The Monologue Must End · Chapter 1
Vestige of Corruption
Hilde
...Did it escape?
The others are no longer reviving either...
Looks like the Immortal System Core was successfully destroyed.
What remains now... is something the rookie must overcome herself.
Otherwise... there will be no future this time either.
???
You've become quite the saint while I was away, Hilde.
Is it because everyone worships you as their mentor...? It suits you surprisingly well.
Of course, that's only because none of them are aware of your true nature.
Hilde
I was wondering when you'd make your entrance. Took you long enough to get up and join in.
???
No? I haven't gotten up yet. I am still seated, you know.
???
If you want me off my seat, you'll have to try harder, Hilde.
To be honest, I've been watching for a while now...
Seeing you struggle against that defective toy was rather entertaining.
It was almost painful, watching a once-beloved star fade away.
Had you gone all out, something like the Immortal System Core wouldn't have regenerated so easily...
The causal backlash would've gone past the terminal and hit the core itself too. Am I wrong?
Hilde
...And why would I do that for anyone's sake?
???
Haha. Fair enough.
If the Qliphoth Factor had reached the point to make you push you that far, all the Demon Lords of Qliphoth would have awakened by now.
Hilde
...So who has awakened this time?
???
Who knows? Me... and perhaps the False Savior.
There might be one or two more as well... I cannot say for certain.
Ah, but do not worry too much.
They may have awakened, but their power is still lacking.
For the time being, they'll keep quiet and lie low.
As for when we will meet again...
...Hmm?
Hilde
Is that... a quantum tunnel?
Why is it here?
Yoo Mina
Where am I...?
What the—? Why are you here, Commander?
Hilde
I should be asking you that, rookie.
I sent you to destroy the core of System Terraside.
How did you make it back from there?
Yoo Mina
Make it back? I was just fighting alongside Shiyoon earlier!
Then we followed the Replacer King into something called a quantum tunnel, and...
???
Hmm...
It was not yet fated for the young Wolf to meet me.
Ah, I see...
This could be interesting in its own way.
Yoo Mina
Who's that...? She's floating in the air?
Commander, who's that supposed to be?
Hilde
...Still lingering around, Asmodeus?
Fall back, rookie. You're not ready for this opponent yet.
Asmodeus
My, my. You should not coddle her so much, Hilde.
How will the pup grow into a proper wolf if you shelter her like that?
Yoo Mina
Ngh...?!
W-what...?! This heat...!
Asmodeus
Consider it an honor, young Wolf.
I shall indulge your whims for a little while.
Lena
Commander! A massive unidentified energy signature has appeared at your current location!
According to thermal readings...!
I-It's immeasurable...?
That's impossible...! At this rate, the space at the current coordinates will collapse!
Hilde
Asmodeus! What are you planning to do?
Do you intend to settle this here and now?
Asmodeus
You are slow to catch on, my Hilde.
Or is it because your seal was only just broken?
Then allow me to teach you.
Starting now...
It's time for a little improvisation.
Hilde
Damn it...!
Rosaria, stop!
Asmodeus
—It's too late, Hilde.
A short while ago, I received a letter from Alicia inviting us to the Astro Sanctum.
The problem was...
Luna
Only you and Asherah were invited?
That's so unfair! The rest of us also took part in the [Journey] too.
Smile
It is possible Luna was penalized for her lack of diligence.
However, excluding me is illogical. Objective evaluation criteria to be required.
That probably isn't the reason.
Asherah
The letter only mentioned an invitation. It didn't explain why.
Oh! Maybe she's giving us a prize for working so hard?
Luna
I can't imagine Asherah receiving an award or anything like that...
Smile
A disciplinary lecture is a plausible outcome.
Luna
Ah! That's gotta be it!
Asherah
Seriously?!
And so...
Alicia
I've been waiting for you, Captain. Asherah.
Oh? It seems someone else has joined you.
Someone else?
Omega
Ack! You caught Omega!
Asherah
Omega?!
No wonder she was so quiet while Luna and Smile were complaining...
Asherah
Ahem. That won't do, Omega. You shouldn't sneak after us without saying anything.
Omega
Mm... Omega's sorry... But Omega just wanted to come with you...
Asherah
Even so, rules are rules. You're putting Lady Alicia on the spot.
Alicia
It's all right, Asherah.
