Chapter 195 : Chapter 195

Chapter 195 : Weaving the Threads of the Past (1)

-RATTLE, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍RATTLE.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍train bound for the south—especially its private cars, once crowded with nobles and the wealthy—now had only silence filling their empty seats.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍reason the train’s cozy private rooms had lost their appeal was simple: this train was headed for a strategic point in the south, where conflict with rebels and Cultists raged fiercely.

Thus, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍using one of this train’s private rooms in the current situation meant one of two things.

You ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were either a mad rich person who enjoyed journeys that carried such risks, or a knight being dispatched to the Southern Front.

Pleta ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Templeton, the sole passenger using a private room on this train, was the latter. Aware that this journey would be quite eventful, she was throwing herself into that chaos.

“…….”

At least for now, however, the thoughts filling the mind of the knight headed for the battlefield had nothing to do with the mission before her.

Reclining in the soft seat and looking out the window with blue eyes, she was immersed in thoughts of a deeply personal nature.

Or perhaps they concerned the fate of the world even more than the battlefield she was heading toward.

‘Junior Rain…….’

Her thoughts were of Rain Enlight, the junior she had met earlier and a rising figure of interest in the Abellon Empire.

“His impression……had changed considerably.”

He had never been someone who gave a warm impression, but the atmosphere of the boy she had seen after so long was ‘more dangerous’ than anything before.

‘I cannot quite say what exactly is dangerous about him.’

Still, she could roughly estimate two kinds of danger. The first was the instinctive danger she felt from him as a person, conveyed to her by the senses of a high-ranking Master Knight.

‘That surprise attack would have startled even me…….’

She had followed the boy simply to tease him, but she had made no mistake in concealing her presence.

Even a Master Knight equal to Pleta herself would not easily notice being followed unless they were already on guard.

But

‘Not only did he notice my stealth, he even counterattacked.’

“Eek……”

Pleta gave a small shiver. She had not truly been terrified, but it was a fact that her heart had nearly stopped.

Movement without waste. A sword strike without hesitation. A sharp sword path.

‘Above all, the firm killer intends to definitely kill his opponent.’

They had exchanged only one strike, but that had been more than enough to gauge his skill and level.

Remarkable ability comparable to the formidable enemies she had faced until now. She had glimpsed that much in the current rain.

“What on earth happened to him…….”

She had known he possessed outstanding skill since she first saw him during the first-year midterms.

Even then, she had thought that by the time he graduated, he had the makings to become one of the stronger knights.

“I never imagined he would grow this strong so rapidly.”

But the current Rain……his entire body, his very existence, was like a single weapon honed to a razor’s edge.

The second danger she felt from him was the danger he himself contained.

Not danger he projected outward, but danger that was eating away at him.

‘It is difficult to say exactly which part of him feels that way, but……he looks precarious.’

Pleta closed her eyes and recalled the rain she had seen yesterday.

Eyes that looked the same at first glance, but seemed to have lost their light, leaving their darkness deeper than before.

Near-paranoid vigilance, searching for danger at every moment even while talking.

The killing intent he gave off habitually, perhaps without even properly recognizing it himself.

Rain had always given off a gloomy, worn-down air, but his state had become incomparably more ominous than before.

‘Perhaps that is a kind of charisma too……but at least for him, it cannot be a positive direction.’

He might have resembled a glass ornament that looked ready to shatter at any moment.

A bomb on the verge of exploding belonged on the same line.

But what else could Pleta do?

She had only spent a little over an hour with Rain.

Could she point out his problem, listen to his circumstances, and offer a solution within that brief time?

Even if she had plenty of time, could she offer a solution?

Would Rain himself honestly reveal the problem?

It was not a realistic path.

Thus, Pleta chose the best option available to her.

She raised his spirits, made jokes, and showed him that there were definitely people around him who cherished him.

“It was the best choice, I know, but…….”

Even if it had been the best choice, it had not been ideal. Since she could not solve the problem herself, she felt unavoidable unease and a small amount of guilt.

“Haa.”

A single sigh fell into the private room steeped in silence.

Still, all she could do was pray, with a measure of worry, that good fortune would lie ahead for the boy.

To me, Robelia il Enlight was the most questionable existence among the people who made up this world of .

What I knew at present was……that she was Rain Enlight’s half-sister and the Enlight family’s eldest daughter, Claudio’s fiancée, and someone who harbored unusual feelings toward Rain Enlight.

‘Something so horrifying that it can no longer even be called affection.’

Yes. That was all the information I had about her.

Though I knew the original work’s contents inside out, all I knew about her was one-dimensional information that could be learned through experience and what was publicly known.

The reason for that was simple.

‘Robelia il Enlight never appeared in the original at all.’

It was not merely that she had a minor role or failed to stand out. Like Rain Enlight, she was a background character who did not appear in the main story even once.

As the Enlight family’s eldest daughter and Claudio’s fiancée, she was merely a narrative device meant to let readers indirectly sense the influence of those two.

‘That was certainly everything Robelia was meant to be.’

But the actions she had shown in this world clearly contradicted those of the original.

Unlike the original, where she never intervened in any events, she faithfully involved herself in politics as Claudio’s companion.

