As time passed, I felt the sensation of my body recovering.

It was probably Adrian and Adele working hard. Miracles are never caused by the gods.

They can lend their power, but the deeds it brings forth rely on will.

“The outside time must have passed about a week. I have many things to share with you, but time is tight, so I’ll only tell you the important ones.”

What the goddess revealed to me was Kaitel’s current state. The erosion that began with the first reincarnation was now on the verge of completely devouring his mind.

The more repetitions of reincarnation there were, the faster that erosion became, and by the starting point of this reincarnation, it likely meant that the erosion was nearly complete.

“So that means I always reincarnated at the same point.”

“The point where the dead dragon’s erosion began was back then. Unfortunately, aside from stopping your erosion, there was nothing I could do.”

Does that mean there was no divine intervention in what I had built up until now?

It’s not disheartening, but if it had been a little earlier, I might have been able to change more. However, I couldn’t blame this goddess. The fact that I hadn’t been devoured by the dead dragon was purely the goddess’s blessing.

“The dead dragon is not a god. It’s inherently impossible for a human to attain divinity, but the dead dragon was born as a monstrous beast.”

“A monstrous beast… Is that like a demon?”

“Originally, a monstrous beast is a being weaker than a demon. It’s just that the dead dragon was a bit special.”

The dead dragon was born as a predator. It hunted visible kin, and later, it gained power by devouring demons, and with the ability to manipulate space and time, how could it be treated simply as a monstrous beast?

The gods cannot hold it back. It was a restraint placed upon humans, yet the goddess stated that the dead dragon is certainly not a god.

“Moreover, this time it manifests in a human body. The dead dragon’s goal is to deny my existence. Using Kaitel’s hand to seize the imperial family, and the emperor… it wouldn’t be wrong to call him the crown prince’s puppet. His soul was taken long ago.”

“Even the emperor.”

I didn’t realize there was something wrong with the emperor. After all, I hadn’t been cautious regarding the dead dragon when I met him.

If the emperor was in such a state, it wouldn’t be surprising if Miragen was in danger. As my eyes sharpened, the goddess quietly parted her lips as if to reassure me.

“If you’re thinking about the princess, she should be fine. Her mind is strong enough that the dead dragon cannot easily erode it, and of course, she inherited my noble bloodline.”

“Noble bloodline?”

“Not everyone can be entangled in reincarnation. Even if your connection with me is deep, it’s only possible if you inherit the powers of either myself or the dead dragon related to this reincarnation.”

“It’s not something anyone can do. Even if our connection is deep, it’s only possible if I inherit the powers associated with this reincarnation from either myself or the Dead Dragon.”

Adrian, having received the Goddess’s power, became a Saint, so I understand. If Miragen has just inherited the memories from the Goddess’s bloodline… What about Adele? Upon hearing that question, the Goddess looked at me as if to say, “Did you really not know?” Adele did not inherit the Goddess’s bloodline. According to the Goddess, something must connect to inherit memories. So where on earth did she inherit them from?

“Lunatic. It’s one of the weapons I created.”

I tilted my head at the name Lunatic for a moment and then realized that it was the sword Adele always carried, chuckling to myself.

No wonder it seemed extraordinary; was it a divine weapon created by the God Himself? Better performance than any ordinary weapon—it was not just an unnamed legendary sword but a divine tool.

That would explain why she possesses memories even within reincarnation. Having handled the Goddess’s power countless times, it would have seeped into her without her even realizing it.

The reason she cannot recall all her memories? Because she doesn’t have a direct lineage. Conversely, the reason Adrian could see all his memories was likely because he was directly bestowed power from the God, aside from the Crown of Memories.

“If Kaitel received power from the Dead Dragon, he must now know about your reincarnation. It was the same in your previous life, and naturally, he tried to kill you.”

“No matter what I did, I still died—” “That was because he predicted what you would do. He’s not foolish enough to let ignorance stop him.”

If that’s the case, I could understand the countless reincarnations. It wasn’t merely fate intervening and twisting things, but a person named Kaitel directly cutting off my destiny.

Though I felt a bit deflated, I thought it might be better this way. That means if I catch Kaitel, it will all end. Of course, given the time that has passed… I’ll probably have to fight the Dead Dragon directly.

“There isn’t enough time to fight the Dead Dragon yet.”

“I know. But it’s also true that we can’t delay any longer. I understand my shortcomings, but this is the last opportunity. There will be no resurrection; remember that everything must come to an end in this one life.”

I know. And it’s exactly because I know that I’m speaking like this now. I’m not hoping for victory to be achieved through someone else’s efforts; I’m just anxious.