I expected Omega would come along.
Asherah
What? Really?
Omega
Then it's okay if Omega stays?
Thank you! You're such a nice lady!
Alicia
Fufu. Lively children are always the best.
I've been informed about the progress of your Journey. You've been doing well.
Asherah
We're doing our best. This wasn't an opportunity easily earned.
So please keep watching over us!
Alicia
Of course. I will be looking forward to it.
You'll have to keep up as well, Captain. Your member seems to be quite motivated.
Quite the responsibility I have here.
Alicia
Fufu. How modest of you.
Omega
So what should Mister and Asherah do now? And Omega?
Asherah
Good question. The invitation didn't even mention why we were invited.
And Lady Alicia wouldn't have called us just to encourage us...
Alicia
Yes. In truth, I have a favor to ask of you.
As Alicia waved her hand, the clouds in the sky were swept aside.
The sky is split open...?!
Asherah
W-what? How's that even possible?
Alicia
That is a [scar].
In the distant past, there was a great crisis that nearly consumed this world.
As always, there were those who stood against it...
And after countless trials and hardships, they won.
But that battle left a deep wound upon this world.
Under normal circumstances, it causes no issues...
But when the world experiences a major shock, that wound can sometimes appear again.
That is what we call the [scar].
It is also known as a [Corruption disaster].
Asherah
I-I don't understand any of this!
Omega
Mm...
Omega kinda gets it!
Asherah
Oh? You do?
Omega
Yep! Omega read about it in the database a loooong time ago while she was waiting!
[Human will can shape the world]!
Asherah
What does that mean?
Omega
Well! So basically, it means...
Actually, Omega isn't sure!
Alicia
The powerful wills, regrets, and obsessions left behind by those who once threatened or protected the world...
Those forces create new rules and possibilities, disrupting the world itself.
If the wound continues to grow, it might overwrite our world entirely.
For example, a world where Asherah never met the Captain could come to pass.
Asherah
What?! No! I can't let that happen!
Alicia
Don't worry. It's only a hypothetical possibility.
The likelihood of something that severe happening is quite low.
However, no matter how slim, the [possibility of catastrophe] does exist.
Like how even a simple cold can be dangerous for someone with a weak body?
Alicia
Precisely. That is an excellent analogy, Captain.
Asherah
Ooh, I see...
Omega
Then Omega would be the nurse?
And Mister and Asherah are the doctors!
Alicia
You understood perfectly.
Like an illness, once it's too late, it becomes untreatable.
If left as it is, the [possibility of catastrophe] will manifest even in Lavistar.
Asherah
I came here casually... but this turned out to be a serious matter.
Then how do we stop it?
Alicia
The entity that caused the [possibility of catastrophe]... let's call it the [Corruption Core] for now.
You must go there yourselves and defeat the [Corruption Core].
Asherah
Go there?
Omega
But it's super high up... Even a hundred ladders wouldn't reach it...
Alicia
Fufu. You don't need to climb up there.
It appears as a wound in space, but in truth, it is in fact a timeline where a certain possibility became reality.
Will the three of us be enough to handle it?
Alicia
Don't worry.
There will be people in that timeline resisting catastrophe as well.
Just like you, they too will be trying to destroy the [Corruption Core].
If you join forces with them, it should be more than enough.
Even so...
The more we have on our side, the better.
Alicia
Unfortunately, given NOA's current capabilities, you three are our best choice.
Interfering with another timeline would greatly affect causality.
Asherah
I don't really know what causality is, but it means only the three of us can go, right?
Rest assured, Lady Alicia! We'll stich up that wound and come back!
Alicia
Thank you, Asherah.
We've spent enough time talking. I shall begin with the transfer.
Alicia's moved her hands like a conductor leading an orchestra.
The clock at the center of the Astro Sanctum began to spin.
As the hands turned, a stream of brilliant white light unfolded before us.
Then...
Shall we?
Asherah
Yeah! I guess this is also a quest we're taking on as a Savior Party. Let's pull this off and make it back!
Omega
*Sniff* *Sniff...* It smells kinda familiar...
And so, we stepped into the stream of light.
Realigning Nebula reference point.
Vestige of Corruption I observed.
Target identified.
Observation, commencing.
Story and illustrations © Studio B-Side. An unofficial reading archive — for questions or requests, see the About page.