Episode 150
"I'll explain from now on. You have the right to know."
After looking at Peruche with a cold expression for a while, Peruche began to speak as she started walking.
"Listen carefully. I'm only going to say this once."
"Yes."
"And even if you don't understand, just listen."
"What?"
"You're good at memorizing, aren't you? If something happens to me, convey this exactly to Frey. He'll be able to understand."
At those words, Irina wore a dazed expression while Peruche continued speaking as she quietly walked along the roadside.
"The fictional world manifested in the trials given by the system is not actually a fictional world."
"Then what is it?"
"It sends the trial subject to the past. Or, to be more precise... to a 'previous save file.'"
Thanks to Peruche suddenly starting to use strange terminology, Irina frowned, but soon closed her eyes and began quietly memorizing her words.
"The illusions Frey saw in the first trial are one of the events recorded in numerous save data."
"The first trial?"
"The second trial also sent Frey to a save file where a bad ending was recorded."
"Wait, what is... a save file?"
When Irina, who had been quietly memorizing what Peruche was saying, cautiously asked, Peruche, who was walking down the street, glared at her.
"I told you to just memorize."
"Ah, no... I need to understand at least..."
"I'm joking. I should explain that much."
Perhaps she didn't want to argue, Peruche sighed and slowly began to explain.
"The entertainment called 'game' that exists in the world the first hero came from can save progress information in a format called 'save data.' And the player playing the game can load that save data at any time."
"Oh, um... if it's a game..."
"Frey must have told you about 'Black Tail Fantasy,' so you can roughly understand, right?"
When Irina nodded at those words, Peruche sighed and started walking again.
"Of course, what I said applies to typical games. Black Tail Fantasy has a different structure."
"How is it different?"
"If you 'fail' to clear the game, you have to 'retry.' You have to start all over again from the very beginning."
With an expression full of exhaustion, Peruche said that, then suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.
"The save file remains merely as a means to mock the player as a 'trial.' By showing the mistakes and failures one committed, it lowers the motivation to move forward."
Peruche's appearance looked so desolate that Irina unknowingly began to approach her.
"I have the ability to 'retry' by returning to the first save data."
"What?"
"It'll be easier for you to understand if you think of it as the ability to regress to the starting point."
Glancing at her, Peruche whispered in a low voice.
"Hundreds of times, tens of thousands of times... no, I've regressed to a point where I can't even count anymore."
"W-why..."
"For a single possibility. To reach the possibility that was destined to definitely occur."
Saying that, Peruche smiled broadly.
"The possibility where I become Frey's partner, and thanks to that, Frey receives the third trial where he faces the 'biggest secret,' and you intrude into that trial - an impossible probability that was also a possibility that was destined to occur."
While shedding a single tear from her eye.
"I've finally reached that possibility."
"...I, I don't understand."
But when Irina still had a confused expression, Peruche smiled and said.
"The third trial is a bit special. Among the save data, it sends the trial subject to the very first save data."
"The first save data?"
"Yes, the first record that is connected to all save data that occurs after that."
Wiping away the tear that flowed from her eye, Peruche said with a trembling voice.
"The world we're in right now is... a pure world before countless branching points and timelines were created."
"Hmm... it's difficult but I somewhat understand."
"At the same time, it's also the world I arrive at every time I do a retry."
Saying that, she took Irina's hand and began heading somewhere.
"Do you know who I saw every time I retried, every time young Frey tried to erase his memories when he was still good?"
"W-who did you see?"
"It's you, Irina."
"M-me?"
"I've seen you countless times standing beside young Frey, hesitating and activating the scroll."
Wearing a worn-out smile, Peruche said that.
"And that was the driving force that allowed me to keep challenging endlessly. Because your presence there was proof that you intruding into the third trial would definitely happen."
Peruche seemed somehow small but also very large, causing Irina to unknowingly gulp.
"And finally, that event occurred."
"Ah..."
"One coincidence occurs, right before five achieve enlightenment, and at the same time you intrude into the third trial... that nearly impossible probability."
