Volume 3 Chapter 148: The Truth Behind The Reset

For several minutes, neither Rio nor Ryota said anything.

They remained seated on the bed, the room still carrying the weight of everything Rio had finally confessed about Project: Spectrum.

The atmosphere had changed completely.

Only a short while ago, their conversation had been ordinary. They had talked about Evermount's upcoming update, the server maintenance, and the events surrounding the rescue of Ramos.

Now, none of those things seemed important.

The room felt heavier.

Ryota's arms were still wrapped around Rio.

He hadn't said anything else since she had broken down. He simply stayed beside her, allowing the silence to settle naturally rather than trying to fill it with words that wouldn't be enough.

Rio's breathing had gradually returned to normal. The redness around her eyes remained, and her cheeks were still faintly flushed from crying.

For once, she didn't look like the legendary Silver War Goddess.

She didn't look like the player who had stood at the top of Evermount for fifteen years.

She simply looked tired.

Human.

And perhaps more vulnerable than Ryota had ever seen her.

After another few moments, Rio shifted slightly.

Then she pressed both hands against Ryota's chest.

"Ryota."

"Hm?"

"You're squeezing too hard."

Ryota blinked.

He looked down.

Only then did he realize that his arms were still wrapped tightly around her.

Rio's face had become slightly red.

"I can't breathe."

Ryota immediately released her.

"Ah!"

He pulled his hands away so quickly that he nearly fell backward.

"S-Sorry!"

Rio took a deep breath.

Then another.

She slowly rolled her shoulders, allowing the tension to leave her body.

Ryota looked away, embarrassed.

"I got carried away."

Rio stared at him for a moment.

Then sighed.

"Idiot."

"Sorry."

The corner of Rio's mouth lifted slightly.

It wasn't much.

But it was enough.

The tension that had filled the room eased just a little.

Rio stood from the bed and straightened her clothes.

Ryota looked up at her.

"What?"

"We're going somewhere."

Ryota blinked.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

Rio didn't answer.

Instead, she walked toward her wardrobe and opened the doors.

Ryota stared at her back.

"...What?"

"I'm changing."

"Oh."

Ryota immediately stood.

"Right."

He walked toward the bedroom door.

Just before leaving, however, he glanced back.

Rio was already looking through her clothes.

"Don't peek."

"I wasn't going to!"

"You were thinking about it."

"I was absolutely not."

Rio gave him a suspicious look.

Ryota immediately opened the door.

"Okay, okay. I'm leaving."

He stepped into the hallway.

The door closed behind him.

Ryota stood outside and leaned against the wall.

For several minutes, he stared at the ceiling.

He had no idea where Rio was taking him.

But by now, he had learned something important.

When Rio used that particular tone of voice, asking questions usually wasn't worth the effort.

Especially when she clearly intended to keep the destination a secret.

Eventually, the bedroom door opened.

Ryota looked over.

Rio stepped into the hallway.

She had changed into clothes more appropriate for going outside. A simple jacket covered her shirt, while her long silver hair had been loosely tied behind her shoulders. Comfortable pants and casual shoes completed the outfit.

She looked nothing like the Silver War Goddess.

There was no armor.

No sword.

No gun.

No intimidating presence.

Just an ordinary girl preparing to spend an afternoon outside.

Ryota raised an eyebrow.

"Ready?"

Rio nodded.

"Yeah."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out."

Ryota sighed.

"Of course."

Rio walked toward the stairs.

Ryota followed.

Neither of them mentioned Project: Spectrum again.

Not yet.

The afternoon air outside was cool and refreshing.

Their neighborhood was relatively quiet. Cars occasionally passed along the road, while pedestrians moved between nearby stores and houses. Somewhere in the distance, a bicycle bell rang before disappearing beneath the ordinary noise of the city.

Rio walked beside Ryota with her hands tucked inside her jacket pockets.

She hadn't said much since leaving the house.

