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Zenith carried the tea tray down the long hallway toward the living room.
Just moments ago, as her conversation with Isolte concluded, Laws and Norn had arrived with Sylphie and Eris in tow.
The living room erupted in chatter—
Then fell dead silent.
Laws and Norn froze mid-greeting, their eyes locking onto Paul's disheveled shirt and the very conspicuous marks on his neck. Their expressions cycled through shock, disbelief, and sheer awkwardness as they took in the room full of 'children.'
Sylphie's face burned crimson. She facepalmed.
How is Paul still like this?! Didn't anyone tell him?!
Paul, however, remained unshaken. With a dignified cough, he subtly slid the bag of gold off the table and rose to greet his future in-laws—because yes, in his mind, Laws and Norn totally counted.
(His lack of self-awareness was truly breathtaking.)
Zenith, ever perceptive, sized up the situation instantly. A glance at Lilia's bowed head, Allen's calm demeanor (with Aisha still glued to his lap), and Rudeus's twitching eyebrow told her everything.
She sighed, set the tea down, and wordlessly began fixing Paul's buttons.
Conversation resumed.
The room relaxed.
Norn cooed at little Norn. Lilia and Zenith played hostess, serving tea.
Laws, after an awkward pause, abandoned Paul entirely and beelined for Allen—much to Sylphie's embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Eris—usually the loudest presence—stood unnaturally still.
Her crimson eyes bored into Aisha, who was still happily perched on Allen's lap.
Aisha's grin faltered.
She blinked at Eris.
Then, like a mouse spotting a hawk, she slid off Allen's lap and scurried to Lilia's side, her earlier bravado gone.
Finally, a normal child's reaction.
Eris smirked, satisfied with her dominance.
Until Allen flicked her forehead and shoved a teacup into her hands.
"Thirsty? Drink."
"Uncle Laws, excuse me—I need the washroom."
Laws nodded amiably. Eris, meanwhile, gulped the tea—
"HOT!"
"Pfft—OW! Why'd you hit me?!" Rudeus yelped as Eris retaliated.
Allen shook his head, turning—
And found Isolte staring at him, tray in hand.
"Something wrong?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
"Sit. We're leaving soon—you've been traveling nonstop."
"I'm fine, senior."
"Sit."
"...Okay."
Their shoulders brushed as Allen stepped past her.
Down the hall.
Away from the noise.
He glanced back.
Paul. Zenith. Lilia. Laws. Norn.
Sylphie. Eris. Rudeus. Isolte.
Nearly everyone he cared for in this world, crammed into one tiny room.
His steps slowed.
The wall crept into his vision, obscuring them one by one—
Until they vanished entirely.
Allen stopped.
The bathroom door stood to his left.
He smirked.
Turned.
And took the stairs two at a time.
'System. It's lively downstairs—come celebrate.'
No response.
His footsteps grew faster, lighter. His eyes gleamed.
Up the stairs. Down the hall.
Into his old room.
The desk. The figurines.
Everything untouched.
He laughed.
"Fuck 'Future Sight.' Feels like yesterday."
He yanked the drawer open.
Dusty stationery.
'System. Now.'
Silence.
Allen's grin widened.
"Location search: Hilda."
Nothing.
He plucked a quill from the holder, flexing it absently.
'No signal again? How… random.'
Snap.
The quill broke.
He examined the fracture like a teacher pondering a misbehaving student.
'Three times. I remember clearly.'
'First: Outside Buena. After 'meeting' Roxy. The moment I mentioned Orsted, you vanished.'
'After that, I pretended not to think about it. Focused on Orsted. Mentioned him constantly. But you never faltered again. You knew I was baiting you.'
'Dead end.'
'Second: Childhood rewards. The location search. Ten seconds—but the instant I saw Roxy's eyes, I knew.'
'This life? I'm keeping her.'
'Future be damned.'
'And that's when the map glitched.'
'You shorted me a second.'
'Couldn't? Or wouldn't?'
'Another dead end.'
'Third: After Eris's birthday. I realized—coddling her was wrong. Her potential outstrips mine. The stronger I get, the stronger she gets. And vice versa.'
'Perfect synergy.'
'So I taught her the Silent Swordstyle early.'
'Used [Persuasion] to test you. Praised it endlessly.'
'And you ghosted me.'
'The pattern?'
"You glitch when the future changes."
'But why no glitch when I decide, only when I act? Unless…'
'Unless you can't see my thoughts when I mask them.'
'Your 'Future Sight' isn't sight at all. It's observation.'
'You watch yourself. You watch your apostles. Only when both align do you 'see' the future.'
'Apostles aren't your toys. They're your eyes.'
'You need them.'
'Pathetic.'
The quill trembled in his grip.
'You call yourself a god?'
'Your divinity is broken.'
'Your 'future' is guesswork.'
'Speak,* Human God.'*
'Deny* me.'*
Silence.
Ten seconds.
Allen set the quill down.
'Ah.'
'You really aren't here.'
'My god.'
The old joke carried no mirth now.
A challenge hurled at divinity.
No answer came.
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