"W-wait."
When Peruche grinned while saying that, Irina asked with a flustered expression.
"T-that doesn't make sense. It's a time paradox, this."
"Huh?"
"My future self interfering with the past having a decisive influence? That goes against the laws of the world..."
"...'Save data' doesn't simply mean the past."
"Then?"
"It's the gods recording events that occur in the world - simultaneously the world's laws and providence itself. So you shouldn't apply such common sense."
When Irina made a confused expression and grabbed her head at those words, Peruche sighed and said.
"When save data changes, it affects all save data that occurred after it. In other words, from the moment you intruded into the third trial... the record has already changed, transcending all timelines."
"So, to summarize, it's this?"
Irina, who had been thinking to her limit, concluded.
"There's an omnipotent diary, and the world's records are written in it."
"Yes."
"That diary only records, and you can't check previous contents."
"Right."
"But by using some method, I succeeded in opening the first page of that diary."
"Exactly."
"Because it's an omnipotent diary containing the world's records, not simply concepts of past and future, all records written after it were affected and changed by the record I modified?"
When Peruche nodded, Irina said with an uncertain expression.
"On the other hand, you, who uniquely had the ability to return to the first page of that diary, for some reason saw me modifying the first page."
"Yes."
"You went back to the first page countless times to create the moment that would become the trigger for that event. For some unknown reason, the plan you're devising must be carried out in a playthrough where I succeeded in doing something like this."
"That's the correct answer."
Having received Peruche's confirmation that she understood properly, Irina raised her eyebrows and asked.
"Wait, then how do I go back?"
"When the trial ends, you'll automatically return to your original point. Unlike me who returns to the very beginning, you're temporarily accessing this save data through the power of the trial."
Upon hearing that answer, Irina opened her mouth wide and said.
"Then you have to go through everything again from the beginning?"
"No, there's a method, so don't worry."
When Peruche started moving her hands busily saying that, Irina tilted her head and asked her.
"What on earth... is the thing you were trying to do by going this far?"
To that question, Peruche smiled and answered.
"You're seeing it right now."
"What?"
"The temporary power that was given to you the moment you tore the scroll."
Saying that, Peruche pointed to where a window had been spewing error messages in front of Irna.
[Debug Mode]
It was floating neatly.
> Enter command.
"W-what is this?"
"It's simple. Using this 'Debug Mode,' you can gain access rights to the save file containing all truths."
"Um... didn't you just say that save files can't be accessed?"
Peruche, who was looking at Irina with affection for remembering what she said well, tapped the system window floating in front of her.
"That's right, so I'm going to use the trial, which is a function to access save data, in reverse."
"In reverse?"
"With the power of a foolish observer god contained in the scroll you tore, I'm going to hack... no, slightly modify the third trial."
"What kind of modification?"
"Read what's written here."
Saying that, Peruche took out a paper from her bosom and handed it to Irina.
"Access to trial administrator privileges."
When she read the first phrase written on the paper with sentences in order, a large translucent window floated in front of her.
[Trial Management System]
[Current trial subject: Irina Philiad]
Trial content: Reveals the biggest secret that the trial subject doesn't know.
Scope: Limited to the first save data.
Condition: Peruche Astelleid becomes Frey's partner.
"I will modify the information."
Looking at the translucent window, Irina declares.
[Which information would you like to modify?]
"I will change the scope."
[Please specify the scope.]
"From the first save data, to the most recent save data."
Then, the window floating in front of her shook.
[Warning! Scope is too large! Serious errors may occur...]
"I'll also add trial subjects."
She was slightly shaken by that, but she steadfastly continued speaking.
"Add Peruche Astelleid, Serena Luna Moonlight, Klana Solar Sunrise, Kania as subjects."
As Irina called out the names, she took a deep breath and concluded.
"And... add Frey Raon Starlight."
Then, another translucent window floated in front of her.