Ryota glanced at her several times.

Eventually, his curiosity won.

"So..."

Rio looked over.

"Where are we going?"

"To meet someone."

"Someone?"

"Yeah."

"Who?"

Rio looked forward again.

"A certain someone."

Ryota frowned.

"That's suspiciously vague."

"You'll see."

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

A faint smile appeared on Rio's face.

"A little."

Ryota sighed.

They continued down the street.

After several minutes, a familiar subway station came into view.

Rio descended the stairs first.

Ryota followed closely behind.

The underground station was considerably busier than their neighborhood. Commuters moved through the ticket gates while electronic announcements echoed through the station. The familiar rumble of arriving trains occasionally vibrated through the platform.

They waited together.

Several minutes later, the subway arrived.

The doors opened with a soft chime.

Rio stepped inside.

Ryota followed.

Fortunately, they found two seats together near the side of the carriage.

For the next thirty minutes, they traveled beneath the city.

Neither of them spoke very much.

Rio occasionally looked through the window at the darkness rushing past outside.

Ryota mostly watched her.

There was something different about her expression.

She wasn't frightened.

She wasn't uncertain.

But she was careful.

Almost too careful.

It looked as though she had already rehearsed this meeting several times inside her head.

Ryota wondered who they were meeting.

He considered asking again.

Then decided against it.

Whatever Rio had planned, she clearly had a reason.

Eventually, the automated announcement echoed through the carriage.

"Next station..."

Rio immediately stood.

Ryota looked up.

"Already?"

Rio nodded.

"This is it."

The train slowed.

The doors opened.

They stepped onto the platform.

Rio immediately began walking.

Ryota followed.

They climbed the long staircase leading out of the station, and bright afternoon sunlight greeted them as they emerged onto the street.

Ryota briefly raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Rio continued walking.

They passed several stores and turned onto a quieter street.

A few minutes later, Rio finally stopped.

Ryota looked ahead.

A restaurant stood in front of them.

He looked at the sign.

Then back at Rio.

"A restaurant?"

Rio nodded.

"Yep."

She opened the door.

A small bell rang overhead.

Warm light filled the interior. The smell of freshly prepared food drifted through the restaurant, and quiet conversations came from several occupied tables.

It was peaceful.

Almost too peaceful considering the secret they had been carrying.

Rio chose a table near the corner.

Ryota sat across from her.

He immediately noticed that Rio seemed more relaxed now.

A waiter approached and handed them menus.

Rio barely needed to look at hers.

"I'll have ramen."

Ryota smiled.

"Of course you will."

Rio looked at him.

"What?"

"Your favorite."

"It's good."

"You've eaten it like fifty times."

"That's because it's good."

Ryota laughed.

The waiter looked between them with a faint smile before turning toward Ryota.

"And for you?"

"I'll have sushi."

The waiter nodded and left.

Rio rested her elbows lightly against the table.

"They should be here soon."

Ryota leaned back.

"So we're meeting someone."

"Yes."

"At a restaurant."

"Yes."

"And you're ordering your favorite food."

"Yes."

Ryota narrowed his eyes.

"You're making this sound like a date."

Rio stared at him.

"It's not."

"Right."

"We're meeting someone important."

"Okay."

Ryota smiled.

"Who?"

Rio ignored him.

Ryota sighed.

"Fine."

They waited.

Several minutes passed.

Rio glanced toward the entrance.

Then toward her phone.

Then back toward the entrance.

Ryota noticed.

He raised an eyebrow.

"You're nervous."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You've checked the door six times."

Rio frowned.

"...Maybe I'm making sure she isn't late."

"Sure."

Rio gave him an annoyed look.

Before she could say anything else, a voice came from beside them.

"Are you Rio?"

Both of them froze.

Neither had noticed anyone approaching their table.

Ryota turned first.

A girl stood beside them.

She looked around their age.

