The wanted status was lifted. The avatar that had put up my face and issued warnings released a correction notice, and the Security Bureau mages who came to capture Shay returned after receiving the Black Tower Lord's orders.
It was turbulent from the very first day we arrived at Floating Castle, but now we could rest at ease. The Blue Tower Lord prepared quarters with a small room for me and Shay.
The Blue Tower Lord explained as she showed us the quarters.
"You two wouldn't know how to use magic tools, right? I'd like to teach you, but non-mages can't handle them. You'll have to make do with some inconvenience for now."
"What does it take to become a mage?"
"At the very least, you need to be able to sense magic power and inject it, and have the knowledge to utilize it. With no foundation, it's nearly impossible to learn in a short time, but you've learned systematic magic and Lankart publicly declared you a 'genius'... Pfft. Just kidding. You might learn it quickly?"
"You just laughed at me, didn't you?"
"Sorry. Did you hear that?"
"I'll turn that mockery into admiration."
"Hehe. I'll look forward to it."
The Blue Tower Lord, who had been chatting amiably, waved and returned to the Crystal Tower. Having gained a small peace, I relaxed and sat in a chair.
"Phew. I'm exhausted. Getting swept up in incidents right after arriving."
"...So. Since when did you two become so close?"
Why do you care about that so much? The Blue Tower Lord became close with you too, is it so strange for her to be close with me?
I tried to explain to Shay, who looked displeased for some reason.
"The Blue Tower Lord is also acquainted with Lankart. The Federal Intelligence Agency? The Blue Tower Lord is its head, and Lankart is an investigator under her. Lankart introduced the Blue Tower Lord to me, and that's how we set out to find you."
"...Hmm."
"You were originally planning to ask the Blue Tower Lord for help anyway, Shay. She has the character for it, doesn't she? Only the order changed, the result is the same."
"...Ahem."
"Anyway, you must be exhausted from the consecutive incidents, Shay. You should rest."
Without even getting proper rest and getting swept up in various incidents at Floating Castle, Shay was in a state close to burnout. If he had sufficient energy or stamina, he wouldn't have fled so helplessly earlier.
Not that he could have won against the Tower Lord anyway.
The Green Tower Lord, the Black Tower Lord, the Blue Tower Lord. Their strength overwhelms the Military State's Six Commanders. Just looking at their Unique Magic Paths alone shows this, and if they properly utilized White Magic as well, their destructive power would be immense.
Frankly speaking, they seemed much stronger than Elder, who was just brute-force strong. Though it might be different in a prolonged battle.
And the Demon King was... an outlier in every way.
A Magic God? It didn't feel like that. It was different from comprehending a grand principle that intervenes in all things in the world. It was simply that their Unique Magic Path was just that powerful.
And now I became even more curious.
Just how strong was the King of Sin, whom even the Sword Saint and the Demon King couldn't defeat?
"Shay. Anyway, there's something I want to ask."
"...Why should I answer?"
"At least hear the question before you push back!"
Why are you so hostile! You had softened up a bit before we came up here, but you've reverted right back!
"I'll listen. What is it?"
"That 'thing above Floating Castle' that you mentioned. What is it?"
"Ah. That."
This question must have been important to Shay as well, as his expression grew much more serious.
'I haven't completely gotten over my feelings, but I'll let it slide this time.'
Let it slide? Why should I care about your feelings? Something is wrong with this guy.
I really wanted to push back, but since what Shay had to say was also important, I decided to let it go too. Just this once.
"Huez. I think I told you. I regress."
"Yes. You did. Though I didn't hear a proper explanation."
"Yeah. I've experienced death more than twelve times... and each time, I return to a back alley in the Military State several years ago. And start a new loop."
I already knew this, but I had to pretend I didn't. I put on a deliberately serious expression and pretended to listen attentively.
Shay, unaware of my thoughts, earnestly recited his past.
"The very first time. I was drafted into the Military State without knowing anything and died swept up in war. And then I came back to life. After that, I ran away to survive, fought, gathered information, grew stronger. I used every means to escape death. But while there were times I died earlier... there was never a time I died later than in that war."
"What was that war?"
"The Second Sin War."
Shay said those words and shuddered. Even just hearing the name, it sounded like a grand war.
"Was that a war against the King of Sin, by any chance?"
"...Yeah. That's right."
"Don't tell me you use the term 'war' for fighting just one King of Sin?"
"It was warranted. The King of Sin was... stronger than any human..."
Muttering blankly, Shay began a brief and hazy recollection.
It wasn't clear. At that time, Shay was too weak and insignificant to be on that battlefield. He was simply swept along.
Even though he had learned ki manipulation, just standing on two legs was impossible. The earth shook and storms raged in the sky. Lightning fell like rain, and the world was torn apart dozens of times by the roaring thunder.
He barely survived thanks to Heaven's Reversal, but that was it. Fair death came for Shay as well. The King of Sin, who had easily slaughtered even the Sword Saint, the Demon King, and the Holy Maiden, appeared before Shay.
And now, I finally recognized that face. It was the figure of an older sister with gray hair.
"I can't defeat the King of Sin. So I decided to postpone the King of Sin's birth and deal with what would become their power in advance."
"How?"
"By stopping the First Sin War, which would become the trigger for the Second Sin War. And by interfering with Nebida's plans."