Is it really okay to march towards the capital like this? Even if I fully recover from all my wounds, what if I end up back at square one and crumble again?

There were times when such thoughts would swirl in my head.

The Goddess smiled gently at me, but that did nothing to ease my anxiety. Right, this is my duty.

She looked at me with a small smile, but that didn’t alleviate my anxiety. Yeah, this is my job.

Since I started it, I should see it through to the end, right? Worrying about it wouldn’t change anything. Even at this moment, time was passing, and Adele, Adrian, and Miragen were—

…waiting for me.

Taking a deep breath helped me feel a bit better, and I quietly lifted my head, feeling the completely healed chest.

The space was collapsing. The once pure white starlit sky was once again shrouded in shadows, and the shattered temple began to fall to the ground.

The dust scattered in the wind, breaking apart the space.

Bit by bit, piece by piece.

Frowning at the fading energy of the goddess, the goddess, still wearing Adrian’s face, smiled softly and opened her mouth. Her voice was similar enough to be annoying.

It was a little softer than I knew, but it didn’t change the fact that the essence was Adrian. Perhaps, Adrian’s voice might have come from there.

“I think it’s fortunate that Adrian got to meet you. In the countless cycles of repetition, the chance for that child and you to connect was just this one time.”

“…Is that so?”

“It’s a stroke of luck. I can guarantee it’s a bond unlike any other for both of you. Unlike other women… I mean.”

Seeing her eyes turn cold when she mentioned the other two, I felt she couldn’t help but have some affection for her child. But now, I couldn’t differentiate between them.

There was one person I couldn’t afford to lose, which is why I could throw my body into this.

The goddess’s eyes, which had grasped my feelings to some degree, narrowed momentarily. My increasingly fading body signified her diminishing power, and with a small sigh, the goddess began to move her lips.

“I can help you up to this point. Everything you needed to know has been revealed, and you already possess the means to defeat the dead dragon.”

“The means?”

“It’s possible. I wouldn’t stake everything on something impossible, so I suppose that evidence is…”

A tap. The goddess’s fingertip touched the area near my heart. For a brief moment, my shoulder twitched at the cool shock, and I gazed at the goddess, dazed by the power flowing through my heart.

It felt like something that had been empty was now being filled. So, this was probably my heart regenerating.

“The child I entrusted everything to will manage. I have no lingering attachments now.”

“Are you completely disappearing?”

“I won’t vanish. If there are those who believe in and remember me as a god, this name will remain in the sky forever. Someday, a time will come when I will be forgotten, but at least I will be able to witness the conclusion of all things.”

“It doesn’t matter. If I believe in the god that is me and remember, this name will remain in the sky forever. One day, the time will come when I will be forgotten, but at least I will witness the conclusion of everything.”

“Well then. That means there’s no need to mourn for what disappears. If a god that looks exactly like Adrian were to vanish, that would weigh on my heart just the same.”

I caught the gaze of the goddess, who was disappearing more rapidly now, as she gave me strength, yet I didn’t have anything particular to add. The words spoken so far sufficed, and I had the feeling that nothing would change with any more remarks.

The world crumbles. The realm shatters, and the goddess completely vanishes, bringing calm once more. I step cautiously onto the white ground that stretches out into the winding path beyond.

Perhaps when I reach the end, I will finally awaken.

Now, it was time to awaken.

#

“…It’s a ring.”

A week later, Adrian felt the ring on his finger and looked at Adele.

Though nothing reflected in his eyes, Adele thought that those transparent eyes somehow felt especially cold—and let out a small cough.

“I put it on. Due to various circumstances.”

“I didn’t bring it up to blame you. It’s just that you seem a bit more honest now.”

The fact that Adele, who had hidden her feelings until now, said this meant that Robert would change significantly upon awakening. Perhaps the strange nerve-wracking tension would dissipate.

In its place, there was a high possibility of a more straightforward situation unfolding. Well, Adrian wasn’t worried about that part anyway. After all, he wasn’t the one who stole Robert’s first life in this life.

He thought Adele would be horrified if she knew, but Adrian let out a sigh casually and gently brushed Robert’s forehead.

“When will he awaken? The wounds have healed, but he still hasn’t regained consciousness.”

“…He will awaken soon. That’s what I believe.”

How wonderful that would be. Smiling slightly while struggling to genuinely smile, Adele slowly touched Robert’s forehead.

In that stillness, a tiny sound arose. The sound of life returning once more, unnoticed by anyone.

Thump.

In the darkness, the moment Robert’s vitality began to return was at hand.