Her black hair was tied into a simple ponytail, and a pair of earphones rested around her neck. A black jacket covered her casual clothes, and a gray backpack hung from one shoulder.

At first glance, there was nothing particularly remarkable about her.

She looked like an ordinary teenager meeting friends after school.

Her expression was calm, almost indifferent.

But Rio immediately smiled.

"Yes."

The girl studied her for a moment.

Then Rio spoke.

"It's nice to meet you in person, Sayanaki."

Ryota froze.

His eyes widened.

"...Wait."

He slowly turned toward Rio.

Then back toward the girl.

"Sayanaki?"

The girl sighed.

"Yep."

Ryota stared.

This was Sayanaki.

Not the crimson-haired assassin he had seen inside Evermount.

Not the terrifying player who could summon Knightmare Phantoms.

Not the mysterious warrior who had repeatedly demonstrated abilities that made even experienced players cautious.

This was Sayanaki.

In the real world.

Standing in front of them.

And somehow, she looked completely normal.

Ryota stared at her for several seconds.

"I can't believe it."

Sayanaki raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You actually exist."

Sayanaki stared at him.

"...That's a strange thing to say."

Rio covered her mouth.

A small laugh escaped.

Sayanaki looked at her.

Then at Ryota.

Then back at Rio.

"I'm guessing the idiot next to you is Ryota?"

Ryota immediately looked offended.

"Who are you calling an idiot?"

Rio laughed.

Sayanaki's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him.

"Yep."

She nodded once.

"Definitely him."

Ryota crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sayanaki pulled out the chair across from them.

Before sitting down, however, she looked at Rio.

Then at Ryota.

Then back at Rio.

"Who knew that even in the real world, you were still glued to her like some creep?"

Ryota's expression darkened.

"Excuse me?"

Rio giggled.

Then answered without hesitation.

"Well, he's my boyfriend after all."

Ryota froze.

Sayanaki raised an eyebrow.

Rio continued as casually as though she were discussing the weather.

"We started living together before Evermount launched. He moved into our household because of school."

Sayanaki stared at Ryota.

Then Rio.

Then Ryota again.

"So that's the explanation."

Rio nodded.

"Basically."

The truth was slightly more complicated.

They were fake dating.

Rio had needed an explanation for why a boy she had only recently met was suddenly living under the same roof as her family. Her mother and Akari needed something believable, and claiming Ryota was her boyfriend had been the simplest explanation.

Over time, however, the excuse had become their normal cover.

Sayanaki apparently accepted it without much difficulty.

She called the waiter over.

"I'll have soba."

The waiter nodded before leaving.

Sayanaki finally sat down.

Now that she was closer, Ryota noticed something interesting.

Her appearance was remarkably similar to her Evermount character.

The same general facial structure.

The same sharp eyes.

The same calm expression.

The largest difference was her hair.

In the real world, it was black.

Inside Evermount, it was crimson red.

Ryota looked toward Rio.

"So..."

He lowered his voice slightly.

"When did you know Sayanaki lived around here?"

"I didn't."

Ryota blinked.

"You guessed?"

"Exactly."

Rio folded her arms.

"It happened the night before we went to Floor Three."

Ryota remembered.

The night before the guild's journey, Rio had been speaking privately with Sayanaki.

"I remember she said she had something to do early the next morning."

Rio nodded.

"Exactly."

"That meant she was already preparing to log off for the night."

She looked toward Sayanaki.

"That made me think about her timezone."

Ryota listened carefully.

"I figured we might be in the same general region, so I privately asked where she was from."

Rio paused.

"I told her she didn't have to answer if she wasn't comfortable."

Sayanaki remained quiet, listening.

"Luckily, she trusted me enough to tell me."

Rio smiled faintly.

"That's when I realized we lived in the same general area."

"Not close enough to casually bump into each other, but close enough that meeting wasn't impossible."

Ryota nodded.

"And then you asked her to meet us during maintenance."