Ah. Right. If there's a Second Sin War, that means there's a First too, doesn't it?
"The war where I was drafted and died the very first time was the First Sin War. Spreading plagues, discrimination and massacre, conflicts over the Magic God, the gap between the Empire and the vassal states... Every country on the continent fought for their own reasons. It all ended in the Empire's victory, but... The world was devastated by the great war, and resentment toward the Empire grew even larger. Sin ran rampant across the nation."
This recollection was also hazy. Was it because it was too grand a concept? The black plague, the massacre of beastkin at the borders because of it, the conflicts and divisions that arose as a result. The vassal states' dissatisfaction and confrontation.
Among the fading afterimages passing by, Shay pulled out his most intense memory.
"And... the trigger for the First Sin War was. The Great Fall."
"The Great Fall?"
"Yeah. It's when that thing... the one above Floating Castle, falls from the sky..."
As he spoke, Shay's voice gradually grew quieter. Just when I thought his memory was becoming even hazier, Shay closed his eyes, nodded off, and then woke up.
I wondered why his memory was unusually hazy. You were dozing off.
"Are you tired?"
"I'm fine. I can still hold on."
Shay shook his head and pulled himself together. It was to wake up from sleep, but to me it seemed like a pointless action.
"Saying you can hold on means you're not okay. Enough. Let's sleep for now."
"But we should finish what we were talking about..."
"You can continue that tomorrow. It's not like something's chasing us. We have tomorrow."
When you recite hazily while dozing off, I'm the only one who loses out. I mean it's hard to follow.
Especially regarding this Floating Castle, I need to listen even more carefully. Who knows what might happen.
"...But."
"I'm also getting tired and need to rest. While I'm at it, you should get some sleep too, Shay. You must be exhausted from running around when your body hasn't even fully recovered."
I stood up with an attitude that said I wouldn't listen anymore. Shay still seemed dissatisfied, but I didn't listen and headed behind the chair where Shay was sitting.
"Ah. Wait a moment. What was this again?"
When I briefly channeled magic power into it, the chair's form changed. The armrests spread to the sides and the backrest tilted back, transforming the chair into an excellent bed.
Shay asked with a bewildered expression.
"Is this a magic tool?"
"Yes. I heard Floating Castle is narrow on space, so they use a lot of magic tools like this."
I even dimmed the lights and brought a blanket to cover him, telling him not to get up. In full sleep mode, Shay made mumbling sounds but eventually couldn't resist his increasingly heavy eyelids. As I watched Shay yawn widely, I was about to go to sleep too when...
"...Huez."
"Yes."
"I've failed a lot up until now. I failed about thirteen times, died, and came back. Obtained greater power, found out more information, discovered more treasures... And yet..."
Shay's eyes blinked shut. No matter how strong he is or how much of a ki manipulation master, fatigue is inevitable. Not to mention, forcing a reattached arm to move with ki manipulation would consume an enormous amount of vitality every moment.
I also decided to stay at Floating Castle for now. Lankart wouldn't be causing any incidents either. Shay could focus on recovery for the time being.
"Meeting you is a first for me..."
"I'm sure it is."
If you had known I was the King of Humans earlier, you would have come looking often. Hmph. This is why I didn't want to get deeply involved with Shay.
But if I was going to be found out eventually, what could I do. I was convincing myself like that when...
"...And, this loop... Even though I've suffered, and my arm was... torn off..."
Like Shay's gradually closing eyes, his words grew smaller as well. Right before falling asleep, he barely managed to finish his last words.
"...Still, because you were here. It seems to have gone... the best..."
With those final words, Shay fell asleep, breathing softly. Unconcerned that I was watching right beside him.
Hmm. I wonder if Shay knows. How much effort I've put in to cover up this disastrous human relationship.
I guess that's why it feels like things went well. Well, it's a good thing. If I can't distance myself from a regressor, it's better to get closer instead.
I pulled the blanket up to Shay's shoulders and was about to get up to attend to my own business...
Huh?
Something is tugging at my clothes. Glancing down, I saw the regressor's right hand tightly gripping my sleeve from under the blanket. I had no idea when this started.
"Shay."
No response even when I called. Just a moment ago he was trying not to fall asleep, and now he's trying not to wake up. Make up your mind, seriously.
It's an awkward situation, but who am I? I'm the escape master once called a magician. If I can't escape from a mere grip like this, the name magician would weep.
I slid a card between his fingers and my sleeve to slip it out...
"Huh?"
His grip is so strong that a single card can't pass through? What is this? Even rigor mortis wouldn't be this strong. Is Heaven's Reversal active?
Tch. Can't be helped. If I force it off... Oh, wait. This person's arm was reattached not long ago. What if it snaps off again if I pull forcefully?
I couldn't do this or that. I, who even escaped a gravity barrier, was struggling against this tiny grip. It hurt my pride.
More than anything, I needed to get some sleep too. I can't sleep while being held like this...
"Ah. I can actually sleep, can't I?"
Whatever. I gave up on trying to detach Shay's hand. Instead, I lifted the blanket and lay down beside Shay.
I can't leave because you're holding me. Might as well sleep here.
With the sound of peaceful breathing as a backdrop, feeling the body temperature next to me. I too fell asleep, with Shay's arm still attached.