[Would you like to add Peruche Astelleid, Serena Luna Moonlight, Klana Solar Sunrise, Kania, and Frey Raon Starlight as new trial subjects?]
"Yes."
The moment Irina declared to the translucent window, the world began to shake.
"W-what? What is this?"
When Irina screamed in fright at the strange phenomenon, Peruche said with a relieved expression.
"The last gateway... to head to the DLC."
"What? Last gateway?"
"Now, now it's really the end..."
Irina urgently asked back, but Peruche was no longer looking at her.
[Third trial occurring!]
"I still don't understand so much!!!"
When Irina screamed in that situation, Peruche chuckled and said.
"The five girls including you and Frey who were in the playthrough where Irina existed will experience a new third trial with the conditions just set."
"What? What point in time are we going to?"
"To the cursed playthrough where all of this began."
"Stop speaking in riddles! Make it understandable!"
In the crumbling world, Irina grabbed Peruche and started shaking her.
"The reason I obtained 'retry,' the reason I know quite a lot, the reason why your memories returned, the reason why the world is like this."
"...Argh!"
"And if the enlightenment that the five girls and Frey must obtain is found through the new third trial, you'll return to the original world."
As that happened, Irina lost her balance when the world folded in half and started being dragged along.
"Is this enough?"
Like that, in the world that was becoming chaos.
"Frey?"
Peruche looked at Frey who had been far away with Serena until then and asked.
"Is this enough to atone to you?"
Naturally, Frey, who was in stopped time, gave no answer.
"Well, whatever. Because this time I can finally give you a happy ending."
Nevertheless, Peruche continued speaking steadfastly.
"...Well then, let's do the last thing we need to do."
She started manipulating the [Debug Mode] window that Irina had left behind.
[Save Data Management System]
> Current Peruche Astelleid is in data 01.
> Load the most recent playthrough.
> The most recent playthrough is ....????? data. Do you really want to return?
When such a question appeared in the debug window.
"Of course."
> Yes
> Applying......
Peruche, with a composed expression, wrote in a word that didn't exist in the Sunrise Empire. And in this dimension.
"I need to go back quickly to receive the third trial."
And, the world turned inside out.
.
"Umm..."
Frey, who couldn't come to his senses due to a dazed feeling, cautiously opened his eyes.
"...Huh?"
Then, strange scenes spread before his vision.
"What is this?"
His body was bound with rope, soldiers with fierce appearances were all around, and in front of him.
"........?"
All the main heroines he loved dearly were looking at him with equally bewildered expressions.
".........."
But that was only for a moment, suddenly they started looking at Frey with cold eyes.
"Frey Raon Starlight, you are..."
And Peruche, who stepped forward as their representative with an expression of contempt, said.
"placing you under arrest for attempted murder of the hero."
With a cold voice, she declared that.
'...But I'm the hero?'
Frey made an absurd expression at those words.
"Pfft."
When he heard a mocking sound from somewhere familiar, he raised his head and started looking beyond the main heroines.
".....!"
And at that moment, he froze.
"What are you looking at? You're making our hero feel bad."
"Ugly human, you finally got caught."
"...The Sun God will not forgive you."
Rosewin, Aishi, the sub-heroines added in the second year, and the youngest paladin of the Sun God sect whom he hadn't met yet.
"Disgusting."
"P-please take him away quickly. I feel like throwing up."
"Pathetic, you bastard."
Isollet, the person he respected second most in the world, Lulu whom he tried so hard to save, Arianne who was Irina's friend.
And besides them, all the students of Sunrise Academy were denouncing him with cold expressions.
"Pfft, pfft."
And amidst that crowd, Ruby was giggling while covering her mouth as if something was so funny.
'Hey, what on earth is this...?'
In such an incomprehensible situation, Frey, who was bound, tried to ask a question while stuttering.
"...It's a success."
But from Frey's mouth, completely different words popped out.
"Finally... finally it's a success..."
A voice so exhausted, almost fading away.
"Finally... I can give the world... a happy ending."
And so the true third trial began.