"Exactly."

Sayanaki rested her chin lightly against one hand.

"She made it sound very casual."

Ryota looked at her.

"But you agreed."

Sayanaki shrugged.

"She had already proven she wasn't some random player."

She glanced toward Rio.

"And honestly..."

Her expression became slightly more curious.

"I wanted to know what she was hiding."

Rio smiled.

"Fair."

The food eventually arrived.

Rio's ramen was placed in front of her, the rich aroma of broth immediately filling the space around the table.

Ryota's sushi arrived shortly afterward.

Sayanaki's soba followed.

For several minutes, the three simply ate.

It was strangely normal.

Three people who had spent countless hours fighting monsters, guilds, assassins, and bosses inside a virtual world were now sitting around a restaurant table in the real world, eating ordinary food.

No weapons.

No skills.

No system windows.

No health bars.

Just three teenagers having lunch.

Yet beneath that ordinary scene was a secret none of them could openly discuss.

Eventually, Sayanaki placed her chopsticks down.

Her expression changed.

"There is something that's been bothering me."

Rio slowly looked up.

Sayanaki stared directly at her.

"You said something before."

Rio already knew what she meant.

"You mentioned the update."

"The maintenance."

"The exact date."

"The exact duration."

Sayanaki's eyes narrowed.

"You told me about it before the developers announced anything."

Ryota stopped eating.

Sayanaki continued.

"I remember thinking it was strange."

She folded her hands together.

"Then the announcement came."

Her gaze remained fixed on Rio.

"And everything you predicted was correct."

Rio remained silent.

Sayanaki leaned slightly forward.

"So..."

She paused.

"Since I'm here..."

Her voice became quieter.

"And since you promised me you'd tell me the truth."

She looked directly into Rio's eyes.

"How did you know?"

The restaurant suddenly seemed quieter.

Not because the people around them had stopped talking.

But because Rio had stopped noticing them.

Sayanaki continued.

"How did you know there was going to be an update weeks before the announcement?"

"How did you know the exact date?"

"And how did you know how long the maintenance would last?"

Three questions.

Simple questions.

But Rio knew there was no way to answer them without opening a door she had spent the entire reset trying to keep closed.

Ryota looked toward her.

He already knew the answer.

Sayanaki didn't.

Not yet.

Rio slowly placed her chopsticks beside her bowl.

She looked at Sayanaki.

A faint smile appeared on her face, but there was no humor behind it.

"You're right."

Sayanaki waited.

"You probably won't believe what I'm about to say."

Her smile disappeared.

"But moving forward..."

Rio glanced toward Ryota.

"I want you to be the only other person we trust with this secret."

Sayanaki's expression changed.

Ryota remained silent.

He knew how important this moment was.

They had spent the entire reset protecting their secret.

Their knowledge of the future had already changed countless events.

The more people who knew, the greater the chance that something would go wrong.

Rio looked back toward Sayanaki.

"If you hear what I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone else."

Sayanaki didn't hesitate.

"Understood."

Rio studied her for several seconds.

Then slowly nodded.

She took a breath.

"Me and Ryota..."

She paused.

"We're from the future."

Sayanaki froze.

Rio continued.

"We were sent back."

"Back into our younger selves."

"One week before Evermount launched."

Sayanaki didn't move.

Her chopsticks remained suspended above her bowl.

For several seconds, she simply stared at Rio.

Then at Ryota.

Then back at Rio.

Her expression changed gradually.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Then something deeper.

"You..."

Her voice was barely audible.

"...came from the future?"

Rio nodded.

"Yes."

Ryota nodded beside her.

Sayanaki remained completely silent.

The restaurant continued around them.

People laughed at nearby tables.

Plates clinked together.

A waiter carried food across the room.

The kitchen remained busy.

Outside, cars continued passing through the streets.

The world had no idea that three people sitting at an ordinary restaurant table had just changed the meaning of everything that had happened inside Evermount.