And……right now, she was emitting Mana so ominous that it overwhelmed even me, someone who had defeated countless formidable enemies.

‘……This is clearly strange.’

The woman smiling before me with an unknowable intention had not merely been weak—she should not have possessed any combat ability in the first place. No, that should have been impossible.

‘If she had possessed Mana at this level, she would have been mentioned long ago.’

Above all, when I had encountered her twice before, I had felt indescribable discomfort and ominousness, but I had not sensed Mana at anywhere near this level.

‘Something definitely happened.’

The last time I had encountered Robelia was at the Exchange Meeting, just before I faced Grændal, Akmandar, and Salvatio.

Until then, I had not felt this kind of strangeness from her.

-TSK.

Rather, thanks to my improved mental strength, I had been able to offer a truly passive form of resistance by clicking my tongue when our eyes met.

But what had happened to her? What had made her this way? How had it happened? Why had it happened?

Everything was obscured.

As my thoughts spun furiously—

“Seeing you carry yourself so admirably……I am moved. I feel as though I could cry.”

Her sweet voice stopped my thoughts and paralysed my reason.

“……Ah.”

A dangerous sensation that was both ecstatic and disgusting, as though my entire body were being slowly bound by enchantment.

‘……This is dangerous. Truly.’

I had experienced this sensation before.

After Ad Astra’s attack on the Academy, when I had essentially encountered Robelia for the first time.

-Please, will you answer me?

Those words had felt like a categorical imperative—or a divine revelation—that perfectly crushed even the will to reject and resist.

I remembered them. There was no way I could forget.

Even after enduring the pain of death hundreds of times without yielding, I had trembled so miserably at a single sentence from a girl in whom I could not sense even a handful of Mana.

How could I forget the shock of nearly submitting despite possessing the high-grade, mental fortitude-enhancing Trait 『Iron Will』?

Afterward, I experienced countless pains, and throughout that process, my mental strength steadily grew alongside my skill.

Thus, I had been confident. If the day came when I encountered Robelia again, I would not merely tremble helplessly as I had before.

But

‘Again……!’

Cruelly, nothing about the situation had changed.

“But perhaps the old Rain was cuter? That part is a shame.”

“Urgh…….”

Was I not once again trembling like an aspen and submitting to every word she said?

“Hehe, I mean the Rain from those dreamlike days, who was like my own adorable doll.”

Even while those humiliating years from the past were being mocked under the guise of false love.

But why?

《 Trait List 》

『Iron Will』[S]

: You possess exceptional mental fortitude.

: Grants bonuses to Mental Abnormality Resistance and Pain Endurance.

The S-grade 『Iron Will』 I had attained after countless battles and incidents was not mere decoration.

It was proof that I possessed superhuman mental strength, among the highest levels in this world.

But why was my mind being struck so powerfully? Even though I possessed a Trait capable of nullifying mental interference magic of the same grade?

Yes, I had personal trauma, but was that enough for only a few words to affect me like this?

Could this perhaps be—

“I am hurt. We have not seen each other in so long, and you are being far too stiff with me, are you not, Rain?”

“Ah…….”

My thoughts, which had barely begun moving again, stopped once more simply because a single syllable she spoke echoed in my ears.

“Just for now, focus on me……because it is us, right?”

At those words, my defiance was shaved away. I lost the will to resist.

“Well, fine. It has always been like this. I love that part of you too because it is so cute. Anyway—”

I fell.

Within helplessness.

Perhaps into helplessness itself.

“With your amusing friends lately……you seem to be working very hard to oppose the Most Exalted One.”

In my powerlessness, I fall.

Perhaps into helplessness.

She—Robelia—was going to take what she wanted from me.

“So, you see…….”

Ah.

At that moment, I instinctively foresaw that I would not be able to refuse the request that would logically follow.

I would end up telling her my deepest secret, the very secret that she, and Ad Astra, would most want to know.

It was not thought of. It was not judgment.

It was merely something closer to a scream for survival, crying out from the deepest level of my existence.

‘Is that so.’

I did not want it to end yet.

I did not want to lose.

I wanted those bastards who had toyed with me to pay the price they deserved.

Relying not on calm thought, but on such primal and irrational emotions, I…….

[ System : Skill, 『Iron Will[S]』 mitigates the effects of the mental attack! ]

“……Please, fuck off.”

“What……?”

Squeezing out the last handful of reasons I had left, I plunged a hand into my clothes as I spoke.

-CLICK.

I drew the pistol I had prepared for emergencies and aimed it.

Not at the hateful sister before me……

“Rain……!”

But at my own temple.

“……Ha, ha.”

My mind was exhausted as though I had collapsed, yet I still forced a smile.

Because Robelia il Enlight wore an expression as though she had been genuinely shocked by my action.

‘Am I finally landing a blow?’

Then I pulled the trigger.

‘Well, it will all be undone.’

-CLICK.

There was no gunshot. My vision merely went black.

And then, what came into view was—

[ System : [3235] deaths overcome. ]

This notification, which had become so familiar to me by now.

All right. Let us begin again.

Let us turn this sudden crisis into an opportunity.