that one minute, something must have happened to Agetha to cause such a drastic change.
"Hey, are you okay—"
My words were cut off.
"Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
Agetha suddenly let out a strange cry.
"Don't mess with me, don't mess with me, don't mess with me!! This is the worst… Aaahhhhhhh!! Why, why is nothing going the way I want it to!!"
Agetha continued to mutter complaints while expressing frustration, scratching her head.
"Hey, pull yourself together!"
Thinking that things couldn't go on like this, I grabbed Agetha's shoulders.
Finally, when our eyes met, it seemed like Agetha recognized me.
"Kiska, I'm sorry…"
As Agetha whispered, tears began to flow.
"I'm sorry. Kiska, I'm sorry. Because of me, you've been through so much pain. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I've done so many awful things. Even if I apologize, you won't forgive me, right? I'm to blame for everything! I'm sorry, Kiska. It's all my fault!"
Earlier, she seemed angry, but now she started apologizing while crying.
"Hey, pull yourself together. What happened…?"
Shouting louder to make sure Agetha could hear, but it seemed not to reach her ears. This time, she began murmuring to herself.
"It's okay. I can do it. This is the only way to deceive them. Yes, this is the only way. When they realize, it'll be too late! Seeing the surprise on their faces, I'm looking forward to it! It's okay, I can do it."
It sounded like she was convincing herself. Despite saying it's okay, her breathing was erratic, and she was trembling.
"Hey, are you really okay…?"
Repeatedly trying to get her attention. Despite the attempts, Agetha seemed to stay in this strange state.
"Kiska! Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you!"
Agetha insisted, her eyes wide open but unfocused. Although bewildered by the sudden change, it seemed she was finally going to explain the situation. Once the circumstances were clear, a solution might come to mind.
"I have already looped through the future multiple times."
"What…?"
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what she said.
"Something terrible is going to happen from now on. I've realized it after failing over and over again. I'm useless. I can't save you, Kiska."
"Hey, explain more clearly."
"Well, there's no help for it. It's all my fault. Because of me, Kiska is… And, they knew about it."
It's not working. I can't understand anything from Agetha's explanation. Nevertheless, I desperately tried to comprehend. Then, I reached one conclusion.
"Could it be that Agetha died in the future, used 'Save & Reset' to come back to this moment?"
Until now, I could use the skill 'Save & Reset' to go back to a past point even if I died. However, this skill originally belonged to Agetha.
So, if Agetha used 'Save & Reset' without my knowledge, looping through time, her current confusion and the incomprehensible words might start to make sense.
"You mentioned something like that earlier."
In response to my question, Agetha replied. I asked just to confirm since I couldn't understand her explanation earlier, but well, it doesn't matter now.
"Hey, explain it properly. I'm willing to cooperate with you, Agetha. What exactly is going to happen from now on?"
As Agetha mentioned that something terrible is going to happen, it's crucial to take some measures. To do that, I need to hear an explanation from Agetha.
"I and Kiska will have a big fight. And it will be a fight so terrible that it can't be repaired."
"Uh, I see…"
If a fight is what Agetha calls the worst-case scenario, it's a bit anticlimactic compared to the more dreadful events I had imagined. It might be the worst thing for Agetha, though.
"It's because I'll become jealous. Even the other day, I threatened Namia with a knife in the middle of the night, saying, 'Don't make Kiska feel weird.' Namia said, 'I understand,' so I thought she could be trusted. Ah, but it turned out to be the worst! Because of Namia…"
"Calm down. If we know we'll fight, both of us should try to avoid it. I'll be careful too."
"No, it's not that simple. The fight was a trap set up by Namia."
I can't believe it. That Namia would plot something like that is beyond my imagination.
"Because of Namia, Kiska will be broken. I wish I had been there at that time."
"Hey, what exactly did Namia do to me?"
"Namia wasn't Namia. That was a monster disguised as Namia. Oh well, too bad, Kiska. That ring wasn't such a grand item that could bring the dead back to life. It's a much more wicked and sinister item."
"…"
The cruel truth was exposed by Agetha's words. I wanted to scream that it was a lie because I believed Namia had come back to life, and I felt saved.
"Knowing this truth, Kiska will be shattered. But if you know it now, the wounds are still shallow. It's okay, Kiska. Because I am here for you."
I felt a gentle warmth.
Agetha was pulling me close to her chest.
Because of that, things became somewhat unclear.
Looking back, Namia coming back to life seemed somewhat unreal, like an event in a dream. It felt like it was exposed as a lie, and there was a sense of, "So it was true after all."
"Thank you."
Feeling somewhat calm thanks to Agetha, I expressed my gratitude.
Then, Agha, seeming satisfied, moved away from me and took out a piece of paper from her pocket.
That piece of paper was the hand-drawn map I had given her this morning.
"Forgetting things, it's important to write down the crucial ones."
As I looked, Agetha held a pen and began writing on the map.
'It's a fake, Namia. Don't let your guard down,' it said.
Even though it seemed exaggerated to write down something this important, saying you would forget it, watching Agetha's actions, I noticed she started writing something else on the next line.
'Protect High Priest Cieltia from the enemy.'
"Who is it?"
"When she dies, Kiska dies with her. Therefore, she must be protected."
Then, Agetha wrote the following below.
'Let the second prince Dilekka be left to die.'
Another unfamiliar name.
But the phrase "left to die" caught my attention more than the name.
"Royalty will come to the festival all the way to the village. It's better to give up on his death."
I'm curious about the reason.
However, Agetha began writing another passage, so I decided to postpone my questions for now.
'Chaosism adherents are lurking in the village.'
The term 'Chaosism adherents' sent shivers down my spine.
There is no other existence that has tormented me so much.
I'm curious about what kind of people they are, but Agetha's pen doesn't stop.
'Do not trust anyone other than yourself.'
This time, it's quite abstract.
Without specific details, it seems meaningless.
"Um, what does this mean?"
"Exactly what it says."
"Well, it would be helpful if you could be more specific."
"I don't know everything either. Besides, there's a problem with giving out too much information. It could lead to unforeseen issues… And, it's important for Kiska to arrive at the answers on your own."
Agetha answer wasn't entirely clear. However, if she said so, I decided to accept it.
Then, she wrote another passage.
'Do not approach the vampire judite.'
I was taken aback by the unexpected mention of her name.
"Why not?"
So, I blurted out reflexively.
"Because, when Kiska meets her, things might get too friendly between the both of you. I really dislike her…!"
There was a strong sense of resentment.
In short, it seemed like a personal grudge.
It didn't seem like meeting the vampire Judite would result in any disadvantages. However, if Agetha disliked her, I decided to avoid meeting her.
"Ah, it's already time. There were many more things I wanted to write."
As Agetha tried to move her pen, she noticed something and lifted her face.
It seemed like she was looking behind me.
Wondering if something was happening, I turned around and noticed.
Behind me, Namia was standing there.
"...….!!"
I held my breath.
Until a moment ago, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but I had just been warned by Agetha.
Her expression was not the usual gentle smile; instead, she squinted her eyes, as if looking at something to be cautious about, displaying a dark expression.
Perhaps she overheard our conversation. After all, the walls of this house are thin.
"Well then, Kiska, I'll leave the rest to you. I have to go soon."
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Don't worry, I'll always be by your side."
As Agetha answered, she began writing on the map again.
I wondered if I could understand something from those writings when suddenly—
Suddenly, the presence in front of me disappeared.
The person who was there just a moment ago was no longer there.