Sayanaki slowly lowered her chopsticks.

She stared at Rio.

Then Ryota.

Then Rio again.

"The future..."

She whispered.

Rio nodded.

"Yes."

Sayanaki's expression remained frozen.

She had spent months watching Rio make decisions that seemed impossible.

She had watched her predict events.

Recognize things nobody else should have known.

Prepare for dangers before they appeared.

At first, Sayanaki had assumed Rio was simply extraordinarily intelligent.

Then she had wondered whether Rio possessed some rare Lost Skill.

Now she was being told something far more unbelievable.

Rio didn't know the future because she could predict it.

She knew it because she had already lived it.

Sayanaki finally found her voice.

"...Then..."

She swallowed.

"What else do you know?"

Rio's expression became serious.

She had expected the question.

Ryota had too.

Rio glanced toward him.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Neither needed to say anything.

They both understood that there was no going back now.

Sayanaki was standing at the edge of their greatest secret.

And once she stepped across it, she would never be able to look at Evermount—or either of them—the same way again.

Rio slowly leaned back in her chair.

"There is a lot."

Sayanaki waited.

Rio's eyes drifted toward the restaurant window.

Outside, ordinary people continued walking through the afternoon streets.

They had no idea that somewhere beneath the surface of their peaceful world was a game that had already been lived through once.

A game whose future Rio and Ryota remembered.

A future filled with victories.

Betrayals.

Wars.

Deaths.

And things Rio had spent years trying to forget.

Rio looked back at Sayanaki.

"But if you're really going to know..."

Her voice became quieter.

"...then you need to understand something first."

Sayanaki's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

Rio's expression hardened.

"The future isn't fixed."

Ryota remained silent.

Rio continued.

"Everything we've done since the reset has already changed things."

"The people we saved."

"The guilds we've created."

"The enemies we've encountered."

"The decisions we've made."

"None of them happened the same way in our first life."

She paused.

"That means even the things we remember may no longer happen exactly as they did before."

Sayanaki listened carefully.

"So you don't know everything anymore."

"Not anymore."

Rio shook her head.

"I know what happened."

"But I don't know what will happen."

She looked directly into Sayanaki's eyes.

"And that's why this secret matters."

Sayanaki slowly nodded.

For the first time, the enormity of what Rio and Ryota had entrusted to her seemed to settle over her.

This wasn't simply information about Evermount.

It wasn't a strategy.

It wasn't some hidden exploit.

They were carrying the memories of an entire lifetime.

A lifetime that nobody else remembered.

Sayanaki looked between them.

Then quietly asked:

"Why me?"

Rio didn't answer immediately.

Ryota glanced at her.

Rio's expression softened.

"Because I trust you."

Sayanaki blinked.

Rio continued.

"You've had opportunities to betray us."

"You could have sold information about us."

"You could have joined another guild."

"You could have turned against us."

"But you didn't."

Sayanaki remained silent.

Rio gave her a small smile.

"And because I think you're someone who deserves to know the truth."

Sayanaki looked down at her untouched food.

For a moment, she said nothing.

Then she picked up her chopsticks again.

"...Fine."

Ryota blinked.

"That's it?"

Sayanaki looked at him.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know."

"Then eat your sushi."

Ryota stared at her.

Rio laughed.

Sayanaki's expression remained completely serious.

But the slightest hint of amusement appeared in her eyes.

For the first time since the conversation had begun, the tension eased.

The three returned to their meals.

But things were no longer the same.

Sayanaki now knew.

She knew that Rio wasn't simply talented.

She knew that Ryota wasn't merely lucky.

She knew that their impossible decisions came from memories of a life that had already happened.

And somewhere beneath that knowledge was a far more frightening realization.

If Rio and Ryota had returned from the future...

then whatever had happened in their first life was still waiting somewhere ahead.

The difference was that this time, they knew it was coming.

And now—

Sayanaki knew too.